Is $280 reasonable to install a catback?
 

A local shop quoted me $140 an hour to install my catback exhaust. Its going to take them 2 hours to install it. Is that reasonable? I guess I'll just install it myself in my garage.

Of you can do your own work then save the cash.

I guess do your own is better...

Sounds about double what I would expect to pay.

If they have a lift no way should it take 2 hours, 1 hour max since it's just a bunch of bolts and no real customization is needed.

Just call around instead.

I understand business, but shop prices are just absurd. Rip off!! Gotta get dirty this weekend.

How about $100 to install it? Would you?

Depending on your financial situation then $100 isn't too bad.

140 an hour is alot, thats 50% over flat rate. 90 an hour is the standard flat rate. its pretty straight forward to do yourself. It took me and a friend longer to jack the car up on stands than install the cat back

+1

That's exactly how mine was installed with a friend of mine.

My Greddy required the Evap to be relocated so it took slightly longer.

^ yeah my buddies with a 350z had the same issue, had a local shop fabricate a relocation bracket tho

Any install issues I should be concerned about with the invidia Gemini catback? I'm assuming the underbody brace brackets need to come off.

I got the funds. I'm just not that willing to give it away like that.

Price is too high... definitely should only be $90. Did you buy it from the shop? If you did, a lot of times your can negotiate the install into the price.

I have not heard about any fitment issues with the Gemnini :) Good luck!

A reasonable price would be 60-80/hr for a simple install at an exhaust shop.

Yeah, you might get a bit dirty doing the install, but it's so much more
satisfying doing it yourself.. Grab a buddy buy a 12 pack and get to work !!

I can't wait until I am installing my own CBE !!!!

I was just curious how much it would cost to let a shop do it. Now I have an idea. I will be installing my catback in my garage with the help of my brother. Thanks for all your input.

The install is pretty straight forward. Good luck and have fun.

You shouldnt have to remove the underbrace for the gemini which makes it a easy install.
1 hour max for anyone who has a lift and tools and does this normally (aka a tech)

And for whoever said normal rates are 90 or 100 or whatnot that really depends on the city and also the cars you work on.

A porsche/ferrari/amg only shop (my neighbor runs one) charges more per hour. The tools, machines etc to work on some of those add a much higher cost and mechanics trained specifically for those type of high end cars arent cheap.

The thing that isnt good though, is that the hourly rate includes a profit for the shop. So its ridiculous for them to charge an additional hour or two just to pad more profits.

A catback should be very easy to install. If you plan on doing HFC's or test pipes then go to a shop. I see too many people busting their balls and/or tools installing them.

It all depends on the location of the shop. Shops around Socal charges around 80/hr

Shops around here charge 70-80 an hour. I paid $75 for my fi catback install. Took about 45 min. $140 is ridiculous and so is 2 hour install.

I paid CAD $240 to have Catback and HFC installated, this includes getting the cross threaded bolts out.

Got mine installed by a shop for 80 bucks

Just installed my Invidia catback by myself in my garage using a 14mm socket wrench and jack stands. Saved some dough instead of paying someone $90-140 an hour to do it.

Nice, congrats man. :tup:

:worthless:

There you go:

http://www.the370z.com/members/tongm...ck-catback.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/tongm...k-laid-out.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/tongm...-installed.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/tongm...ni-closeup.jpg

Good job. I wouldn't pay anything over $0 for such an easy install. Got my test pipes and exhaust installed for $0. I did end up with cuts on my hand though. Oh well...blood's cheaper than money.

Did any of you guys reset your ecu after a catback install?

The cost of living in Murray County is wayyyyy lower than anywhere else haha. If someone quoted $90 an hour for labor to install anything, they would get shot! Around here its more like $35. However, good work is hard to come by.


P.S. Another example of cost of living. Our house payment is about $30 more per month than for me staying in an apartment near school :/

Our house is almost 3,000 square feet, with a two car garage, and 8 acres of land. I feel bad for those in Atlanta.....

KIND OF steep search around some other mod shops..

A shop where I live said 100 for HFC and 50 for exhaust. He has done 2 370z and has delt with the demon bolt that's why it 100 but he said the exhaust is easy and while he had it on the lift it would be 50 bucks. He also wants to buy the old exhaust.

Nah, don't worry about it.

Nice job on the exhaust and install, let's see some vids.

Rep points added for DIY'ing it :tup: