my brainstorming plans for my lancer
Because with that same same money spent your exhaust is already installed when you have one built at a shop. Versus, buying an exhaust and then having to put it on or paying someone else to put it on.
Performance wise, it should be about the same as or less than the 'pre-made' exhaust assuming you use the same size piping and a comparable muffler.
A down side is it won't be as shiney as the Injen kit, but realistically how long will it stay that way, and are you willing to go under the car and polish it every week to keep it that way?
The last exhaust I had fabricated was a complete exhaust from the manifold/header back with a free flow cat, a single Flowmaster "Hushpower" muffler and 2" pipes. The entire exhaust (parts and labor) was $600 out the door, and the only thing I had to do was drop the car off in the morning and pick it up at the end of the day (it took a little longer than half a day to have made). The exhaust made the little 1.8L engine it was attached to sound like a Mustang Cobra going down the road, or at least that's what my friend who's HUGE into Mustangs told me...
If I were to do it again, I would use a different muffler. After about 6 months, I got tired of it triggering car alarms everywhere I went... it was just too loud after a while.
I'm not sure where in Cali you are, but I know a shop in Burbank (Morse Mufflers on Burbank BLVD) that does excellent work. The owner and his resident welder are very knowledgeable in what they do. They've been in business for decades, and they know all the rules and regulations. They'll build a smog legal exhaust, that is as free flowing as you want.
Any muffler shop worth their weight in salt will be able to deliver what you want just by talking to you when you drop the car off. However, and this is the most important part to doing it this way, you need to call around and find a shop you are comfortable with letting them work on your car. Honestly, I wouldn't go with the "cheapest" shop using this method, because I want a shop that I ~know~ will do it right.
One thing that got me interested in the shop I use is the fact that they ~ALWAYS~ have Hot Rods and pristine classic cars in their lot having custom exhausts made. It was a sign to me that they knew what they are doing and they know how to take care of their customers and their customers' cars.
Performance wise, it should be about the same as or less than the 'pre-made' exhaust assuming you use the same size piping and a comparable muffler.
A down side is it won't be as shiney as the Injen kit, but realistically how long will it stay that way, and are you willing to go under the car and polish it every week to keep it that way?
The last exhaust I had fabricated was a complete exhaust from the manifold/header back with a free flow cat, a single Flowmaster "Hushpower" muffler and 2" pipes. The entire exhaust (parts and labor) was $600 out the door, and the only thing I had to do was drop the car off in the morning and pick it up at the end of the day (it took a little longer than half a day to have made). The exhaust made the little 1.8L engine it was attached to sound like a Mustang Cobra going down the road, or at least that's what my friend who's HUGE into Mustangs told me...
If I were to do it again, I would use a different muffler. After about 6 months, I got tired of it triggering car alarms everywhere I went... it was just too loud after a while.
I'm not sure where in Cali you are, but I know a shop in Burbank (Morse Mufflers on Burbank BLVD) that does excellent work. The owner and his resident welder are very knowledgeable in what they do. They've been in business for decades, and they know all the rules and regulations. They'll build a smog legal exhaust, that is as free flowing as you want.
Any muffler shop worth their weight in salt will be able to deliver what you want just by talking to you when you drop the car off. However, and this is the most important part to doing it this way, you need to call around and find a shop you are comfortable with letting them work on your car. Honestly, I wouldn't go with the "cheapest" shop using this method, because I want a shop that I ~know~ will do it right.
One thing that got me interested in the shop I use is the fact that they ~ALWAYS~ have Hot Rods and pristine classic cars in their lot having custom exhausts made. It was a sign to me that they knew what they are doing and they know how to take care of their customers and their customers' cars.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 22
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From: California, USA
hm sounds like its a better option. i guess i will give that a shot. i can talk to my mechanic and ask what shops he would recommend and i guess i would bring in the specs for that injen exhaust or something along the lines so i can try and get that hp boost off it as well. i didnt think of the fact that theres virtually no installation cost haha
(i also could care less about it staying shiny haha)
(i also could care less about it staying shiny haha)
it takes about 45 mins to install the InjenSES.. lol and saves u money than havin a shop do it.. alls u need is 14mm 16mm 19mm sockets i think, and 2 ramps.. and maybe some penetrating oil..
