Help: shops want $150 for y-pipe install, wtf?
03-31-2005, 01:02 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Help: shops want $150 for y-pipe install, wtf?
I'm ready to install my y-pipe on my 99 SE with approx. 75k miles. Went to a few exhaust places by my house and here are the results:
1) Midas: First off they weren't happy seeing that the y-pipe eliminates the precats. They said it's illegal and that they can't do it. Then, they changed their story and said they'll do it, but charge me $90 for one hour labor. All was good until they raised my car. They again changed their story and starting saying something about how hard it is to take off the studs (6 of them supposedly?) and how the cat bolts are now part of the cat. Now they say it's at least a 2 hour job and I'm looking at $200 to start, most likely $200+. And I'm thinking, screw yoU!!! WTF?
I pay $200 for pipe and 200+ to install the fukcer??!!
Place 2: $165 right off the bet. I just got the quote. So the way things are going, it would go up to $300+ once they jack my car up.
Place 3: "We cannot [put on this y-pipe] because it's illegal".
Are you sh!!ting me?! I want to get my f**king y-pipe installed and I must go overseas to do it?! Am I missing something? Please excuse my language, but I took some time off work to get this done and I'm pissed off as you can see. I don't fu**ing get it
Please recommend a place where I can get this done relatively cheap. Thanks
1) Midas: First off they weren't happy seeing that the y-pipe eliminates the precats. They said it's illegal and that they can't do it. Then, they changed their story and said they'll do it, but charge me $90 for one hour labor. All was good until they raised my car. They again changed their story and starting saying something about how hard it is to take off the studs (6 of them supposedly?) and how the cat bolts are now part of the cat. Now they say it's at least a 2 hour job and I'm looking at $200 to start, most likely $200+. And I'm thinking, screw yoU!!! WTF?
I pay $200 for pipe and 200+ to install the fukcer??!!Place 2: $165 right off the bet. I just got the quote. So the way things are going, it would go up to $300+ once they jack my car up.
Place 3: "We cannot [put on this y-pipe] because it's illegal".
Are you sh!!ting me?! I want to get my f**king y-pipe installed and I must go overseas to do it?! Am I missing something? Please excuse my language, but I took some time off work to get this done and I'm pissed off as you can see. I don't fu**ing get it
Please recommend a place where I can get this done relatively cheap. Thanks
03-31-2005, 01:07 PM
#2
3 words for you.........DO IT YOURSELF!!! honestly, if you can, just get it done yourself. too bad you dont live where i am, i can probably hook you up at this one shop for about $40 dollars to install it. Good luck finding the right place.
Go to a hole in the wall place.
Go to a hole in the wall place.
03-31-2005, 01:10 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 6,190
I don't know about a 99, but for my 95SE it only took 1.25 hours at a place that doesn't specialize in exhaust work (not a Midas or anything like that). So if you take it to someone who knows what they are doing it shouldn't take much more than 1.0 hour or they're blowing smoke up your a$$.
Take it to an independent shop, not one of those franchises. It's not rocket science, but its much easier to do the work on a hoist with all the proper air tools, etc.
Take it to an independent shop, not one of those franchises. It's not rocket science, but its much easier to do the work on a hoist with all the proper air tools, etc.
03-31-2005, 01:19 PM
#5
y dont u just do it urself or wit a fren.. i did mine at a fren's driveway but unfortunately it started raining but that didnt stop us so we were workin in the rain.. but it's all worth it!! oh and david, if u reading this i still owe u a lunch!!
03-31-2005, 01:35 PM
#8
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Posts: n/a
I cannot do it myself. I don't have the tools. I don't have long enough wrenches, etc. On top of that, I don't have anything hot enough to loosen the bolts that hold the stock y-pipe to the cat. These bolts are too rusted and don't even look like bolts anymore. Taking these bolts off will probably require drilling as it looks. Shops have these tools handy.
03-31-2005, 02:00 PM
#9
Other options
Originally Posted by Armani
I cannot do it myself. I don't have the tools. I don't have long enough wrenches, etc. On top of that, I don't have anything hot enough to loosen the bolts that hold the stock y-pipe to the cat. These bolts are too rusted and don't even look like bolts anymore. Taking these bolts off will probably require drilling as it looks. Shops have these tools handy.
What you guys (from the south) dont realize is he is in Chicago and the salt and rust and corrosion make the job nearly impossible to do jus by jacking up the car. When I was there even the muffler shop had to apply heat to get them bolts loose
Post in the Upper midwest forums, when I was in Chicago I had the same problem. I ended up going to a muffler shop on the west side (Cicero and Division) they put on control arm bushings and installed Y pipe for $150.00.
03-31-2005, 02:07 PM
#10
take it to any mufler shop , tell them to replace the bolts on your cat[U] , it will cost you $5-10 , Than go to Sears and spend few $$$ for some tools and install that sucker yourself !!!!
Nick.
Nick.
03-31-2005, 03:00 PM
#12
[QUOTE=nick]take it to any mufler shop , tell them to replace the bolts on your cat[U] , it will cost you $5-10 , Than go to Sears and spend few $$$ for some tools and install that sucker yourself !!!!QUOTE]
My car was in NY all of its life except the past 2 years, those cat bolts were not going anywhere. I took it to a local exhaust shop and they popped those suckers out in 20 min for $15. The rest of the bolts were cake to get off. The only tools you will need are some socket extensions, a universal joint, a breaker bar, and a 7/8" open end wrench for the O2 sensors.
My car was in NY all of its life except the past 2 years, those cat bolts were not going anywhere. I took it to a local exhaust shop and they popped those suckers out in 20 min for $15. The rest of the bolts were cake to get off. The only tools you will need are some socket extensions, a universal joint, a breaker bar, and a 7/8" open end wrench for the O2 sensors.
03-31-2005, 03:31 PM
#13
Originally Posted by ivolley
What you guys (from the south) dont realize is he is in Chicago and the salt and rust and corrosion make the job nearly impossible to do jus by jacking up the car. When I was there even the muffler shop had to apply heat to get them bolts loose
Post in the Upper midwest forums, when I was in Chicago I had the same problem. I ended up going to a muffler shop on the west side (Cicero and Division) they put on control arm bushings and installed Y pipe for $150.00.
Post in the Upper midwest forums, when I was in Chicago I had the same problem. I ended up going to a muffler shop on the west side (Cicero and Division) they put on control arm bushings and installed Y pipe for $150.00.
03-31-2005, 03:40 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 6,190
One has to be either a masochist or a martyr to subject themselves to 5 or more hours of torture and recommend that all others do the same, LMFAO!
Pay someone to do the job and work on your mechanical expertise at your leisure and buy the tools when you have the time and money.
Pay someone to do the job and work on your mechanical expertise at your leisure and buy the tools when you have the time and money.
03-31-2005, 03:45 PM
#17
Originally Posted by rmurdoch
One has to be either a masochist or a martyr to subject themselves to 5 or more hours of torture and recommend that all others do the same, LMFAO!
Pay someone to do the job and work on your mechanical expertise at your leisure and buy the tools when you have the time and money.
Pay someone to do the job and work on your mechanical expertise at your leisure and buy the tools when you have the time and money.
03-31-2005, 03:57 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by MaximaConvert
Armani - did you end up going with the Superflo?
Also, I visited a few more exhaust places. God damn it. The cheapest one wants $100 even.
Question: What bolts/screws did you guys use to tighten the new y-pipe? I assume you didn't reuse the old, rusty screws - because I sure as hell can't. I don't even know what screws to get.
03-31-2005, 04:06 PM
#20
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 284
I actually re used the bolts that were stock on the car. I guess from the location of the bolts, they weren't as corroded as the bolts down at the stock. They were 14mm bolts, and I ended up re using all of them. I had the same problem with the corrosion, but I ended up replacing everything from the Y pipe back, so I got new nuts and bolts for the install. I would definitely look into tools as an investment. Just think about the number of tools you can buy with that 200 bucks that Midas wanted, and you will be able to use those tools for a lifetime. It's money well spent.
03-31-2005, 04:07 PM
#21
Originally Posted by Armani
yes.
Also, I visited a few more exhaust places. God damn it. The cheapest one wants $100 even.
Question: What bolts/screws did you guys use to tighten the new y-pipe? I assume you didn't reuse the old, rusty screws - because I sure as hell can't. I don't even know what screws to get.
Also, I visited a few more exhaust places. God damn it. The cheapest one wants $100 even.
Question: What bolts/screws did you guys use to tighten the new y-pipe? I assume you didn't reuse the old, rusty screws - because I sure as hell can't. I don't even know what screws to get.
have the muffler shop install new cat bolts for few $$$,
There is lot of muffler shops in Spanish parts of Chicago that will install your y-pipe for pretty good price.
Nick.
03-31-2005, 04:08 PM
#22
well the only screws i had to replace were the ones we sawed off at the cat. we cut them off and then drilled the hole out in the flange, then went to home depot and just found ones that would fit the hole and put a nut and washer on each end to tighten them up. assuming you can get the rest off - which i think will be easier than the ones at the cat bc they are less exposed to salt and grime from the street you should be set. these are the ones that connect the ypipe to the headers and the bolts just hang in place from the the headers so save your nuts when you screw them off cause youll use them again.
03-31-2005, 04:10 PM
#23
Originally Posted by Zeus97MAX
I would definitely look into tools as an investment. Just think about the number of tools you can buy with that 200 bucks that Midas wanted, and you will be able to use those tools for a lifetime. It's money well spent.
good thinkin
03-31-2005, 04:12 PM
#24
Originally Posted by MaximaConvert
Maybe I just enjoy doing things myself and dont mind working at things - it brings satisfaction to not take the easy way out sometimes. Not everyone has an extra 150 to pay someone else to do something you could do yourself just cause youre lazy.
03-31-2005, 04:16 PM
#25
u need to go to a place that is in the inner city if u want cheap installs. if your car is like mine then u need to just bite the bullet and buy a hi-flo cat and not worry anymore about the rusted catr bolts. i did mine but some people cant and thats cool, just dont pay more then 50bucks to have it installed
03-31-2005, 07:17 PM
#30
Ask Dave or there's an exhaust shop near him that'll do it
I got lucky and my mom's car also needed to get exhaust work done so the shop I went to did her's for $160 (b-pipe + muff for her Civic) and he did mine for $75 (welded my 5th gen muff, replaced all 4 cat studs, and loosened all of the y-pipe bolts
)
CarX wanted $10 to replace each cat bolt + $60 to weld muff - didn't ask about y-pipe. Midas didn't even want to touch the car unless I wanted to replace my b-pipe with theirs. Didn't get to the shop that Dave told me about for a quote since the one I went to was an excellent deal
I got lucky and my mom's car also needed to get exhaust work done so the shop I went to did her's for $160 (b-pipe + muff for her Civic) and he did mine for $75 (welded my 5th gen muff, replaced all 4 cat studs, and loosened all of the y-pipe bolts
)CarX wanted $10 to replace each cat bolt + $60 to weld muff - didn't ask about y-pipe. Midas didn't even want to touch the car unless I wanted to replace my b-pipe with theirs. Didn't get to the shop that Dave told me about for a quote since the one I went to was an excellent deal
03-31-2005, 07:39 PM
#31
I cannot do it myself. I don't have the tools. I don't have long enough wrenches, etc. On top of that, I don't have anything hot enough to loosen the bolts that hold the stock y-pipe to the cat. These bolts are too rusted and don't even look like bolts anymore. Taking these bolts off will probably require drilling as it looks. Shops have these tools handy.
2. either cut the bolts on the cat, or attempt to kinda fry it w/ a blow torch.
friend of mines dad came by w/ a blow torch cause he's a welder and said that the
bolts are somehow resistant to the heat from the blow torch but he was able to
blow it off luckily.
3. u can go to ur local custom shop and have them just remove the old bolts for u and install some new ones.
03-31-2005, 07:47 PM
#32
ha, dude, you cant install a y pipe on your own? i didnt need any special tools, if so, you spend like what, 20-30 bucks provided you have NO tools at all? well, maybe more, floor jack would be helpful. best bet is to ask Dave if you wont pay or cant do it yourself.
also, my cat bolts were rusted, but i got them off with pb blaster and hand tools, no air tools. i think it took about an hour, 2 at the most and i was done. i've got a 97, and its been in wisconsin its whole life.
also, my cat bolts were rusted, but i got them off with pb blaster and hand tools, no air tools. i think it took about an hour, 2 at the most and i was done. i've got a 97, and its been in wisconsin its whole life.
03-31-2005, 08:20 PM
#33
ha, dude, you cant install a y pipe on your own? i didnt need any special tools, if so, you spend like what, 20-30 bucks provided you have NO tools at all? well, maybe more, floor jack would be helpful. best bet is to ask Dave if you wont pay or cant do it yourself.
also check out the repair manual.
04-01-2005, 05:45 AM
#35
There are about 15 guys in the chicago area who do this type of stuff for local owners every day. Post in the regional forum. You go to a shop to have them cut the rusty bolts off then either pay one of the local guys to do it, or you can spend about the same amount of money and buy yourself a cheap set of craftsman tools and do it yourself and have tools available for future use. It's not difficult to do. Probably will take you an hour the first time you do it. After that it will take like 15 minutes to do if you have to do it again.
i just bought some headers and called one place so far and they told me .. hold on let me take a deep breath. ok im back $800 damn dollars to put on some freaking headers man.
04-01-2005, 07:23 AM
#37
Is there enough room to install the Y-pipe? As I am asking this question, I went to Pep Boys and got a couple of goodies for my car.
Garage-To-Go $30
Performance ToolŽ 125-Piece Deluxe Multi-Use Tool Set $30
There's also a set of air-tools I can get, but since I don't have a garage. I'll get it in the future. It only cost $79 to get it (ColemanŽ PowermateŽ 62-Piece Air Tool Set).
If I want to install the Y-pipe, replacing the bolts ahead of time is worth. How should I jack up the car if I were to install the Y-pipe to get the maximum leaveage. Does jacking the car up on the side give me more room, or from the back or the front?
Garage-To-Go $30
Performance ToolŽ 125-Piece Deluxe Multi-Use Tool Set $30
There's also a set of air-tools I can get, but since I don't have a garage. I'll get it in the future. It only cost $79 to get it (ColemanŽ PowermateŽ 62-Piece Air Tool Set).
If I want to install the Y-pipe, replacing the bolts ahead of time is worth. How should I jack up the car if I were to install the Y-pipe to get the maximum leaveage. Does jacking the car up on the side give me more room, or from the back or the front?
04-01-2005, 08:03 AM
#39
best advise is the removal of the bolts. the cat bolts are the really only hassle during this install. You will also need a (i believe) 23 mm open end to take off the o2 but its easy and like a total of ten bolts. I wouldnt pay anyone to do anything that simple. if you were local id do it for ya.