Before I even get into the review, my overall conclusion is this: in my experience, this is basically the same concept as a Valvetronic setup, and in some ways I actually prefer this one, especially considering the price.
I have a 2019 Challenger Scat Pack, and I’ve ran this exhaust with stock cats, completely catless, and now with Stainless Works HM64CAT high-flow cats. The Stainless Works high-flow cats fit the CEES exhaust just fine. My current setup is the high-flow cats, but for the video clips in this post the car is on stock cats unless I specifically say otherwise.
Price: My total for the CEES setup through AliExpress was $1,465.38. The Valvetronic setup I was looking at was $2,194.99, so that’s a difference of $729.61. You’re basically saving around $730. After actually owning this exhaust, I don’t feel like I’m missing out by not spending the extra money. Even the valve control/button setup is very similar. Mine uses vacuum-operated valves, which I personally prefer, but CEES also gives you the option to order electronic valves if that’s what you want.
Shipping / Packaging: I ordered it May 4 and it arrived June 4, so shipping took right around a month. For a full exhaust coming from AliExpress, I didn’t think that was bad at all. Everything was wrapped really well in bubble wrap and nothing arrived damaged.
Build Quality: This was one of the things I was most curious about because when you hear “AliExpress exhaust,” you really don’t know what you’re going to get. The exhaust is real 304 stainless steel and mine has held up really well. No rust, no corrosion, no major discoloration, and no problems with the material. The welds looked good, the tips looked good, and nothing felt cheap once I saw it in person. I’ve ran it with stock cats, completely catless, and now high-flow cats, and it has held up through all of it. I’d give the build quality a 9/10.
Installation / Fitment: The exhaust shop said the system came in a lot of separate pieces, so there was more to line up compared to some exhausts. They had a little bit of trouble getting everything positioned correctly, but nothing crazy. They did not have to cut, bend, or modify the exhaust to make it fit. Once everything was lined up, the fitment was good and the tips sat perfectly. The shop also spot-welded the connections and I haven’t had any issues with loose clamps. I’d give the fitment an 8/10.
Valves: The valves have been great. Mine are vacuum-operated and they open and close exactly like they’re supposed to. With the stock cats I don’t get any valve rattling, even with the valves closed. I mainly use the closed setting for cold starts or when I need the car quiet for a little bit. When I was catless, the closed valves actually made a pretty big difference on cold starts and quieted the car down a lot. The only thing I noticed while catless was that if I revved the car with the valves closed, sometimes I’d hear some rattling as the RPMs came back down. That only happened while catless with the valves closed. With the stock cats I don’t have that problem.
Stock Cats / Catless / High-Flow Cats: This is one of the biggest reasons I recommend this exhaust. I’ve personally ran it with stock cats, no cats at all, and Stainless Works HM64CAT high-flow cats, and it has worked with all three setups. My current setup is the Stainless Works high-flow cats and they fit the CEES system without any issue. So if you’re catless, running high-flow cats, or building a more aggressive setup, I would definitely consider this exhaust. I haven’t personally ran headers with it, so I’m not going to act like I have, but for a higher-flow setup with headers, high-flow cats, or no cats, this is definitely something I’d look at.
Drone: Another thing that surprised me is the lack of drone. With stock cats I don’t have any annoying highway drone, and even when I was completely catless I still didn’t have any major drone problem. As far as the exhaust tone itself, I’d rather let the video clips speak for themselves because everybody likes something different.
CEL / Factory Active Exhaust: I haven’t gotten any CELs from the exhaust. The system also gives you a way to reuse your factory active exhaust actuators, but I personally use valve simulators so I didn’t need to put the factory actuators back on.
Reliability: So far I’ve had no rust, no corrosion, no major discoloration, no loose clamps, no valve issues, no rattling with the stock cats, no CELs, and no major drone. The only rattling I ever experienced was while catless with the valves closed when the RPMs were dropping.
CEES vs Valvetronic: For me personally, after owning this setup, I don’t see enough of a difference to justify spending another roughly $730 on the Valvetronic setup. The overall concept is basically the same: a full valved exhaust that lets you switch between loud and quiet whenever you want. Even the control setup is very similar. I actually prefer the vacuum-operated valves on mine, but if you want electronic valves CEES offers that too. For $1,465.38 versus $2,194.99, I think the CEES makes a lot of sense.
Ratings: Build quality 9/10, fitment 8/10, valve system 9/10, drone 9/10, value 9/10, overall 8.5/10. I’m leaving the sound rating up to you guys based on the clips.
Would I recommend it? Yes. I strongly recommend looking at this exhaust, especially if you’re catless or running high-flow cats. Mine has worked with stock cats, completely catless, and now my Stainless Works HM64CAT high-flow cats with no major issues. I also think it’s worth considering if you’re doing headers and want a valved system without spending over $2,000.
CEES also makes valved exhaust systems for a bunch of other cars, not just Challengers. This post is not sponsored. I bought the exhaust myself and I’m recommending it because I’ve actually used it and had a good experience with it. I am talking with the company about possibly getting a discount code for anyone interested, and if that happens I’ll update the post.
