Just wondering. What would be wrong with just buying the same Magnaflow muffler they're including with their cat-back kit and having an exhaust shop bend some tubing to fit the rest? Is it a big deal at all to have mandrel bent corners or not? I checked out the cost difference and could buy the muffler online and even have stainless tube bent for considerably cheaper than the cheapest I've seen the kit for. Whatta ya think?

 

Go for it. I had my Magnaflow and tubing installed for $240 at a local shop.

 

I couldn't find anyone local that could mandrel bend the tubing and even with their normal crush bending and cut rate muffler, wanted about the same for an all stainless job as the kit.

 

Yeah, I just can't see how mandrel bends could possibly make that much difference. Maybe there's something I'm overlooking here. I called my local shop and he quoted me 100 bucks to bend the tailpipe and make me a pipe that replaces the unit between cat and muffler with 3" reducer all in 16ga SS. I would install it but no big deal as I can weld. And I found that exact muffler online for $81 shipped. Simple math to me. Again, unless there's something I don't know about mandrel corners.

 

Thats what I did.
Most shops now do mandrel bent piping anyway. You can save a lot of money this way.

Phil

 

Update...I just bought my 3" magnaflow muffler SI/SO from PerformancePeddler.com for 66 bucks shipped. A universal, Mandrel Bent , 3" tail pipe that I can trim to fit for 75 bucks, 3 feet of 3" tubing(between muffler and Y pipe) for 15 bucks. All from a local shop. And they made me a 2.5"-3" adapter for free. Now I know this all requires more work on my part but am fine with that for the savings.

TOTAL=$156.00

Same as a kit minus all the screwy clamps (and SS tube of course)but same sound and performance.

 

When you change out your exhaust system, other than that fact that you might want it to sound better...the other point is that you want better flow to pick up some power....if you don't have mandrel bends than your not making up for much other than swapping out the muffler. It would be about the same as just sticking in a better flowing muffler. But if you have mandrel bent pipes and a better flowing muffler than you will get more out of it.

Point being I guess is that if the shop is not going to mandrel bend for you and your gonna pay almost as much as a nice kit would cost, then yeah just go for the kit and if they will mandrel bend and are cheaper than more power to ya...save the money for more good stuff!

 

Yeah, I got a pre-fab'd mandrel bent pipe. The muffler and exhaust ends will need trimmed to fit but it will work great. Not stainless but who cares, I'll put a tip on her and as for the rest...Who cares, after some time it would look like crap anyway. The muffler is SS. And the pipe in front of the muffler is straight so I'm good.

 

1) Cut off stock exhaust system, muffler to tailpipe.

2) Weld-in muffler of choice.

3) Enjoy.

 

I like dumped exhaust more than having tips & having to always maintain them so they dont get ruined.