Is this quote too high?
- Thread starter smartin3
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But wouldn't the world be a better place if we did?
That sounds a bit expensive. Even in Canadian pesos, I managed to pick up a Jegs 2 1/2" header back aluminized pipe exhaust kit (mandrel bent pipes, mufflers, tailpipes, header collectors, clamps, hangers) around last Christmas for a great deal. Shipped here duties paid for $300 Canadian. I had to do the work (never done exhaust before) and it needed lots of trimming (i have very long collector headers) but it turned out great and saved a whack load. I did however already installed a G-force crossmember years ago...I think this was around $300 as well.
This is what makes it seem 'ok' as far as pricing goes depending on the quality of the install. It's not a great price; but not 'WTF' high either. One can typically expect the install labor to equal the parts total. In this case $3-400 for an exhaust kit + $300 for the x-member + labor = close to that $1200 quote. I feel the kit avenue would be a better option since they usually have mandrel bends vs. crimp/compression style shop bends.
Ultimately, it will depend on an individuals circumstances. If a guy lives in the city, an apartment, or @ a housing complex that doesn't allow having a car on jack-stands for repairs, paying for shop time is part of that life. Each of us have different situations & make decisions based on that criteria.
I had my machine shop cut my crossmember and install a channel plate $75 and exhaust shop did 2.5 aluminized exhaust from long tube headers back for $350 i provided cherry bombs and exhaust tips
If you visit my Project Regress build, one of things that has occurred and that I documented pictorially was a front to back exhaust install. This included an aftermarket crossmember professionally built using 1/4 inch ell and rectangular tube with deep pockets for the tubes to run through to keep them away from the ground that I purchased from my local indie speed shop. There are also shots of the reducers and hanging the mufflers and progress shots showing various components being sized and hung. This was all done using mig and a combination of plug and continuous welds to achieve nice solid connections. The mufflers were attached at the front using a compression type sleeve clamp instead of the old style guillotine units and the back I modified a set old style flat plate hedder flanges to create the connection to the existing over the diff tail pipes. They, sorry boys, were made using 2-1/4 x 90 degree store bought ells that weren't mandrel bends. and predate the existing system,. Hey, they were there and still in useable shape so they got used.
Point here is that all this was done by me slithering under the car and taking care of business. i don't own a lift; I don't run a shop.
What i did do is to accumulate the various items, crossmember, tube kit, clamps, mufflers, as I could afford them and once I had all the major bits in hand, then I did the work.
One thing I did not see mentioned is whether that shop that quoted you is starting from header flanges or from stock exhaust manifolds. You also don't mention whether or not your state mandates Cats; G-bodies have their floors deliberately shaped shallow on the passenger side to accommodate a cat but the stock iteration is a "Y" pipe that meets the cat and then moves on down the road. The driver's side does not have that allowance.
That 1275 is a good chunk of change but, were it me, I would be asking for a written quote to see where that money is going. One thing I would point out is that a lot of shops don't like working with customer supplied parts. For one thing, they lose the income that arises from them selling that part, For another, if it turns out that the part is wrong or damaged, then they have a hanger queen on their hands until the customer gets that part replaced. If the car has to sit for any length of time then you can bet there will be storage fees attached to the final invoice. Finally, them supplying the parts gives some folks the idea that they ought to be able to be there in the service bay and "Help" the technician. Apart from OSHA and the Insurance people having a say in who belongs in the bays, that is just plain rude.
Nick
Point here is that all this was done by me slithering under the car and taking care of business. i don't own a lift; I don't run a shop.
What i did do is to accumulate the various items, crossmember, tube kit, clamps, mufflers, as I could afford them and once I had all the major bits in hand, then I did the work.
One thing I did not see mentioned is whether that shop that quoted you is starting from header flanges or from stock exhaust manifolds. You also don't mention whether or not your state mandates Cats; G-bodies have their floors deliberately shaped shallow on the passenger side to accommodate a cat but the stock iteration is a "Y" pipe that meets the cat and then moves on down the road. The driver's side does not have that allowance.
That 1275 is a good chunk of change but, were it me, I would be asking for a written quote to see where that money is going. One thing I would point out is that a lot of shops don't like working with customer supplied parts. For one thing, they lose the income that arises from them selling that part, For another, if it turns out that the part is wrong or damaged, then they have a hanger queen on their hands until the customer gets that part replaced. If the car has to sit for any length of time then you can bet there will be storage fees attached to the final invoice. Finally, them supplying the parts gives some folks the idea that they ought to be able to be there in the service bay and "Help" the technician. Apart from OSHA and the Insurance people having a say in who belongs in the bays, that is just plain rude.
Nick
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