[Z06] ParadiseZ06
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8
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ParadiseZ06
Can anyone help me, I live in College Park Md. and I am looking to have some work done on my 2002 Z06. I talked to one company about having an cold air intake and new header and long pipes installed. They said it would cost $4,400 to have that work done. They recommened a Callaway Honker cold air intake and said as far as the exhust system I could leave my original muffler and tail pipes they would put headers on and long pipes with the X pipes. Also they said they tune the car after all work was done without changing any of the safty peramitters. They said they would put heat resistent wire and a 1/4" heat sheild along with a few other things I would need. What do you all think.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Sounds like a rip off...
Honker - $400ish
LT headers and full mid-pipes w/ cats - $1500ish
Tuning (for basic boltons) - $300ish
Labor for the install 5hrs @ $70/hr - $350
Total - $2550ish, figure $3000 max if the labor rate is higher and/or they charge more labor.
Honker - $400ish
LT headers and full mid-pipes w/ cats - $1500ish
Tuning (for basic boltons) - $300ish
Labor for the install 5hrs @ $70/hr - $350
Total - $2550ish, figure $3000 max if the labor rate is higher and/or they charge more labor.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,158
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From: St. Peters MO
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Z06 work
When you own a corvette it will always cost more for every thing associated with it. Thats to include parts and labor. What I would do is wait untill you get all your parts togeather, which might take some time . This is the perfect time of the year to find most of your parts going on sale by various vendors and used parts by forum members. I try to do all my own labor, but also have all the tools and nessessary lifting devices. If you buy new headers, x-pipe and long pipes and hi-flow cats , to include heat sox , G.M. exhaust gaskets, and heat wrap , stainless slip ties,change out plug wires , and a honker intake, not to mention new air shroud, because I believe you have to cut open your original one, install the Honker. New parts My gusetimate would be 2200.00 header related items, 550.00 honker related items. Installed by a person that works on corvettes all the time would be a major factor. Getting it all tuned by a person that deals w/c5 vettes often is very important , @ the same they can reset your fan settings, this type of tune will be around 400.00. The $4k figure to me is just about right given the fact they would be getting all the parts for you , installing them and doing the tune. Good luck!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
^ What planet are you from? It's a rip off and at minumum $1000 high, more like $1500 high.
Why would he have to get a new shroud because they're cutting the old one to install the Honker? You just cut the one in there now, you can replace it if you ever put the car back to stock.
No need to swap plug wires unless you break one, oem ignition has been proven to support over 1000 HP and you only get gains if something's defective to begin with.
Depending on the brand of headers you get you may not need heat sox... I have Kooks, none of the primaries come close and I've been running HPDEs for 5 years w/o any sox. Some brands of headers do need them.
Just beacuse it's a Corvette doesn't mean you need to let yourself get ripped off.
Why would he have to get a new shroud because they're cutting the old one to install the Honker? You just cut the one in there now, you can replace it if you ever put the car back to stock.
No need to swap plug wires unless you break one, oem ignition has been proven to support over 1000 HP and you only get gains if something's defective to begin with.
Depending on the brand of headers you get you may not need heat sox... I have Kooks, none of the primaries come close and I've been running HPDEs for 5 years w/o any sox. Some brands of headers do need them.
Just beacuse it's a Corvette doesn't mean you need to let yourself get ripped off.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 98
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From: Panama City Beach Florida
Cobra4B usually knows what he's talkin' about!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
$4,400?????????????????? Are you freakin' serious? That's not too far from some very good head/cam/header packages installed and professionally tuned by some of the best tuners in the business! That sounds like a quote from a stealership charging you for an entire day's worth of labor to install a cat-back or spark plugs.
Cobra4B usually knows what he's talkin' about!
Cobra4B usually knows what he's talkin' about!
I've been in the C5 "game" for a long time... you can pay whatever you want but it's a rip off.I'd bet you a few beers that I could do the same BS for under $2000, but then again I do my own work.
My advice to the OP in all seriousness is figure out what parts you want then troll the FS section and buy good used stuff. Many don't like to hear this, but w/ the Z06 front bumper and screens any aftermarket filter gets good cold air.
You can get a blackwing or even the C6 K&N replacement filter for $100 and it will make all the power a honker will.
Then get some nice headers etc and you're good to go.
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 11
From: Alamogordo New Mexico
with Cobra. 4400 is really out of this world. Besides, if this vendor does your shopping, they are making bucks from the header sale to you. If they are pushing you for plug wires, watch out, your nose could start blinking red, and you'll be up all night on a Christmas ride.Header install I have seen from 250 bucks to around a high of 600 bucks. Price range on the best headers w/cats range from 1400 to 1700 bucks. Dyno tunes go from 300 to 500 bucks. I did my headers, in my garage and it took me less than 6 hours. So, a good, honest shop, with a lift and knowing what they are doing should be able to get it done in less time. No more said on that..
Alot of folks keep the stock TI exhaust, as it sounds good with the headers, and going to new exhaust is a big bang for your buck. The other stuff they are trying to sell you shows me they really are trying to nickle and dime you to death.
Shop around, make some calls, and remember to tell them its Christmas time, meaning maybe they should give some up.........
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,722
Likes: 64
From: DFW Texas
CI 7-8 Veteran
CI 8 Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '07
not sure how mechanically inclinded your are but buying what you need will be no more then 2k, install it yourself in a weekend and have it tuned for, at the most $500. I have purchassed intake, headers, exhaust, heads/cam and all assoicated parts for under 6k, installed it all in my garage. its not hard to do you just need to have patience and some knowledge. to think if i had the place you got a quote form do this it sounds like i would have paid 10k +
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,787
Likes: 2
From: Wildomar CA
LG STREETS W Cats $1300 new
Honker $500 New
Tune $600 TOPS
That is $2400
So you are saying that $2000 in labor sounds about right to you?
That's like $300 an HR for install, even PROS would only be $1800 new, which still leaves $1500 for labor.
Buy them used
LG's pros for $1200-1400 used
Honker $300 used
Install yourself
Tune $500
Total $2000-2200
Now use the other $2200-2400 for more mods.
Honker $500 New
Tune $600 TOPS
That is $2400
So you are saying that $2000 in labor sounds about right to you?
That's like $300 an HR for install, even PROS would only be $1800 new, which still leaves $1500 for labor.
Buy them used
LG's pros for $1200-1400 used
Honker $300 used
Install yourself
Tune $500
Total $2000-2200
Now use the other $2200-2400 for more mods.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,787
Likes: 2
From: Wildomar CA
I've been in the C5 "game" for a long time... you can pay whatever you want but it's a rip off.I'd bet you a few beers that I could do the same BS for under $2000, but then again I do my own work.
My advice to the OP in all seriousness is figure out what parts you want then troll the FS section and buy good used stuff. Many don't like to hear this, but w/ the Z06 front bumper and screens any aftermarket filter gets good cold air.
You can get a blackwing or even the C6 K&N replacement filter for $100 and it will make all the power a honker will.
Then get some nice headers etc and you're good to go.
The honker,blackwing,K&N, and vararam will make more power than that by themselves. The truth is in the numbers. Those twin cones are not a good performance mod.
I agree that ANYTHING else would be good, although my top vote goes to vararam, but then of course that's why I use it.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
^ I could go on for days... ram air on a car is bull****... and CAIs don't show their worth on a dyno. Sure an intake getting sealed air from outside the engine will dyno a little better when the car is stationary.
However, at speed w/ air flow all that is negated... take a leafe blower and put it to your front bumper opening w/ the hood open... check out where all that air goes.
However, at speed w/ air flow all that is negated... take a leafe blower and put it to your front bumper opening w/ the hood open... check out where all that air goes.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,787
Likes: 2
From: Wildomar CA
^ I could go on for days... ram air on a car is bull****... and CAIs don't show their worth on a dyno. Sure an intake getting sealed air from outside the engine will dyno a little better when the car is stationary.
However, at speed w/ air flow all that is negated... take a leafe blower and put it to your front bumper opening w/ the hood open... check out where all that air goes.
However, at speed w/ air flow all that is negated... take a leafe blower and put it to your front bumper opening w/ the hood open... check out where all that air goes.
All the others are, with varying degrees of opinions, dyno, and track results, better than stock.