My wife's father told me that if you eliminate it that the car would sound to loud. I'm trying to keep a deep noise (as deep as a japanese can can get, which isn't as deep as an american muscle). I see you're from Miami... Have you heard some of those civics and crx's in Hialeah, they sound horrible and you can hear them from a mile away. I like a deep rumble... Listen to this Civic racing a GTI. LOL

http://www.eurotuned.com/multimedia/gti_vs_civic.htm