I'm thinking of this mod and have read a bunch of stuff on this website and am curious about the price. I've read some guys taking their cars to a muffler shop and spend $60-90 for this mod. I noticed that myminiparts has a stainless steal pipe that eliminates the resonator for $125. Does that small amount of stainless steal pipe cost that much? Can't the muffler shop do something similar? A very reputable shop quoted me $175 for the mod including parts, I'm wondering if he is using a stainless pipe like myminiparts?
TIA

 

From my understanding and close attention to the posts about one-*****:

What makes it expensive is mandrel (Sp?) bends.

 

i was quoted $85 to do a one ball on my car by the local highly reputable shop. I doubt a shop would use stainless steel piping cause i think its not something that can be easily bent at your average muffler shop. Did they tell you what was included for $175? was it just the elbow or was it all the piping from the cat back?

 

Just go to an exhaust shop and have them weld in a pipe. Takes like 10 min and only cost me $60

 

I paid 175 at Steves Auto Clinic in North Hills. Actually the guy next door to him did it. You may want to contact him directly and see what he'd do. He actually cut the resonator out and fabricated a custom pipe section, didn't just use a stock pipe. Fairly easy mod, only took 2-3 hours to do everything. Most of the gains are from the weight. The sound is still growing on me, I like it and I don't. At times it sounds a bit ricey, but mostly when it's just started, and then it's only for a few minutes at high RPM's. I'm hoping with the installation of a header that the tone will only get deeper, and not much louder. All in all, i'm happy with it. I dropped ~20 lbs, gained 1-2 HP, made my car sound a bit more aggressive, and all for pretty cheap. Kinda funny, when he took the car off the lift I almost had a heart attack. The car was DEFINATLY higher on the side that he cut out. Looked to be almost an inch. Luckily it's basically level now, If it's uneven still I can't tell. Must have just needed to settle, Goes to show you how freakin heavy that thing is though!

 

i spent 65 and took like 10-15 mins to do.. very easy.. sounds pretty good

 

I took mine to an exhaust shop and when I explaned what I wanted he just kinda looked at me. It's once he put it on the lift that he was able to understand what I wanted and how the piping flows to the right then back to the left (I dont think they have seen many MINI's) Once he knew what to do he cut it, bent a pipe and welded it in for $80. Pretty sweet and cheap mod.

 

$95 (inc Gov tax) for mine and that included a 2-1/2" pipe (stright pipe jog bent to orig specs, and he ordered the 2-1/2" 90º Mandrel bent peice the week before) run to the front, 1-1/2 hour to get it done. Sound is ok, no other problems noted as yet, it is a bit more burbley that I might like it to be though, jury is still out on that ... we did a all day tour in the mountians with the NMMini club last Sat. and the wife didn't mind at all. So unless someone gives me $1,000 (not likely) I will be staying with it, if the burbling gets to me I will try a small, stright thru resonator in front of the muffler. The car is level and I can notice a bit more tourque, esp. taking off in 1st with the AC on, so I don't think I lost anything.

 

Went to a custom exhaust shop and they charged me $75 and it took them about an hour to do the work. I made it real easy for them by handing them before and after photos of the mod I found here on NAM.

 

While you can find a local shop to manufacture the piece for you, the out come will be determined by the skill applied to making it. I highly recommend the pipe from Mymini which I purchased and used for the following reason -

1) SS w/ SS clamps.
2) mandrel bent !
3) fits perfectly with no rattles.
4) quick install by antone.
5) can always be resold!