Alright people....I just inherited $1200 from my insurance company for some minimal hail damage that I'm not going to get fixed..so now I have $1200 to spend :beerchug:
I've always wanted headers but could never justify spending about $1200 for them when it's all said and done...well now I can..and I want to! SO...I am looking at the TOG headers...PFYC.com has the ceramic coated ones for $825 or the nickel coated for $700. I am looking in the $200 range for install and about another $125 for a high flow cat. Since the price has come down a little bit for the TOG's and gone up for the S&S headers..However the S&S's come w/ a high flow cat too for $850 and coated. My question for all of you is: is the ceramic coating really worth another $125 or so? What "problems" am I going to have if I go w/ nickel coated? Also, what am I forgetting? Here's what I think I'm gonna need for now:

headers
high flow cat
02 simulator (for cat)


I have searched for info on these headers and have found a lot of good info....but I just want verification and any addtl. info that I may have missed. For those of you who have headers (either brand)...do you like them? Was it really worth the $1000 or so? Is there any other mod that I should do instead? I have SLP exhaust, CAI, 62mm TB, B&M Shift+, tranny mount, Pro-M MAF now...so I've done bout everything except manifolds.

no info/input from anyone?...I like it here so much better, please don't make me go ask over on GAGT

I guess I will answer. lifetime warranty on the tog's so just get the nickel. BEST MONEY I ever spent on a performance part for the alero. And theres dyno sheets to prove there claim of a 19 hp gain!

get the headers....unless you ever want to go turbo in the future.....then its a waste of money.......oh and skip the highflow cat, not really need, if you want flow, just get rid of your cat........

So the Nickel Coated ones are okay? No problems?......the only thing I don't like about TOG is that they say that any header wrap used (like heat wrap) voids all warranty....well wtf do you do for heat control?!

If you plan to drive your car in the winter, you really ought to spring for the coating on the headers. It gives you the heat barrier you're looking for, plus some added protection against road salt.

S&S is Lifetime Warranty, and dyno results as well (27HP). Either way, YES get them coated!!! The benefits far outnumber the little bit of cash you save. When your spending that much money, you should just do it right the first time.

As far as heat control, just maybe protect the things around the headers that might be effected. I got some severe heat resistant metal tape and wraped it around some wires etc that was very near the header pipes.

[attachmentid=6071]

Its kind of hard to see and looks kind of tacky, but I don't really care, I just wanted to help cover the wires and stuff.

As far as cats go, I just bought a generic universal cat from my work. Not high flow or anything, but it works fine. The only time you might need a O2 simulator would be if you DID have a high flow cat. Some people reported problems of the sensor not picking up a signal. Other than that, thats about all you need to know. Get them coated, get them installed by a quality mechanic, and if you go high flow, get the simulator. Good luck!

I own TOG's headers on my grand prix and they are great. The install is not too bad, I am by no means a mechanic, but I installed them myself without too much trouble. Of course this was on my grand prix, not sure how the install differs with an alero.

For the coating issue..
Nickle will work fine but the headers will quickly get rainbow'ish colors at all the hottest spots on the headers. Not really a big deal unless you plan on showing the car a lot, they will not stay the same color.

Coating them will reduce temps a decent amount and make them look nicer.

I for one did not opt for the coating am I am fine with mine. But I also got mine through a group buy for $525 new :)

If you get rid of your cat, you will have to buy an O2 spoof and deal with your car smelling like a gas station all the time.

I believe you can save some money by calling S&S and telling them you don't want the Cat converter just the flex pipe. Then get a cat from ebay if the stocker doesn't work.

Yea....I talked to S&S a while back and I can get the Ceramic (jet-hot) coated headers...and downpipe/flexpipe only shipped to my door for like $597.99 so that is probably what I am going to do.

so the S&S headers add more hp? and where can i get them? also how much should install run...college student livin in apt..cant self install :(

ssheaders.com I paid $530 something for jet-hot coated headers and downpipe w/o a cat and that included shipping too...

so o spend the 530 bux and then i can just take it my midas shop? i have a guy at mine who does my stuff under the table..he did my CAI and exhaust system..or are there other things im goin to have to buy? mines a 2 dr too

I got a Magnaflow High Flow Cat off Ebay and an 02 Sim off PFYC. Those you'll need unless you keep your stock cat which would be dumb b/c you'd go 2 1/2" from header into like 2" for stock cat..back to 2 1/2" for your exhaust...mine's 2.5" from header back

thats a pretty good deal

looks good adam..I will have to check it out when you get it done...hey that trunk mat is almost done also.

awesome!...i wanna see that too

i thought it was 2.5 connected to the cat? im probably wrong but i think thats what my mechanic told me

stock?....nope....our stock exhaust is either 2 or 2 1/4...but definitly NOT 2 1/2 I could completely slide my old exhaust pipe inside my SLP when I got it...it was about a 1/2" bigger so I'd say stock is 2...but definitly NO BIGGER than 2 1/4