exhaust quote

[skarekrow]

Hi guys,
just after your opinions on a quote i got for my V6 sedan. My local exhaust shop has given me a couple of options, a cat back press bend single 2.5 inch with dual mufflers for $320, or the same thing in a mandrel bend for $440, made by a company called PEX.
I've never heard of them before, and when i asked about bigger brands like Lukey and Redback he reckoned that Lukey were very overpriced for what they offer - and he doesn't carry other brands. He said Lukey are using thinner steel and don't pack enough fibreglass into their exhaust, so are lower quality.

After the results some of the others are getting on here - especially impulsesv6 - is this guy not quite on the money?

Should i look a bit further afield, are there some places that ppl would recommend around Brisbane?
Thanks for your opinions! :thumbsup:

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

If your handy with a spanner, I could price an exhaust for you. There is really nothing to fitting one to a VZ, two bolts on the cat, one clamp and about 4 or 5 rubber hangers, no diff to go over, so it just fits up into place.

Lukey are not inferior, considering the original equipment for Ford, Holden, Toyota and Mitsubishi come from the same factory. I would recommend Lukey over PEX, which is the sports branding from Berklee exhaust, I think they are over priced for what you get. A mandrel bent system should only be around the price he quoted you for a press bent one.

 

[skarekrow]

That would be really good! I do most of the work on my car so that shouldn't be much of an issue if its as simple as you say. What brand(s) do you have, and do you carry extractors as well?
I didn't think that Lukey were that bad, and that price did seem a little higher than last time i got a sports exhaust. Admittedly it was for a VP a few years back now, but still - the pipework from the cats back shouldn't be terribly different i would have thought.
Also, does someone know what the sory is with the cats? Would they need to be changed also?

 

[bradcad]

Cat can deteriorate but I wouldnt think it would be due to be changed.

I'm just pissed cause to fit a catback to mine (VT) I have to cut and weld, as there are no bolts. And I dont weld. Got a perfectly good 2.5" mandrel bent catback sitting there for a year now...

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

After some research I have found that a 2 1/2" is pretty near useless on the alloytec. It drones like buggery and actually makes them worse in regards to torque. The best system is a single 3" with a front muffler and rear resonator, it sounds good and gives about 5-10 rwhp. You are looking at $485 plus about $30 shipping. Pacemaker tuned length extractors are the go, but you either have to relocate the original cats under the car, but because of their shape you may have clearance issues with kerbs and speed bumps. Pacemaker also do bolt on 2 1/4" cats that suit the extractors. Prices, extractors $470, cats $240 each. If they were all ordered together there would be an extra $12 for shipping, if separate, the $30 would apply to them as well. There is a place in NSW that is offering a similar package for $1900 fitted, mine is $1477 supplied, even if you paid someone $300 to fit you are still saving a considerable amount. With the cats being bolt on, you could do the whole job, but if you kept the original cats, you would need access to a welder. Edit: Thought I would add that the cats are metal substrate too, not ceramic.

bradcad, is your cat welded into the system? That would be a pain in the arse.

 

[bradcad]

Yeah the VT's are one piece cat back standard. Apparently most people pick up a VN cat and throw that on, or weld a bracket to the back of the cat.

Is that right- the Alloytech losing torque with a 2.5"? You learn something everyday. They must flow quite well as a stock motor then, hey?

 

[skarekrow]

Thanks for the help guys, but I'm just wondering how a 3" isn't too big if the alloytec's are losing torque with a 2.5"?
And are the split systems an option, maybe in a split 2 and a quarter pipes joining at a rear muffler if large single systems don't have enough restriction for them?

VT's must be a fun proposition to work on then, if they need to be welded up! Lucky i miss out on that fun, don't quite have the skills to be playing with welding like that....

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The system still bolts on to the back of the cat on a VT, it's just the cat and the engine pipes that are all one piece.

You can get a 2 1/2" twin for the VZ as well, but that is a bit too big. A single 3" flows the same as a twin 2 1/4" but with better exhaust velocity, as the exhaust pulses are closer together, this is what gives a better torque figure than a twin. The way the intake works on the alloytec you need a decent exhaust to make it breathe. All the suppliers I have talked to do not recommend a single 2 1/2".

 

[colk]

Hi I have a VZ V Alloytech which came with a twin cat, twin pipe system to single muffler before the diff plus single rear resi, is this standard on all alloytech's?? I'm guessing a single 3" would not directly bolt on to this??

 

[colk]

Cat back I mean without extractors, cheers :thumbsup: