I've got a CustomMSP SMIC sitting around in my garage... I tried to install it a couple of times but couldn't get the damn piping off. I've read a hairdryer can help so I may try that... Either way, I was wondering if anyone had any shops they'd recommend? I'd like to get a few other things installed (exhaust, clunk bracket fix, etc.) and would prefer to have one place for everything... I used to bring my car into Town & Country Mazda in Middletown but they're long gone. I don't trust my car at Dworkin in Derby and the service dept at the one in Hamden tried to hose me... so they're off the list. Doesn't have to be a dealership though... in fact, I prefer 'mom & pops' anyway.
CT Shop recommendation
- Thread starter CHICO2003
- Start date
There is some kind of a speed shop in wallingford right off of route 5. Its across the street from where stopnshop/shaws/etc are located in a little place just over the train tracks. Very visible from 5, you have probably seen it before. They usually only have domestics out front but i THINK the guy in meriden with a side exit exhaust on his 03.5 MSP said he had it done there.
No experience with them myself but they are local so it might be worth stopping in for a chat. Lemme know how you make out. I never did find a shop that could consistently do quality work on my MSP other than Morande in Manchester and while they have no problem doing normal work on my non-stock MSP im not sure they would actually dot he work of putting an aftermarket part on it.
SMIC sounds like it might be something easy enough to tackle at an install day and/or meet.
No experience with them myself but they are local so it might be worth stopping in for a chat. Lemme know how you make out. I never did find a shop that could consistently do quality work on my MSP other than Morande in Manchester and while they have no problem doing normal work on my non-stock MSP im not sure they would actually dot he work of putting an aftermarket part on it.
SMIC sounds like it might be something easy enough to tackle at an install day and/or meet.
Hypnotized
Member
- :
- 03.5 MS Protege-Gone 07 MS3
Drive the car for awhile then pop the hood, put a pair of gloves on and pull those plastic pipes off. Its very easy. Thats all I did when I did the FMIC when I had my MSP. The exhaust is very easy as well. I installed it 3 times on my car do to the flex pipe breaking off on my CS exhaust when I had it. Dont pay somone to do these mods. Its easy when you take your time. Trust me.
alright man... I'll give it a shot. it's just funny how the 'instructions' say to let the car cool down first. all I know is... that smic is going to look a lot better under my hood than on the floor of my passenger seat. (i've been driving around with it trying to find a shop that would install it for me (inexpensively) These guys are all a bunch of crooks! $80 was the cheapest price (by far) I got. So yeah... time to stop being such a puss.
Hypnotized
Member
- :
- 03.5 MS Protege-Gone 07 MS3
CHICO2003 said:
give it a shot. No need to spend money. They say to let it cool so you dont burn yourself but you need those pipes warm so the glue inside or whatever is allows you to slide them off.
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- carbon grey 2005 SP23 sedan
I need to get an exhaust installed on my 3 as well. I know there's a place kinda near the Costco in Waterbury that does work, but I've never taken my car there. I've bought redline products there before though...
I ended up putting in the SMIC myself... relatively easy I guess.
Super Sales in Wallingford put my Vibrant TBE on for $40 (which I thought was pretty cheap) Not sure what type of exhaust work you're looking for but if it's something simple like that... they might be worth checking out. Jorge's the owner... nice, honest guy
Super Sales in Wallingford put my Vibrant TBE on for $40 (which I thought was pretty cheap) Not sure what type of exhaust work you're looking for but if it's something simple like that... they might be worth checking out. Jorge's the owner... nice, honest guy
not quite so simple...need to have my corksport j-pipe re welded and possibly have a highflow cat and/or flex section welded into the midpipe, and also have the whole turbo-back installed. Also, one of the studs in the turbo that the S pipe attaches to is locked up and I believe sheared off (part of it anyway) so that needs to come out.
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- carbon grey 2005 SP23 sedan
sounds like you're keeping the msp, eh Chris? 
what happened with your truck? was it fixable after the accident?
what happened with your truck? was it fixable after the accident?
truck was fixable. like 4500-5000 in damages. Looks better than ever since it was in rough shape (cosmetically) when i bought it and now it has a brand new front end on it (also its a 98 and i had them put the 2003 style bumper and grill setup on there so it looks even better)
I am actually leaning more and more towards selling my car. I listed it on autotrader for more than I will get for it and will probably list it for a more reasonable price when this ad runs out. The exhaust leak which I thought was a bad seal between the cat and the midpipe it turns out (this is ALLEGEDLY according to the non mazdaspeed lincoln mercury mechanic who looked at it at morande) is actually a blown gasket from where (he says) the s-pipe is connected to the turbo.
One of the studs on the turbo got all jacked up when I was trying to take the S pipe off way back when and allegedly that jacked-up-ness caused the blown gasket.
I still want to sell the car but im going to get this fixed first so I can sell it in good faith and I expect what the stealership charges me for freeing the stud and installing the new gasket will be pretty close to what a good exhaust shop charges for welding the J pipe and then putting the whole CS exhaust on after they replace the gasket.
just considering my options before i shell out
I am actually leaning more and more towards selling my car. I listed it on autotrader for more than I will get for it and will probably list it for a more reasonable price when this ad runs out. The exhaust leak which I thought was a bad seal between the cat and the midpipe it turns out (this is ALLEGEDLY according to the non mazdaspeed lincoln mercury mechanic who looked at it at morande) is actually a blown gasket from where (he says) the s-pipe is connected to the turbo.
One of the studs on the turbo got all jacked up when I was trying to take the S pipe off way back when and allegedly that jacked-up-ness caused the blown gasket.
I still want to sell the car but im going to get this fixed first so I can sell it in good faith and I expect what the stealership charges me for freeing the stud and installing the new gasket will be pretty close to what a good exhaust shop charges for welding the J pipe and then putting the whole CS exhaust on after they replace the gasket.
just considering my options before i shell out
