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Average cost to get axle-back muffler system installed - Mazda 3 Hatchback

5K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  CerealKiller 
#1 ·
Hi peeps,

Pretty new to modding etc and have recently decided to change the way my car sounds. As it is a hatch, it has an exhaust on either side which i would like to keep.
The muffler setup is as below.
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I made the mistaken of contacting an exhaust shop and telling him my budget was $500 to which he said he can do a Y-Junction Axle-back (shown on right) for that price. Now I'm not sure if he has taken advantage of my $500 budget i outlined when in reality the real cost should be a lot less.
Is $500 AUD reasonable??

Thanks in advance and any help is appreciated :)
 
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#2 ·
If you have any tool slinging ability, this is an easy job. Put the rear end up on ramps, unbolt 2 bolts, remove the hangers, and reinstall the new one.
 
#3 ·
Hey, no sorry i dont have any of the parts, welding material or mufflers with me. This was to be all supplied by the shop. From stock shown on left to basically the setup shown in right photo.
So would labour, material and the two mufflers with chrome tips supplied = ~$500?
 
#8 ·
Hey, no sorry i dont have any of the parts, welding material or mufflers with me. This was to be all supplied by the shop. From stock shown on left to basically the setup shown in right photo.
So would labour, material and the two mufflers with chrome tips supplied = ~$500?
Gotcha. Consider a set of ramps and a mechanic's tool set. You then could bolt on a Borla, Corksport, Magnaflow, etc
 
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#5 ·
500 AUD is about $360 US, and for that price, here is what I would expect:

Axle-back: Mild steel, crush bent tubing. Mild steel, cheap no-name straight through mufflers or chambered mufflers. Average quality MIG welding.

Here is what I would do for that style setup personally:

Purchase two of these: Magnaflow

Purchase something like this on ebay: Stainless Mandrel Bends

Take it to a reputable, capable shop and have them mock-up and weld your ideal setup.

So for most parts and raw material, it is looking around $300 US.

If you go to a shop that can produce mandrel bends or has pre-bent mandrel bends in stock, pricing may differ. A decent shop should have the necessary flange, hanger material and gasket in stock, and I would expect to pay at least $150 USD in labor for decent MIG welding. If you opt for fancy exhaust tips, factor that into the equation. I would feel comfortable paying around $500-$600 US for a decent, custom cat-back exhaust.
 
#6 ·
Hey mate, thanks for the info and advice, it helps quite a bit and helps me get an understanding. Although the cat-back is out of budget, it does seem that $500AUD for an axle-back is not too much to ask for in that case. I will definitively ask what materials they will use and if the mufflers are generic or branded.

Just waiting for lock-down to be over to take my car in!
 
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