Midas???
 

Hey All-

I have just purchased a Berk HFC. I have called around for install quotes from local auto shops. I seem to have no local performance shop that install aftermarket cats. BTW, I am from Baton Rouge. Anyways... I called Midas and Mieneke. They both only quoted me $65 otd. Great price, right? But can I trust them to do it right? I am very particular about my car, as is everyone else...

I thought of doing the work myself. But by the time I purchase the ramps and the extension to get to the header bolts, the price will be well over that. PLUS, I don't want to run into a situation where I snap a bolt. What are y'alls opinion? Thanks in advance!

im sure they can do it no problem...

Personally I would still do it myself. None of those places will take as good a care of your car as you will.

Worst comes to worse I'd take it to the dealer.

If they are quoting $65 they don't know what they're in for!

And Deal with the Demon Bolts? No Thanks, for $65? I'd prefer to give them the headache. :p
I could talk, I did my berks on my own, and it wasn't fun :shakes head:

haha...i agree with trips for $65 give it to em and let them deal with the bolt..

yea, its a bolt on part. they can only screw it up so bad. If they destroy it, its on them.

Ya. I think I will let them do it. I was just worried about them taking off the intakes to get to the header bolts. Or even WHAT tool they will use to get to the cat to header bolts. Just a few concerns that scare me. Plus, Midas is not really a "performace" shop. BTW. My dealer is NOTTTTT aftermarket friendly...

Until you find out months later that they stripped your bolts and didn't bother fixing it. Good luck trying to go back to them to fix it.

Everyone has his or her own preference. If at all possible I personally prefer to do my own work. This way I can take my time and I know it's done right.

Any private (non-chain) exhaust shops around? I've had good luck going to the hole-in-the-wall types of shops for this kind of work around here.

i'd do it myself too.

It's not a hard job, and if you don't have the correct extensions and good sockets and tools you will break yours and be in for a head ache...

They are probably thinking its not hard to get to and will be easy.. I'm sure they will end up charging you a little more but I'm sure they can do the job just fine..

just stress before hand that you don't want any stripped bolts going back on the car and you will check their work... It's not rocket science , its a simple task for someone who works under cars everyday.

Id bring it to either shop, why not ?

Just for clarification the berks come with new nuts and bolts.

I just did this a few weeks ago. A friend and I did the work at McChord Auto Hobby shop and we spent the whole day doing HFC and CBE install! 5 hours alone were spent on removing the driver side cat. Demon bolt from hell! Do yourself a favor and let midas do it!!!

We were very careful but what ended up happening is we stripped the bolt. Ended up having to cut the cat in half with a hack saw and dremel and ripping it off so we could get an air chissel to the bolt to break it off. Fun times!

I honestly did not have a hard time, it was just time consuming. You NEED a breaker bar and some impact gun quality extensions but if someone like myself with very little mechanical experience can do it on my garage floor, anyone can. Make sure you get the header to cat bolts soaked with some form of penetrant, let it soak, run the car for a minute or two to expand all the bolts, and then go after the top studded header to cat bolts.

You don't have to remove anything in the engine bay to access the top bolt, but you need to remove the driver's side intake. I broke one stud on the passenger's side but the Berks come with new gaskets (which are a must) and new bolts which are a million times easier to work with than studs (although one stud will be reused on the header).

They should have no problem installing that.
Since I'm in BR too, who's your dealer? I don't want to run into any problems with them.

lol yeah that demon bolt is the worst thing on the car. for $65 i'd be happy to have someone else do it....

Leblanc Nissan in Gonzales. Very friendly. Just not aftermarket friendly...

:ohsnap1:

install it yourself...quit being a whiner...

That's where I got mine from. I didn't know they weren't aftermarket friendly. Damn.

make sure they know that if they take the steering arm sensor (I think thats what its called) to mark it on both pieces so they put it back in right or else it will cause a couple cels and evenetually break the steering spring in the steering wheel and cause a air bag cel. They shouldnt have to take it off but the shop I had mine done at did and they put it in out of alignment and by the time it was realized I need a couple of parts replaced. Lucky for them the dealer did it under warranty even tho they knew the shop Fd it up. I have a really good service manager here.

An spray the sh!t out of the bolts with blaster for a good week before they work on it.

Mine got stripped too but they just cut the bolt, it took awhile with the little cutting tool they had but they didnt have to mess up the ctas which is good cuz im putting the stock ones back on as I dont like the rasp from the HFCs.