Hi guys.

Currently I own a black 99 SE-L 5-spd with 100k on the clock. My only mods at this point are:

1) Budget Y-pipe
2) H&R/tokico Illumina
3) shortened shift lever

That is and will be it, since I want to maintain this (what I consider) clean look. IMO, these were the 3 most essential mods to the Maxima.

Anyway, long story short, I noticed a rattle coming from the end of my exhaust recently. As it turns out, the entire catback system is completely rusted. The y-pipe is holding up very well, as expected.

I definitely need a new cat, and everything else thereafter. Basically, I need a new exhaust starting from where the y-pipe ends, with the exception of the muffler. I am looking for some serious recommendations. The muffler is OEM and in like-new condition, as it was replaced a few months back. It is essential that I absolutely keep the stock muffler because it is quiet, period. I do have a nice big tip welded onto it and I assure you that it does look good.

Hence, I need exhaust parts from where the y-pipe ends, up until where the muffler begins. It appears that most places sell the system, but with a muffler included. My concern is that when I do buy such system, the OEM muffler will no longer fit. Again, it is very important that I keep the stock muffler. I once fell for the “this aftermarket muffler is as quiet as the OEM” only to end up regretting it. Nothing is as quiet as OEM.

Now, obviously I can go the OEM route for the exhaust parts I need, but I'm not about to shell out $1000+. I was hoping to get a good aftermarket cat + catback (without muffler) for say under $500.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

http://maxmods.dyndns.org/

The b-pipe will fit with stock muffler, thats the setup I have now

Exhaust is overrated..

can you elaborate? Which b-pipe?

All of them

just wondering which b-pipes you guys can recommend and why?

ok, what do you guys think?

Perhaps a cat from http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NISSA...temZ7984032472

paired with Budget's B-Pipe for 1995-1999 Nissan Maxima with resonator from http://www.lssexhaust.com/

???

That should be good.

well what troubles me is that I read in a couple places that some people had fitment issues connecting the Budget b-pipe to the stock muffler.

Sup buddy, nice to see another one in Miami, why didnt you show up for the SFMG meet!

I just finished putting a Bosal B pipe on today from overnightautoparts. Like you, I have a new OEM muffler and didn't need a whole cat back. Took pretty much all day because every bolt i touched ended up breaking off. Ended up drilling the broken studs out of the convertor. The O2 sensor was a bear to get out, but was able to work it back and forth to get it out in one piece. It was a LOT more work than I thought, but I did save some money. The b pipe is nothing fancy, just OEM. Fit was good without problems and it bolted up to my stock muffler just like the original pipe. You can see a good diagram at Bosal's web site to see what your buying. Make sure to get part 286-159 if you have an o2 sensor behind the cat, rather than 287-703 which doesn't have a port for the sensor. Hope this helps.

im jealous....i want a 5 speed. im sellling mine and buying a 5 speed fed spec. same car i have now just 5speed f spec. how about warpspeed ? ive got their cat but not the rest of the exhaust.

SE-L??? what the hell is an SE-L, I thought the Limited series only came in red?

but to the subject... get a y-pipe and get a nice increase on ur HP & TQ, if ur going to change all of ur exhaust, u might as well get a y-pipe to complete it

ok first of all, you have been here for over a year and you dont know about the SE-L's? sad... about halfway through '99 they got rid of the SE trim, and offered the SE-L as the "limited SE edition" and red maximas only came w/ the SE-L trim.

Also if you knew how to read, you would have seen his list of parts that he already has.

so why tell him to get something that he already has?

ok back onto topic, why not just get the budget? its a pretty good deal, if you have heard that it has fitment issues, check out warpspeed.

Also another option is just have an exhaust shop bend a b-pipe for you, this is most likely the cheapest route, and they can just weld on the stock muffler if needed

hey I'm not going to spend all my time to know every single detail about a car's trim... but thanks for the knowledge, as for what he said... that would be might fault... didn't read it correctly, my eyes blurred out...

thanks for the kind replies guys. I think I will go the budget route instead of the custom shop-made b-pipe only because I want the exhaust to last. Something about stainless steel that reassures me.

it really doesnt matter if it is SS down in these parts, because it wont get overally rusted if you dont plow through puddles daily.

Crimson Blaze only came on the 1999 SE-L.

The Crimson Blaze is only an SE-L, NOT the SE-L is only a Crimson Blaze

exactly what i was gonna say.