OPAC Racing, a local shop,offered to Custom make an exhaust system for me for I think he said $225 installed. Is this worth it? Or is this too risky and I should wait for the HKS muffler or Greddy?
Plus the muffler from this shop has one tip instead of the 2 that come with the Maxima. Will I lose power with this kind of setup? He keeps telling me about a lifetime warrantee on the exhaust he is making.

 

Well you don't live in a harsh clime, so I wouldn't worry about purchasing a name brand exhaust system. A custom system using aluminized mild-steel piping should be fine. That answers question number one.

Question number two -- are they going to install crush-bent or mandrel-bent piping.

Question three -- are you getting 2.25" diameter pipe or 2.5" diameter pipe.

Question four -- What muffler are you getting? Again, you can get by with an aluminized muffler which will save you beaucoup bucks over stainless steel.

Question five -- what kind of tip are you getting? Here you'd probably be better off with stainless steel.

Whether you end up getting one tip instead of two is simply a matter of taste. It won't affect your performance one iota.

 

I thought the stock muffler was a high tech one. I thought that for regular driving, only one outlet is used. When you push the car, it uses both? Right? Considering this if correct, will I lose power or gas mileage?

 

Changing the muffler either way will not change power or mileage. At most a muffler will give 1-2hp, and that's if you have a very restrictive stock muffler. You're right about the stock muffler on the 5th gen, it opens the second pipe at higher RPMs to allow more flow, then only keeps one open at low RPMs to give better low-end response.

 

pretty cool. i had no idea. so if you get a single huge tipped exhaust, are you loosing some pull on the low end?