Exhaust Manifolds and Pipe Weld... Is this right?
 

Well I just got back from another garage... he put it on the lift... told me my muffler is fine... I need to get the pipe from the y-pipe connecting to the other pipe (idk what it's called lol) welded and clamped... but then he told me that my bigger problem is that I have 2 CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLDS, which explains why my feet are on fire when I'm driving... he then went on to say that the passenger side is worse than the driver's side, which goes with what everyone says here, so I'm glad my car is following suit *sarcasm*... He then showed me that when the car is started, smoke bellows out of the manifolds and makes it pretty stinky... Is this what happens when the manifolds go? Anyway, I was looking on www.rockauto.com and it has the manifolds priced at $90 a pop... I'm not sure how much he's gonna charge me, but he told me he's gonna give me a sizable discount because I deliver his newspaper LOL... oh, and I need motor mounts... does this sound right to you guys?

Instead of getting the crappy 99-04 exhaust manifolds why don't you look into getting a set of 94-98 headers? they will give a little better flow and sound. and they should be a little cheaper.

yeah 99 - 04 headers crack at the drop of a dime ive had to re weld mine about 5 times in the last 2 years ive had it

either get 94-98, or just get longtubes and duals now.

LOL one guy told me if I got a new exhaust system, my CEL wouldn't go off... and I'd have to keep getting it taken off and on to make my car pass inspection. But now I'm told my muffler is fine, which is great news... I'm gonna go with my dad tomorrow to see how much it is.

the only way the CEL will come on is if you get off road pipes which i believe u said u couldn't get them so shouldn't be a problem

Ok, so an h- or x-pipe is an off-road pipe? And I'm guessing they have no cats? What can I use besides those pipes?

You can get an H pipe and have hi flow cats welded in.

So I bought two new exhaust manifolds and a transmission mount for around $260... guy is telling me he's gonna charge me $450 for labor because the welding guy charges $100 an hour (you gotta be ****ing kidding me) and the car is gonna take all day... and on top of that, I had to drive with my window open today because he said the fumes from the manifolds come into the car... but I'm supplying him all the parts and he's still charging me an arm and a leg... ****ing mechanics.

450 for labor? geez that's steep. the guy that did my exhaust ran piping and supplied the mufflers for 150. and $100 an hour for welding? dealership mechanics a lot of times don't even get that much. before u spend that kind of money you need to talk to a few other shops