Cat-Back Exhaust Cost

[Skibum1989]

I'm looking into a cat-back exhaust system. I guess the way to go is not to install a "kit" but to get a good muffler and have a shop make a custom cat-back system. I went to the closest muffler shop and they quoted me $400+tax for parts and service. This includes a Dynomax Super Turbo muffler, which, to my surprise was the one I was looking to install on my X. On the quote it says the muffler costs $170. The strange thing is that I could get that same muffler from summitracing.com for like $45.

Could I just get the muffler somewhere else and have them install it? Is it otherwise a good deal? I'm gonna check into 2 more shops today, we'll see how it goes.

 

[spindlecone]

My fourth and last system was $225, MF single in dual side out.
In your case single catback system, aluminized pipe should be no more than 300.
Shop around

 

[TheFox88]

For my single in, single out, with a flomaster delta 40, 2.5" piping, I was quoted $210.

 

[Critical_Level2]

I got 2 estimates for $250 and $240 for 2.5" piping, flowmaster 40, and Stainless steel tip of my choice. I ended up getting 2.25" pipe from dynomax for $70 and got a ravin 33-series from meineke. They welded it up and total cost was $150 for the muffler, chrome tip and for them to weld it up. I spent a total of $230 for it all. For $400, that should be dual exhaust.

 

[Skibum1989]

Midas quoted me "ballpark 350" and the other place I was looking for was out of buisness...lol I'll keep trying some places tomorrow.

Are the custom cat-backs really that superior to the kits that it would be worth it to spend $200 more on the custom install over the dynomax kit designed for my X that I could install myself? What exactly is so different about them? Welds?

 

[spindlecone]

Dude
Going to Midas or mienke is the same as having your EX serviced at walmart, having your oil sevice done at quickey lube, having your ex detailed by some highschool carwash benifit, do not go there.
If you have a highend speedshop in your local, ask them who they use to do exhuast work, you get what you pay for. and it may be alot less than MIDAS

 

[Brian_B]

I hate living in the center of nowhere USA. There is no speed shop and only two local muffler shops (niether of which are any good). They both do lousy work. I will eventually either have to order a "kit" or drive somewhere else.

 

[Afboy143]

Mine was done by a guy here in Tampa that does work out of his garage for all the ricer and gearheads. I bought a 50 series dual in/dual out 2.25" muffler on summit for $98 shipped. He charged me $140 for labor (cutting off old muff, welding new on, custom building all pipes and welding up two chrome tips) Best of all, its duals and I didnt have to lose my spare tire. Shop around, dont go to Midas

 

[seanthenerd]

Hey I just picked my truck up from the muffler shop yesterday. I had a 50 Series FLowmaster dual in single out that I bought myself off summit racing for $95 then took it to my local shop and they installed it and ran new 2.5 pipe out the back for $65 it cost me a total of $195 for the whole setup (i paid $35 for a nice tip). If you are just going with a replacement performance muffler and new tailpipe your costs should be between $200-250 depending on what muffler and if the shops buy the muffle or you do. Remember that most muffler shops will buy from a distributor so the prices they charge you are next to retail. (this is where you might save as much $$$ as possible).

Hope it helps
-Sean

 

[spindlecone]

Hey I just picked my truck up from the muffler shop yesterday. I had a 50 Series FLowmaster dual in single out that I bought myself off summit racing for $95 then took it to my local shop and they installed it and ran new 2.5 pipe out the back for $65 it cost me a total of $195 for the whole setup (i paid $35 for a nice tip). If you are just going with a replacement performance muffler and new tailpipe your costs should be between $200-250 depending on what muffler and if the shops buy the muffle or you do. Remember that most muffler shops will buy from a distributor so the prices they charge you are next to retail. (this is where you might save as much $$$ as possible).

Hope it helps
-Sean

Dual in single out?

 

[Skibum1989]

Yeah that seems kinda restrictive, no?

 

[Skibum1989]

Okay I visited 4 more places today...

The first place I went to quoted me 450+tax.
The 2nd place was out of buisness.
The 3rd place would charge me 82.50/hr but I would have to supply everything.
The 4th place guessed beween 170-200 but I would have to provide the muffler and they could handle the pipes.

So it looks like shopping around makes quite a difference. One more question as I am shopping around for mufflers, what is the inlet/outlet size of the 95 explorer? I thought it was 2 1/4'' but one of the shops told me it's 2''.

 

[TheFox88]

Just go with an entire cat back system so that you wont even have to worry about that.

 

[Skibum1989]

Yeah but then I'll get stuck with some cheap-ass muffler that dosent sound good.

 

[Afboy143]

Dual in single out?

4.0 SOHC engines are dual in mufflers. I had to get dual in dual out on my muffler

 

[spindlecone]

4.0 SOHC engines are dual in mufflers. I had to get dual in dual out on my muffler

My Bad
Guess the SOHC tracs are diff, OEM is single in single out

 

[Brian_B]

Hmm...I would almost swear mine is single in-single out. I called myself looking last week, but maybe I need to look again. (blind maybe?)

 

[spindlecone]

A conundrom? I think maybe the dual in was the highway patrol model

 

[Skibum1989]

Dynomax says it's a good idea to go 1/4 to 1/2 inch wider inlet/outlet than stock to improve hp. Agree?

Will a 6 inch difference in muffler length make a drastic difference in sound? (20in vs 14in, otherwise identical mufflers)

 

[Brian_B]

The flomaster website reccomends by CID. Our 4.0 SOHC is recommended at 2.5" there.