custom-built vs DC exhaust?

[ImportBuilder]

I'm buying a 95 Civic coupe soon, and I want to do a full exhaust system. Right now, it has just an aftermarket muffler. Here's my 1st question. I can build my own exhaust system for just the cost of tubing at school. My teacher charges $1/foot. I could do a full system, from the manifold to the muffler for probably $10-$12. I would run it using the stock routing, but avoiding as many bends as possible. Probably use 2.5 inch piping. Would this be a decent mod, or should I just save up and buy a decent custom exhaust?

[S13wanabe]

As long as your bends are mandrell bends, do it yourself. Custom is the way to go. You can make your own test pipe too. If sound is a concern you can run two mufflers along the same pipe. Just make sure they are straight throw design.

[cjcivic]

i wouldnt do it custom. after i did my swap i got an apexi n1 muffler and a high flow cat. i had a local shop make me a custom exhaust out of that. the pipe is 2.5''. it sounds like shit and it is so loud. i went in thinking that a custom exhaust would be cheaper than buying a good greddy or apexi but i ended up spending about the same amount. go with the dc...you will be happy with your choice.

[S13wanabe]

Of course yours sounded like shit, Apexi N1 muffler. Mine sounds mean as shit at wot, and is way quiet the rest of the time. I don't have a cat, and run two magnaflow straight thru mufflers. One is a resonator round type under the car, and the other is a stock looking unit on the end. They are both straight through so I'm not sacrificing any power by using two. I have 2.5 inch piping and my total spent was about $250.

[cjcivic]

how much did u pay for ur mufflers?

[turtlecrxsi]

If you go custom, don't go bigger than 2.25" for NA (2.5+ is okay for turbo). Just think about it this way... there aren't many bends on a civic to begin with so you won't have to worry much about restriction. What you should do is spend the money and get a hi-flow cat. Bolt it up and put a resonator right after it or if your linkage is in the way, put it back further behind the linkage but prior to the bend toward the rear trailing arm. All you'll need is one resonator even with a fart can. If you plan on staying NA, you may want to invest in a header first, then add the rest onto it after...

[S13wanabe]

Good advice above. My motor is fully built NA so 2.5 inch was what I needed. I got both mufflers for about $80. Keep in mind I do get a discount. The exhaust work was about $150.

[ImportBuilder]

The car doesn't haev a cat. It never did, apparently. It is pretty loud right now, but as far as I know, my friend has nothing between the manifold and muffler. Will I need to buy a cat to pass emmisions? I live in Arizona, and the car is a 95 with an engine swap. I think it's a 1.5L engine, with an intake manifold from a bigger Honda engine.