I'm working on installing a Greg Davis rear bumper and found out the tailpipe needs to be re-routed. A lot of people just delete the resonator - great I'm going to do that.

Then that got me thinking, hey lets do an exhaust upgrade.

Has anyone done the Magnaflow 16888 cat back? Thoughts? Are there other options?

or is a cat-back meant to be DIY, and if I use a shop, I should instead just get the muffler and have them pipe the rest?

It would also be cool to fit in new cats. Would I basically take the cat back and new cats to a muffler shop and say "make a new stainless y-pipe with these cats and put in this cat-back?" What would that cost?

And if I go this far... should I do headers too??

I don't know much about exhaust systems.

My plan for now is to hack off the resonator, put in a piece of pipe and a tip, so the car remains drive-able, and then take it to the muffler shop for a proper job.

 

Jeff,
I put in the magnaflow y pipes with me cats and it set me back around $560. With the Price of new cats and then the cost of having them put in, I figured I came out a bit cheaper and used the extra money to ceramic coat them!! I don't have a resonator on mine. It was cut out and welded to go out the back so it looks stock still but has an aggressive tone to it. I can't say I've notice any horesepower improvements but it sounds like a v8 now

 

I'd go that route if I had the option, but there isn't a direct fit y-pipe with CARB compliant cats. I called a few shops and they said it would be about $400-500 in labor to fabricate up custom new y-pipe, so about $1k all in with parts. They also said since they'd be making the y-pipe anyway, it would be more economical to have them fab up the cat-back as well rather than buy the magnaflow catback kit.

 

I know they offer the federal emission y pipe but not the California or New York one since theirs is different.