Difference between buying catback and going to a shop?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
Difference between buying catback and going to a shop? Are there advantages/disadvantages to each? If I were to buy whatever muffler I wanted, take it to a shop and let them do all the piping is that just as good as buying a complete catback? I was thinking of buying the Magnaflow, but I want quad tips. Then I hear they're doing quad tips now. Sweet, I'm there! Then I find out that they're like $200 more. 
Forget that. A friend recommended a local shop, and he said he'd do all the piping and put rolled, quad tips on whatever muffler I bring in for like $225. Magnaflow mufflers look to be around $100-$125 or so, so I can get an equivalent Magnaflow system for around $350. One thing I did just think of, I don't know if he's using stainless or not, maybe that's a difference. If I did something like that, is it just as good (assuming he uses stainless?)
Forget that. A friend recommended a local shop, and he said he'd do all the piping and put rolled, quad tips on whatever muffler I bring in for like $225. Magnaflow mufflers look to be around $100-$125 or so, so I can get an equivalent Magnaflow system for around $350. One thing I did just think of, I don't know if he's using stainless or not, maybe that's a difference. If I did something like that, is it just as good (assuming he uses stainless?) Thats what I was going to say, the catback has Mandrel bends, is stainless steel and the muffler is polished (if that matters) when I got it I was really impressed how much better made it looked than the Hooker CB I had a long time before
to me it wouldnt be worth it to get the catback made at a local shop because you can get the complete magnaflow catback from Marylandspeed who is a sponser here for like 385 to your door i mean yea it is only the single 3.5 tips but for that price you cant complain i mean itsall stainless, polished, and mandral bends. more than likly the one you are gonna get from the local shop is going to me aluminumized pipe and its going to have the crimp bends in the pipe, because very few exhaust shops can do the mandral bending. i mean the crimp bend usually cuts down on flow by like 5% as was told to me buy an exhaust shop around me. i mean do what you would like i mean would get the tips you want and its about 40 bucks cheaper but you arent getting the quality in my .02 hope this helps .
Russell
Russell
Originally Posted by kistlerjm9
yeah dont go with the shop get a cat back and just have them do the tips. if the pipe has kinks after the muffler not gonna matter to much.
Magnaflow and all of the other catbacks spend a lot of time to build a catback that will fit well. They have already figured out exactly how to build them the best. The guy at the muffler shop probably hasn't build many full catbacks for our cars. Mandrel bends and good fitment would make it worth it to buy a pre made catback.
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i went to a reputable shop in southern california to get rid of my flowmaster muffler (3inch catback). they put in a magnaflow muffler for $180, but it turned out to be a 2.5inch inlet.
if i bought it myself, at least i'd know what i was buying.
if i bought it myself, at least i'd know what i was buying.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
Just an update. Yes, if the shop did it, it would be dimple bends in aluminized pipe, hence the price difference. My dilemma, I've found a Magnaflow system for cheap, but it's only the muffler back. I'd have to be able to buy the muffler forward or have it fabbed. I've already contacted Magnaflow and they won't sell them seperately. They do have some individual pieces on their site, but I don't know for sure if I could make it work or not. Any suggestions on somewhere that might be able to make them? If not, how much would it hurt me to run dimple bend from the stock y-pipe back to the muffler?
slp intermediate pipes are on sale for 40 bucks all you would need at that point is the over the axle pipe with summit sells for 64 bucks via dynomax. you wouldnt have to half *** anything it would all go together smoothly fitmant will be a 9/10
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku This is the only other thing you would need after that.
Last edited by kistlerjm9; Jun 13, 2007 at 12:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
Thanks again for all the help. Man, it's funny how things can change so quickly, huh? Doesn't look like I'll be going with Magnaflow after all. I stumbled on a great deal on a GMMG, so that's probably what I'll be going with. 
However, I still may go with some Magnaflow tips unless I find some I like better. The Corsa's are nice, but I'm not sure I want to pay that much just for tips. If you've got pics of any quad tips on a T/A, post 'em here:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearance-detailing/733395-looking-pics-quad-tips-t-s.html
Also, if you're selling any, drop in here:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/parts-wanted/733392-wtb-quad-exhaust-tips.html
However, I still may go with some Magnaflow tips unless I find some I like better. The Corsa's are nice, but I'm not sure I want to pay that much just for tips. If you've got pics of any quad tips on a T/A, post 'em here:https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearance-detailing/733395-looking-pics-quad-tips-t-s.html
Also, if you're selling any, drop in here:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/parts-wanted/733392-wtb-quad-exhaust-tips.html
