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I live an hour away from the BAT facility so I ordered the Y-pipe and the cold air intake. Drove down the same day to pick up the parts and have them installed. The guys at BAT where nice enough to install the intake and recommended a local exhaust shop to install the Y-pipe. When I brought the Y-pipe to the exhaust shop the guys there where confused why I paid $319 for a Y pipe and cat when I already had a y-pipe. They recommended installing 2.5 pipe throughout , removing the CAT ,replacing the resonator with a glasspack and putting in a bullet straight through muffler with a 2.5 inch stainless tip. They did great work custom bending the entire new 2.5 inch pipe from before the original Cat to the tip of my muffler. They even sprayed all the welds. The total cost was $300. I returned the y-pipe to BAT and got a refund. There is now a noticeable increase in the mid-range and a better launch from a standing start. This seemed to be the most logical way to have a free flowing exhaust with minimal restrictions and having 2.5 pipe all the way through. What are your comments?

I'm jealous. That's all I have to say.

That sounds very quality! I'm jealous too!

If you used the stock Y-pipe as is that was a HUGE mistake. It's a festering pile of manure as is.

Also any exhaust shop is going to use a hydraulic bending maching that does CRUSH BENDS. Another HUGE mistake!

Also if you use a normal glasspack it will not retain it's inner diameter and cost you performance. That's 3 strikes.

Also there is a very good chance it uses a louvered core (the most common design) There's 4. (heck crush bends are probably worth 4 by themselves)

I can also tell you the reason why a few folks did not attempt this "single" style. SVT's have dual outlets and leaving one empty looks very tacky to say the least.

Firstly, thanks for your reply. I've admired your responses to other members that's why I posed the question to you. You obviously have vastly superior knowledge in this area than I do. BTW, I never mentioned that my car was a 99 se sport not an SVT.When the exhaust shop removed my original exhaust I did notice that it was made using crush bends. However, unlike the new system they installed, The bends showed an obvious decrease in diameter at all the bends. It had "clamp-like" marks on all of the bends. I did a bit of research last night and noticed several sources mentioning that the oe system on many cars is produced using crush bends. Also, that a good crush bent can be better than a poor mandrel bend if the mandrel bend is welded anything but perfectly flush and without any holes in the weld. In my particular situation the bends not not look to diminish in diameter at all compared to the factory system. Honestly, I've noticed a significant increase especially in the mid-range.Also the tires are willing to spin much easier from a start. The car reminds me more of another car I own A 2002 Maxima se 6 speed. Of course, that car is faster than any contour svt or not and in refinement is like comparing a dinner a Denny's to a steak dinner at Burns. Thanks again for your response.

Welcome to the boards, I live about 10 minutes away from BAT in Sarasota, stop by the Florida CEG forums.

You should have installed the better flowing y-pipe along with the exhaust. You would have noticed a better gain. If you could only afford one or the other the exhaust is a better start though.

todas, I'm learning that your right and I could have afforded both but the guy at the exhaust shop made me feel stupid for buying the BAT y-pipe so I brought it back.I'm new to this and in the future I'm stiching with stock. Also have a 2002 Maxima 6 speed stock and a new BMW M3 coming next week. I'm leaving both stock. Thanks again for your response.

Stock? Just remember, if your car is working harder than it has to in order to breath in and out...you're hurting it.
Gotta at least put a K&N in the cars!

Yeah I always do that I even had a drop in K&N in the contour. I still consider that stock. I'm afraid to screw with a car like the M3 first because it's brand new and second because so much research has already gone into the car I'll just $$#@ it up!!