need some help on exhaust for 92 integra LS 4 door 5 speed

[tom hennessy jr]

HI, i am new to these lists. i have been a long time BMW fan, but my sister is deciding whether to keep or sell her 1992 Acura Integra, 4 door, 5 speed LS sedan.
i drove it for the past week, and it is a tight, quick, sweet little ride.
she has 123K on the odo, and i just did the Maryland inspection and everything passed except the muffler. she has a LIFETIME midas muffler (BIG JOKE!) but when i took it in. they wanted 222 bucks for the exhaust pipe BEFORE and after the muffler plus labor..thus 222 bucks for a job that i thought was under warranty..
AND her catalytic converter just wore out. the car smells like rotten eggs when you start up the car.
i am her disabled brother and i can get a waiver for emissions test in MD, IF i buy it and drive it less than 5 k a year.
My questions are ..Can you drive one of these cars without a catalytic converter? will it hurt the car?
can you purchase a different exhaust or pipe to compensate?
does anyone know anything about bosal cats? i saw one online for 142 bucks plus installation. and i can get a midas muffler and brackets and gaskets under the warranty. i would just need some advice on an honest mechanic/shop in the montgomery county, Maryland area (just northwest of DC..recently called "SNIPER" country)
any advice would be appreciated.
IF i help her sell it, does anyone know the going price on a clean, one owner, 1992 Integra 5 speed, LS, 4 door sedan, with ALL service records. oil and filter every 4k since new. all services on time.
THANKS!
TMH

[slowEJ6]

bosal brospeed is garbage.
get a catco or random tech cat, or find someone selling a stock cat off their car. its not legal to drive w/o a cat, but you can drive w/o one - wont hurt the car. nothing can compensate for a cat since its illegal to not have one on a car of that year.

[tom hennessy jr]

Thanks to "slow ej6" for the info about the catalytic converters.
i am not a mechanic, and i am not sure i will keep the car. i just wanted to make it legal to sell or drive.
some other acura list had suggested if i wanted a cheap cat, to try a bosal.
that is all i know about it.
my sister said that the honda dealer had quoted her something like 1400 bucks for a new cat plus the installation...that sounded outrageous.
so i went to a precision tune (a step up from a midas muffler shop) and they told me 450 to 500 bucks for a new cat with the installation.

so i was just checking around.
thanks again for the info.
Sincerely,
TMH

[slowEJ6]

well if you plan on selling it, you could go with the bosal unit, it'll more than likely rust after a while though.

finding a stock cat off an EX or HX or something of the like would probably be a LOT cheaper, you could probably pick one up for like $40 from a junkyard.

$1400 is outrageous, but thats honda prices for you. as for the cat, it shouldnt cost more than $40 in labor @ midas. i paid $40 @ midas and got my exhaust piping from the axle to the muffler removed and replaced with new piping with my new muffler welded on for $40.
just tell them a price you got quoted over the phone and they'll more than likely say ok.