Why can you get a muffler only for $50 - $100, However a Cat Back, Which is just a muffler with pipes, cost $350 - $550. Does Exhaust pipe really cost this much?

 

I always wondered this myself!

 

no but usually the pipe in the kit is stainless and will never need replaced like standard pipe. plus its already pre bent in a kit.

 

the get you in the bending of the pipes and thats about it

 

Kits are usually full stainless, and everything is included ready for install, and in many cases, no welding is required. To be honest, they still aren't worth the cost in my opinion. It is much cheaper to go to a shop, pick the muffler and tips you want, and let them do the rest. My catback with 2 Silverline tips and a Cherry Bomb Extreme muffler cost $260 after parts and install.

 

because they have a name stamped on them

 

Hmmm...I bought my own FM Delta 40 and tips and took it to a shop and was charged about 150ish to weld everything up with catback duals. I also had the resonator removed while it was being done.

 

Gave $416 for my Magnaflow cat-back. All Mandrel bent (rare to find at a local shop) with no kinks. Stainless so it will not rust. Lifetime warranty, easy installation with good band clamps that won't crimp the pipe so if you ever want to remove it, it comes apart.
Local shop will charge at least $200 for a home made job. Usually aluminized pipe with an average lifespan of 2 to 5 years. Maybe a year warranty if lucky.
You get what you pay for. For a daily driver, especially in the north where it snows and roads get salted, stainless is the only way to go. Even the stock system is stainless.

 

I bought a two chamber Thrush from Jeg's for $32. Took it to my local muffler shop and they installed everything including a nice rolled edge tip for $80. Not too shabby.....Hell, the truck was only a month old, so the stock pipe is in fine shape. And being in the Houston area, there is no salt on the road on a regular basis, so not too worried about the rusting factor.

 

I got my Magnaflow Catback off Ebay for $500 to my door. It's all about supply and demand as far as pricing goes. Just look at the diffference in costs on the JBA shorty headers for various models. You can buy 4.7L JBA shorty headers for $349. Then, the 5.7L headers for the same exact item is $549. Then for the Tundra, they charge $749. Magnaflow does the same thing. They charge less for older models as there's not as much demand and customers won't spend $800 for a 7year old trucks catback. So, they hit up the new truck owners that have the money to fork it out so they can be the newest baddest thing around.

Most catbacks that are over 4400 are all Stainless. T409 which will create curface rust but will never rust through. they are all Mandrel bent which means no crimps around the bends. Stainless is very hard to bend and nobody local around here does it.
Now, being in upstate NY, I wasn't gonna put anything mild steel on my ride.

You can buy a stainless muffler and a 3ft stainless pipe for about $120. Then you would have to pay to have it installed ~ $100-150. That's about $250. Most aftermarket kits if they are directly replacing your factory catback, they are the cheapest. the extra money is for the guys that want that Dual rear exit and single side swept like i have. y exhaust is the least material and costs the most of them all.