mufflers / exhausts

[05gtwagonman]

Just got a quote off Hi Tech for two dual tip mufflers- $1300...
Some guys on this forum use them, is it worth that kind of money?
Seems to me to be a lot of coin considering that changing mufflers alone shouldn't yield any performance gain of note, and even if it did, plenty including Subaru strongly recomend a retune (ecutek etc) to react appropriately to the reduction in backpressure...
There must me a tried and true product that's cheaper than this yeah?
I still really don't want drone so a real cheapie is not what I'm looking for...

[WhiteGTB]

SkoobyGT is running Hi-Tech's he might be able to help you out here

[tangcla]

STi quadtip or STi Genome then? I've seen a few secondhand ones going for <$1K delivered.

[hieu1976]

I paid about double that for the full turbo-back Hi-Tech system (dual tips).

I think at that price, you might be better off seeing if any second hand Sti mufflers come up for sale. The Hi-Tech mufflers aren't polished (only the tips are). The Sti one I think is fully polished (muffler itself and the tips).

Performance wise, i don't think you'd feel any noticable difference in mufflers alone.

Also - a retune is definitely not required when changing exhaust on Liberty GT's - this is probably propaganda spread by workshops wanting to sell you ECUTek. Phat and others have confirmed this with AFR measurements. I certainly don't have any issues with a full turbo-back system (Although I am looking at an ECU tune soon just to make the most of the exhaust system)

[hks180]

hmm for bit more money ,,, you can get a japanese cat back exhaust ...

speak to phat man ... he will give you bit more idea !!

Leo

[bonski]

See if EXPLICIT is selling the HKS and if he is, buy that.

If not speak to PHAT

As far as I am concerned, Hi tek's stuff is pretty overpriced especially when compared with the finish of the Jap stuff

[SkoobyGT]

Geez they have gone up in price.

I only paid $800 for my HiTechs and they are fully polished.

I agree, speak to Phat if it is going to be that much, and you may be better just getting jap exhaust.

Or looking for something second had, as they always pop up every now and then.

[05gtwagonman]

phark,

Thanks for the awsome response guys...
Yeah, I thought that $1300 was getting up there. I will look for second hand- so sti is the way to go there?
I will get in touch with the Phat.
I assume that no one would recomend taking the aural risk of a local custom jobbie?

[qship]

I too only paid $800 for the mufflers. They added 6Kw to the car ATW. Your being ripped off!

[tangcla]

I assume that no one would recomend taking the aural risk of a local custom jobbie?

Depends on the cost. If it's nearing $800, then you may as well go for the Hi-Tech ones. If it's significantly cheaper, then you could try a custom job.

[Arith]

See if EXPLICIT is selling the HKS and if he is, buy that.

He was but it got sold early on already.

[Arith]

Just got a quote off Hi Tech for two dual tip mufflers- $1300

Heh-heh. I paid that much for my quad tip dual mufflers as well. But after I found out that some forum members got a quote of $800 delivered for the dual mufflers only months back, or that people like NoOzL47 got both his mufflers for $700, I wrote to Hi-Tech asking why some people were quoted or bought at significantly less.

I got a reply to say "...the prices for our STi Liberty rear mufflers are $650.00 each, plus freight plus fitting. So anyone who has paid less than $1,300 has probably purchased stolen or non genuine parts."

They have also asked for invoice numbers so they can do comparisons of part numbers, so I don't know whether this is worth the trouble.

But considering some people were quoted under $1,000 after calling Hi-Tech directly or have already bought from them for under $1,000, I highly doubt people have bought fake Hi-Tech mufflers unless Hi-Tech themselves sold fake knock-offs.

[Arith]

I too only paid $800 for the mufflers. They added 6Kw to the car ATW. Your being ripped off!

How long ago was this and you wouldn't still have the invoice would you? I'd love to shove it in their face to prove that they are over-quoting.

[SkoobyGT]

I have my receipt somewhere from about two years ago, I'll see if I can dig it up.

I bought it from Lambros himself, at his Darlinghurst HiTech store.

The $800 or so, is all that they are worth. It's a muffler with some piping that's shiny, nothing that warrants spending $700 a side, that is just a joke.

[Arith]

That would be great, thanks for that. To go from $800 to $1300 in 2 years seems like quite a leap.