Hey, Here is a trick I did on My exhaust after scrapping my obnoxiously loud X pipe. I took the stock pipe, cut the tabs where the heat shields were on the converters, one side only, to reveal the converters. I used a porta band saw and cut along three of the top sides of the converters " square C shape " and pryed the top off the converter. I dug out the converter material and pushed the metal back togeter. Took the pipe to a muffler shop and they welded it for 10 bucks, also welded back the heat shields. The pipe looks stock but runs unrestricked and sounds great! Just loud enough for the VERT and my Wife!!
You may need the o2 sensor fix $ 50 but my check engine light never came on!!
Just an idea!