Ive been searching all over for a good exhaust...mainly im looking for a 3" catback mandrel bent...doesnt have to be stainless...but it seems like most places only carry the stainless and they all want over 500 bucks...which i cant make myself pay for some bent metal pipe...and ive been to some of the local muffler places and all they can do is press bend...anyway..anyone bought a catback for a DECENT price from a vendor or should i just suck it up and get a local shop to do it?
Did you actually pay 500+ dollars for a catback exhaust??
DSMRSTPOS
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165 Posts
I've got an Apex'i Downpipe, custom cat and Dunk 115 3" setup on my 2g (same as my sig, christ). I like it BUT it cost a shit load of money too, near $750 for exhaust and HPC coating on piping and install, then another $400 for downpipe and cat and more HPC coating. Throaty, and deep, no trimming weeds with this setup. I did this change after swapping turbos, intercooler, and intak, etc so I noticed a huge difference coming from the other upgrades as well.
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888 Posts
I'm planning on going to a muffler shop and getting a 3' turbo back. For the money of a cat back, I can have a turboback.
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had a muffler shop make mine 3inch turboback.best money I spent real glad I didn't get namebrand.As long as it's mandrel bent I mean a pipe is a pipe it's not like apex greedy grow there pipes from special metal.That's what I think but then again I'm real cheap.If want drop me an
e-mail maybe I can get you a good deal on an exhaust like mine I'm kool with the muffler shop guy.later
e-mail maybe I can get you a good deal on an exhaust like mine I'm kool with the muffler shop guy.later
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4,231 Posts
Another good way to go is to get used parts off of local club members. I'm getting a 2.5" turbo-back Buschur exhaust, only a year old and in good shape, for $200. 
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2,164 Posts
Yeah I wouldn't leave it with some shop and just say, here make me an exhaust. I think that there are three bends total if I remember right. Straight back parrellel to the driveshaft, first bend turns under the driveshaft then goes up, then a bend towards the passenger side and flat, finally one last bend just the exhaust tip. If you tell a decent muffler shop that they should be able to do it for you. Next time my car goes on a lift I'll see if I can take some pics.rollhard.com said:
Actually I thought you were refering to me above, thought "my friend here" was refering to me or something
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2,164 Posts
This kind of sorta gives you an idea http://pics.dsm.org/files/fuel cell 2.jpg
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60 Posts
the new thermal catback systems have two bends. the cat has a slant and goes strait back the the rear axle, bends diagnally side ways-up then turns again to muffler inlet. the apexi has a simular design. i took a look at them side by side and their bend pattern was almost identical.
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2,164 Posts
But then there's that bend to make the tip straight. The muffler is at an angle. Or did they change the second bend so the muffler goes straight back?
I paid:
- $225 for a catback (aluminized) -INSTALLED
- $260 for a downpipe (stainless) -INSTALLED
- $50 straight pipe (stainless from Extreme) +shipping, took me 30 min to install...
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Total spend - $550
All pipes were mandrel bend and work like magic. Just go to any local shop that make exaust systems for domestics and they will give you similar prices. The catalog stuff is way overrated INHO, a pipe is a pipe, guys. Maybe the Greddy or whoever do research and their exaust systems will actually give you +3hp somewhere on the powerband and 0.00333 on the quartermile, but is it worth the insane prices? Besides, when a local shop makes a faulty part, it's always easier to get it fixed/exchanged unlike the whole phone/mail hassle. I really hope that you will do the right thing. Good luck.
- $225 for a catback (aluminized) -INSTALLED
- $260 for a downpipe (stainless) -INSTALLED
- $50 straight pipe (stainless from Extreme) +shipping, took me 30 min to install...
------------------------
Total spend - $550
All pipes were mandrel bend and work like magic. Just go to any local shop that make exaust systems for domestics and they will give you similar prices. The catalog stuff is way overrated INHO, a pipe is a pipe, guys. Maybe the Greddy or whoever do research and their exaust systems will actually give you +3hp somewhere on the powerband and 0.00333 on the quartermile, but is it worth the insane prices? Besides, when a local shop makes a faulty part, it's always easier to get it fixed/exchanged unlike the whole phone/mail hassle. I really hope that you will do the right thing. Good luck.
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60 Posts
nick,
the last bend is kinda wierd. before the exhasut is installed, it kinda looks as if its gonna come out on an angle. one bend by the axle, one for the the muffler in and the muffler itself is sitting a little slanted so that it doesnt come out at an angle like the apexi n1. we might be talking about the same thing as far as the bends. i know the older one they had a bend right before the muffler. now it just enters at an angle to compensate for it. the n1 has the same angle but the last bend occurs a bit sooner than the thermal, and the muffler is stright in, unlike the thermal. thats why the muffler and a tip comes out at the angle. looks kinda funny imo when i first saw it. i think greddy or hks had the first angle exhaust for the dsm. it took a while for me to get used to the look. = )
the last bend is kinda wierd. before the exhasut is installed, it kinda looks as if its gonna come out on an angle. one bend by the axle, one for the the muffler in and the muffler itself is sitting a little slanted so that it doesnt come out at an angle like the apexi n1. we might be talking about the same thing as far as the bends. i know the older one they had a bend right before the muffler. now it just enters at an angle to compensate for it. the n1 has the same angle but the last bend occurs a bit sooner than the thermal, and the muffler is stright in, unlike the thermal. thats why the muffler and a tip comes out at the angle. looks kinda funny imo when i first saw it. i think greddy or hks had the first angle exhaust for the dsm. it took a while for me to get used to the look. = )
so is the best street set-up, a 2.5 inch downpipe with 3 inch cat back exhaust? some seem to think a full 3 inch downpipe losses a good amount of low end punch....and isnt the thermal set-up kinda loud...i know of a good deal on a used 3 inch turbo back..but am trying to find an exhaust i can live with..some who have put on full three inch systems have removed them in favor of the full 2.5 inch set-up..any ideas..
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511 Posts
Yeah, I am trying to find a good system. As far as I've read people say tanabe exhausts sound like lawn mowers, and the Thermals are pretty deep and only loud when you go WOT. From what I've seen on my friend's civic, the greddy one sounds not bad. I'd just love to be able to know the sound before I drop $500+ on an exhaust Anyone else out there with a 91 eclipse with a thermal? I'm starting to lean towards that system....
Anyone else out there with a 91 eclipse with a thermal? I'm starting to lean towards that system....
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60 Posts
well the apexi set up is also cool when you are looking for an exhaust and dp setup. the piping is 2 3/4, so its not a full 3in and its not as restrictive as a 2.5. for under $650, its a good buy and also gives you the option of a silencer which apexi claims to cut 7db of the sound. losing low end from a bigger exhasut isnt that big of a deal for me, just launch at a high rpm with your turbo spooled = ) there isnt too much low end loss with the apexi though. not with the thermal either. well i havent notice. i have a big 16g and it spools to 15psi around 3200rpm
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60 Posts
well, im not sure that the worldsport is larger than the n1. the ws series is apexi's standard, low budget exhaust, then comes the dunk and n1 with the gt spec series being their top line. the silencer will disrupt air flow a bit but its nothing youre gonna "feel". nick, i looked at my thermal today cuz i never thought about what you were saying as far as the tip coming out slanted. mine is a straight weld so yeah its different.
well as far as the apex systems..the ws,n1,dunk, are available for the same price of 490..for the 3 inch cat back..so im not sure how they can be catagorized as base,intermediate,and high end or whatever..i think they are just built with the same packing,tubing,flanges..etc..its just the muffler casing/design that is different..right? i have used removable silencers before...on a vw scirocco..and my dirt bike..and u can feel the difference...so i guess i wouldant agree that it wouldant make any difference from going from a 3 inch outlet..then restricting it to 2 inches..
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