A mate just said it costs between 1000 ( 720 US ) and 1500 ( 1080 US) to get port n polish! Ouch. Not gonna happen.

 

That is highly dependant on where you go.


If you are willing to do all the work, and take the head off and everything.. then porting and polishing should never take 1080...


Just ask around your local shops, dont always trust friends



Also, an intake manifold is great and all.. but with most ( the skunk2 and the AEBS one specifically) make you drop alot of the lower end power (in favor for longer runners) and make you gain alot more in the high RPM ranges..

That said, I do not believe that AEBS makes a D series Manifold, might wanna check with Skunk2.

Also, I will give you the link later, as I dont have it on this computer, but there is a guy who will bore out your Throttlebody to a bigger diamter.. thus more airflow :thumbup:

Could be www.maxbore.com, not sure, and its only 100 dollars per TB.

 

OK.. Learning more. Just talked to the muffler shop I want to deal with (cos they give good service) and they said they tend not to fit stainless steel mufflers because they can crack.
Also said that we get crappier steel over here in AU and that it costs a lot more anyway.
He also said (like someone on here said) that Honda headers are pretty good to start with and that I wouldn't notice any difference in performance or efficiency. Anyway, the cheapest header is $480AU ( 345 US ) which I think you'll agree is exorbitent (sp?) and for something that makes 3/5 of buggerall difference, I won't bother.

But here's what he recommended:
All the following would be mild steel:
- new piping from that cat back, 2 1/4" diameter
- new hangers to get the exhaust system closer to the chassis of the car
- a new "hotdog" resonator which he said will take out the boom from the exhaust
- a new Lukey or Supercat straight through muffler (range to choose from, haven't gone and looked yet, but it will be straight through).

All the above for around 350 AU ( 252 US ), depending on what muffler I go with.

Comparing to what I know ppl on here pay for exhaust work, this sounds like peanuts.. and you get what u pay for... how much truth is there in stainless steel cracking in crazy weather (Australian weather varies a fair bit)?

Purely because of the lack of market here, I'm beginning to think it's not worth me blowing thousands of $ on all the things u guys do to ur cars cos its so easy over there Might end up just with the exhaust, new plugs and cables, new intake and then just rims or something. Bit discouraging... I know.. I'll move to the US!~
Anyway, I've yet to check out how much the Apexi world sport muffler costs here but I'd bet it's over 1000AU (cos i think its about 500 US and u generally double the prices here, even tho conversion is less.. grrr).

Anyway, more research to do!

 

I can't see the SS muifflers *cracking* unless you get some extreme cold...

I don't really agree that the price on the header is outrageous... its high..but with a header you really get what you pay for. The cheapo "pacesetter" ones in America have super poor fitment, and I have seen where exhaust gases have actually worked a full HOLE through the sides.

New piping will help, definetly.. I am not sure about the Lukey or Supercat mufflers, as I have never heard of them, maybe an Aussie brand?

252 isnt bad as a total... but remember, alot of the time with exhaust products you really get what you pay for, so be careful.

Also I would try other mufflershops...

In general though you seem to be heading into the right direction