If I want to buy parts myself, new or used. Where can i take them to be installed?? Most shops don't want you to bring your own parts so they can zzap you on the price of those too. Will places do it because they're performance parts?? I live in Western Mass, are there any good shops around here???? Please help, want to buy Y-Pipe soon.
________
The Peak Towers

 

Dude, I live in Eastern Mass and i know plenty of shops that will do the job if u bring your own parts, whether they are performance or no. My favorite shop is "Tat On Auto Service" owned by Asian people. They do the best job I've ever seen. Located in Cambridge, MA. Let me know if u need their phone number.

Andy

 

You are right, most shops want to sell you the parts. That's because their cost structure is based on the parts markup as well as the labor rate. As a consumer, you might regard that as greed. As a business owner, you might regard that as necessary for financial survival. It's a different perspective.

You could ask around, and try to find a Nissan dealer technician who is a performance enthusiast, and "moonlights" on weekends. This is the kind of guy who will give you a good price on labor and also objective advice about which performance parts are worth their cost.

 

How far is Cambridge from Palmer, it's Exit 8 on the Mass Pike.
________
PerfectKate

 

Yeah, I know where Palmer is, I went to UMASS Amherst, pretty close. Umm...it took me about 1hr 30min to get to Boston downtown, maybe even less, considering there is no traffic. Cambridge should be a little closer. I can give you the address, so u can plug it in the mapquest and see if you u wanna go for it.

Andy

 

It can't hurt to plug it into Mapquest. Thanks for all the input.
________
Zoloft Class Action Lawsuit

 

Address: 125 Brookline St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-876-3218
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat-9am-2pm.

Good luck

Andy

 

I find that the only mechanics who don't let you bring your own parts are the chain shops like Midas, Goodyear, etc.. or the dealer. Most independent shops, especially small ones don't mind if you bring your own parts at all. I bring my own parts to my mechanic and he has no problem with that. He always tells me that I'm "overmaintaining" my car by changing stuff out before they need to be, but then I do baby my car so it just makes me feel even better.

 

Just a warning, you're gonna have a HARD time finding someone to install a y-pipe. It's illegal, and most shops won't touch the install. You might have to find a more performance oriented shop.

Good Luck.

Chris

 

Why is it illegal? Please elaborate.

 

Y pipes are illegal? I know they say for off road use only, but so do my clear corners! Does a Y pipe change your emissions? So much so that you have to worry about inspection?

 

Almost every shop in MA will install a y-pipe without any problems. It doesn't change you emmisions when the car is warmed up and operating at a normal temperature.

 

I'm in California, and out here we're subject to stiff fines for removing emissions control equipment. So I've decided to forgo adding a Y-pipe, at least for the time being.

 

The Y-pipe is not part of the emissions control system. Every factory-stock Maxima has a Y-pipe. The aftermarket performance manufacturers claim to have a better one.

Go to http://www.bol.ucla.edu/%7Ecchiu1/ypipe.html for a picture of a popular aftermarket Y-pipe. You will see it is nothing but plumbing. There are no moving parts, no active elements. Two Oxygen Sensors are mounted into it, but you re-use the original sensors. This is the same thing you would do if you replaced a damaged stock Y-pipe with a new stock Y-pipe.

My own Maxima is "bone stock". I am not interested in mods, but I don't want people frightened away from them for the wrong reason.

 

Uhhh..... the factory Y-pipe has two catalytic converters on it (pre-cats).

The aftermarket ones do not. The car will still (probably) pass emissions because of the other cat after the y-pipe. The performance gain comes mostly from removing the cats.

So when you put on the aftermarket y-pipe you're removing two catalytic converters, which technically speaking is illegal (so what, do it!!!)

smokin96se

 

I was wrong. I stand corrected. Thank you.

 

Yeah I had three places tell me to get lost with my ypipe so i ended up doing it myself. However, my friend got his installed by some shady place but they charged an extra $30 to do it.