Too late for suggestions, I just brought it into the Meineke shop and said, "FIX IT."

I'm replacing the catalytic converter with a larger capacity model, and having a brand new manifold put on.
EXPENSIVE, but worth it.

My daughters and I all had a headache after driving to and from church on Sunday, sniffing the fumes and listening to the 'putter-putter' of leaking exhaust.
My Mom said the car sounded quieter when I backed into her driveway. I told her that was because not all the exhaust was exiting the MagnaFlow!

So, check your old manifolds.
And I wish we had headers for these things.

All Series 1 manifolds are cracked. I'd prefer to see you repair the stocker, as they seem to hold up better if you weld them where they want to be in the cracked position (from stress). Save your old manifold. Have it repaired later when the new manifold cracks. It will. Give it time.

My repaired manifolds are holding up wonderfully.

The guy said the manifold would need a resurfacing for the mating suface to not leak.
He was unsure if welding it would be possible or worth it.

I'll take your advice and tell him to keep the old part, though...in case this SSE makes it another 50,000 miles.
It'* just about to turn 99,000 --- in a couple hundred miles!

I thought it would be worth getting the new part so I don't have something that was worked over by monkeys.

The mating surfaces need no special care unless he was foolish enough to install them without gaskets. OEM had none, but after a removal, you should re-install with gaskets. This will more than make up for any imnperfections in the mating surfaces.

That old manifold was toasted. Too many cracks all over the place. I let them keep it for welding practice...

The car now runs much better and quieter.
It should for $1142.91

Fixed for now.
Wonder what'* next? :P