Mister Clean

With many exhausts discontinued or difficult to obtain for the EF Chassis, what are users on the forum recommending for purchase today?

I still see a few "Old School" exhaust systems available for our cars on eBay, like the Tanabe Medallion and HKS Sport, which can still be purchased new.

Are there any alternatives to these, which potentially have lower price tags? I'm not specifically asking for "eBay exhaust" recommendations, but if someone out there has found an "eBay exhaust" that fits well, sounds decent, and has a good price, I'm open to discussion.

Bottom line is I can't justify paying $600 on an exhaust for my civic, but I'm not willing to waste $150-$250 on an eBay exhaust either. Stock replacements are also an option, but they come in at the same price point as a stainless eBay system.

Comments encouraged, thanks in advance!

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

My recommendation is definitely a custom cat back by a good muffler shop. 2.25 or 2.5 inch exhaust with a muffler of your choice. I put a flowmaster on my car. That and whatever exhaust tip you want, I left mine a bare 2.5 inch pipe. I kept the stock cat but you can replace that. Got mine done for $100 by the shop (bent pipe and welding the pipe and my muffler in) and my muffler was another $70 from autozone. So $170 for my system. Wish you lived closer to me (FL) and I could just give it to you because I'm about to replace it.

Mister Clean

I forgot to mention in my original post that I am weary of custom systems. The shops around my area who know what they are doing with regards to welding and bending are aware of their work, and charge as much as they can for it. A $100 job here won't get far, it'll buy a low quality install that is crooked and short-lasting. Bottom line, that would be a waste of money.

Meineke once tried to charge me $90 to fix a weld on a B Pipe of mine = less than a $20 minute job. This is after I paid them $70 to weld the flange on in the first place.

I would be more open to the custom route if I found a decent shop with fair prices, and if the EF exhaust had a more "straight through" design. All the bends make lazy shops even lazier.

F22Master

Yonaka makes a WS2 copy that is simply amazing. I love it. B16 with no cat, and the sound is not too loud at all. No rasp, no drone at any speed. Full SS, after 10 months and 7k miles, all I had to do was wipe it down with WD40 and a rag and its shinning like brand new. And its only $250-260 shipped at most places! You really cant beat the sound and quality for the price.

The ONLY downsides are that it has a big *** 4.25" tip, and that all the piping is only 2". But you can change the tip, and im pretty sure the piping size keeps it nice and quiet. This thing is silent cruizing at 2500rpm or less. And when you get on it, it just sounds mean, but not rice!

rickscrx

i have this same system on both my ef and eg. love the sound

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

I would never go to Meineke. They quoted me $90 to weld in a new muffler and they wouldn't change the position of it to my configuration despite the charge. I meant a real shop. I went to Explicit customs to see if they could help me with my body kit (it was poorly installed by the previous owner) and they gave me some tips. I then asked them who they do business with for exhaust and they pointed me to some company I can't remember. Point being, try and find a customs shop or get to know the local people. I have a 'friend' at autozone that gets me pretty good deals regularly. He got me a really good deal on getting my exhaust hooked back up for my B-swap from a shop down the road I never knew was there. You should be able to shop around and find someone who does good work that speaks for itself.

But that bolt in swap system from Yonaka is pretty legit for $250 shipped. Can't complain about that.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

$270 shipped for the bolt in Yonaka exhaust.

sumdewd

I actually have a full 2.5in all the way back with a 16" resonator and a random generic Flowmaster muffler done from an exhaust shop for 150$, and it may be slightly raspy at high rpm/low throttle, but it sounds pretty deep and mean at WOT. Still much cheaper to get it done at a good exhaust shop, and that same good shop will do it exactly the way you want.

instrument

and you can always get a smaller tip welded on the yonaka.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

Custom is the way to go! Until you get to 3inch and mandrel bends. Then it's pricy and makes me cry

Mister Clean

Thanks everyone for the input. Currently leaning toward the Yonaka system. It sits at the same price point as an aluminized steel system from NAPA, which is good enough for me.

I'm still on the hunt for a used Tanabe system if I can find one, anybody have sourcing recommendations other than eBay?

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

The market place here. And napa is at the same price as Yonaka? That blows. haha. Should be cheaper! In my mind at least, since it's a DIY kit right?

Mister Clean

Been looking around the marketplace. Many exhausts arent in the Northeast and sellers aren't that open to shipping/cutting the b pipe in half in order to ship it.

The Napa kit is a direct fit kit, bolt-on. Not sure what you mean by DIY kit.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

Oh. Well I just started a thread on DIY kits and I saw napa selling them. Basically just bends and elbows and pipe that are universal. Much like an intercooler kit, they come with enough material to 'make' your own exhaust. That's what I'm looking into since my local shops can't do mandrel bending. Summit racing does the same sort of thing. Maybe check them, they have direct fit kits for the EF civic on there.

Here's the summit racing one for $250

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ps...iew/make/honda

It's 2" aluminized steel painted black with the same sort of obnoxious tip.

Mister Clean

Ahh I see what you mean now. I would go for a Kteller or TruBendz kit before the Summit one. Even though you get pre-bent pipe, there's no guarantee that the system won't hang crooked or lop-sided.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

The only things guaranteed in life is that you will pay your taxes and you will die.

But yeah, I was just throwing it out there.

F22Master

Get the Yonaka.

Mister Clean

looks like the Yonaka system is on backorder till 11/30, with no guarantees of stock availability at that time.

The search continues.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

See if you can't source the Yonaka system from another website.

$238+Free Shipping and in stock.

http://www.redline360.com/yonaka-exh...vic-ef-YMCB003

Not sure if the website is trustworthy. Research it if ya want.

F22Master

Yeah, they can be hard to find. But there are usually a few places with them in stock, just have to search around a bit.

Mister Clean

They were the first people I contacted. I'll be looking around elsewhere.

Any insights on where to look? There's one vendor in Canada who allegedly has the piece in stock, but is overpriced of course.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

And the canadian shipping was like $89 wasn't it?

F22Master

http://www.tunersports.com/yonaka-ca...003_p3775.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yonaka-88-89...-/231021578296

http://www.aptuned.com/YMCB003

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

Definitely try the 2 non-ebay ones. Then again, the $300 might be money well spent.

F22Master

When I first got it, I was hesitant to spend what I did (I paid $260 shipped). Once I hooked it all up and heard it, I would've paid way more than I did. This exhaust is that good.