Downsides to muffler shop vs kit?

[papageoff]

I'm at the point where I'm ready to make a change to the stock exhaust.  It's not as much about power as sound, but I don't want loud.  I'd like side-exit duals but I cannot justify $1000+ for a cat-back kit.  A buddy had good luck on his Taco with a shop in town that cut out and replaced his stock muffler.  I called them and they quoted me $349 to replace it with a Borla Touring, add the duals, and keep the flapper if I wanted to.  

 

Other than the non-stainless pipes and the bends won't be mandrel... Any other downsides to having a local shop make something up?

[kennerz]

Depends on the shop and how good of craftsman the exhaust guys is. A really good exhaust guy is better than a kit, a unskilled hack, or a dummy will take you backwards every time. Find out who your best local shop is and go there. If you don't have a good shop, get the kit. 

 

Seen both excellent work, and garbage come out of muffler shops, and some in between that is "good enough" depending on what you want and expect. Good Luck.

[Ozer]

I went to a local chain store, asked the guy with 30 years of welding experience to work on it VS anyone else. 100 bucks in labor, bought my own Carven TR muffler and tip. All in I'm at 235. Sounds great, and not too loud.

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[Supreme Pizza]

Exhaust materials are very cheap to manufacture. Some metal pipes, and a coffee can with some baffling inside of it. When you buy exhaust, your paying for name brands and the expertise to install it. I agree with whats said above - a good exhaust installer can do excellent work. Someone that doesn't know what they are doing will probably just mess everything up. 

 

You could always get a kit, and if installing it doesn't go well - then go to a shop to have it installed. 

 

 

 

[Jacoby]

MBRP Installer series

[parthery]

Had mine done by a local shop that's been around 30 years.  Owner drives a 17 Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2  Was able to listen to his before I plunked down my $$.

 

I did a Magnaflow and deleted the resonator.  Perfectly bent pipe that exits exactly where the stock pipe was.  Added a powdercoated tip for good looks.

 

$325 out the door...took about 90 minutes.  Worth every penny.

[papageoff]

Thanks. I've some of there work and when my buddy didn't like the sound of the flomaster they swapped it out for a MagnaFlow for free. Not sure how that works but they have a good rep in town.

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[TRKLGND]

On 12/4/2018 at 8:52 AM, parthery said:

Had mine done by a local shop that's been around 30 years.  Owner drives a 17 Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2  Was able to listen to his before I plunked down my $$.

 

I did a Magnaflow and deleted the resonator.  Perfectly bent pipe that exits exactly where the stock pipe was.  Added a powdercoated tip for good looks.

 

$325 out the door...took about 90 minutes.  Worth every penny.

Which Magnaflow muffler did you use?

[paumat]

I’d go kit. Issue I’ve had before is you have all these nice stainless pieces and when the shop welds it up they use non stainless weld material and the welds rust. 

[EIKON]

If you don’t require stainless exhaust (which it doesn’t sound like you do), look into an aluminized dual kit. 

 

Save you you some money over the stainless but get the look you’re after, while getting something built well.