I'm looking for some advice and opinions for my exhaust. I've got a 2001 2.2L that I've had for a couple years now and I'm looking to move on from it this summer but not before some things are tidied up a bit first. I haven't touched the exhaust since I bought the car but the previous owner added 2.25" pipe from the cat back with a magnaflow muffler (going by the dimension,
this one seems to be the culprit) on the end. I don't mind the look of the muffler and the sound is fine, my problem is that it's just much too loud.
This is where I need help. I need to get the thing running a lot quieter before I'm willing to sell it, I can't imagine I'd manage much interest with the way it is now. Since it's not my intention to keep it I don't want to go spend hundreds on a whole new setup but at the same time I don't want to go with a patch job that I'd be embarrassed to call my own. With that said, I don't need it to be back down to stock levels but it still needs to come down a few notches.
I've never messed around with exhaust before so bear with me. I've done research and reading but with no hands on in the past it's harder to apply what I read and know what exactly I need to do to get this done so I come seeking advice. Most of what I've seen suggests a resonator to help the sound out, bigger usually being better, but some say it changes the volume, alters the sound, removes rasp, some of the above or all of the above. Again, no experience so I can only guess. My current setup has no raspiness so I'm not worried with that. A new muffler could help but the one on there now is still in good shape and it's probably cheaper to add a resonator than swap out the muffler so I'd rather avoid that if possible. It should be pointed out also that performance is not a factor for me, this is strictly volume control.
I know mods = $$ but it doesn't mean break the bank either. I'm ready to spend the money to do it right but I don't want to do more than what's necessary. I've rambled probably longer than I needed but background information is better than "i dont want to read myself fix my stuff now plz". I'm sorry if I come off as a complete noob but if we're being honest, I am. Please help me make my car a little more quiet. Any help I can get in preserving my hearing is appreciated, thanks.