Hi Guys,
My G has had a hole in its mid-pipe/resonator since March and it's finally gotten big enough for me to actually want to replace it (along with the bunch of other problems it has).
The shops around me are quoting $300 to replace it with a new aftermarket OEM-style mid pipe. The other option is to replace the mid-pipe and resonator with a simple pipe (resonator delete) for $100.

What do you guys think is the best option? Is it worth the $200 to get the actual resonator considering the car's market value?

 

Find another coupe in a salvage yard and pull the midpipe.

 

Agree, deleting the resonator on a V6 engine, especially these VQ motors, can sound really bad.

V6 engines can create strange noises which the manufacturers take pains to quiet and cancel out.

 

Update: So I went to an exhaust shop and they cut out the old resonator and welded a new "flowmaster" resonator in for 1/2 the price of a new midpipe. It sounded good (nice, throaty, and no drone) for about 3km.

It seems that the restored pressure has caused a metallic rattle to start in my muffler at around 1k and then at 4krpm. If I remember my physics class, this is some sort of resonance issue (a note at different octaves causing something to rattle) - I think its perhaps a bad baffle in there?

Any tips? The exhaust guy said that he gets a G a week coming for a muffler delete and he can just install one from them for $80.

 

Feel free to do it but you could regret it if you hate drone.

I just scored a gem tonight and got a completely stock exhaust. It made my week. Unmodified and non rusted.

 

I was just under my car today trying to figure out a rattle coming from my catalytic areas. I assumed it was the infamous heat shield rattle but poking and prying at them didnt stop it. Im starting to think its something inside my cats.

If I knew how to weld....those things wouldve been gone a long time ago.

 

I like my cats if only for the no check engine lights and not smelling like gas fumes whenever I drive somewhere. But yeah, rattles and heat shields can be a pain. Is your exhaust modified? Deleting resonators and custom exhausts which eliminate or relocate hangers can cause strange vibrations and rattles. Look for the midpoint of your longest unsupported length of exhaust near the rattle and try adding another rubber supported hanger.

 

Update: the rattle went away. Now it just sounds like a more throatier and lower octave G.