Stainless steel exhausts. Worth it on an 'everyday' car?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

It looks like that this time I won't be getting away with some putty, so I'll most likely have to buy a new exhaust from the cat and back (the flexpipe has seen better days and, while the rear section is still ok, it came in one piece from the factory and needs to be replaced with the middle). The fast-fit places quote upwards of £400. I can get one ordered from a German exhaust-only supplier on e-bay for about £180, but I have no way of fitting it myself so I guess, together with the mounts and VAT, it'll be another £70 or so to get it done in a garage. Or I can have a stainless steel one built to order and fitted locally by the manufacturer for £375. Assuming that I'll be keeping the car for a while, is the £125 extra a wise investment or a waste of money?

[Father Ted]

I have never had a mild steel system yet expire in under 4 years, longer for dirty diesels. Usually its just the back box that goes and can either be repaired or replaced cheaply enough.

 

So how long are you going to keep the car? Longer than say 4 years? If so, consider it as just one replacement mild steel system and you would recoup your money. But otherwise I wouldnt bother.

[M'coli]

Count for at least 2 hours labour plus vat and sundries at a garage; once you've done that, the all-in places look better. Take the price quote for the stainless bespoke sytsem to the fast-fit places and see if they'll match it for a stainless system, then ask what they'll do for mild. You'r quite good at being a patter merchant ( )so see what you can get it down to

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

That's a good idea, Mr Coli. HiQ don't do stainless systems, but there's a couple of independent fast-fitters around here, and I might even try Shit Fit just for the fun of it.

[Formula Autos]

Can you not just hammer a smaller exhaust over it?

 

It had to be done.

 

Sorry!

[Guest]

I would go for stainless if you're keeping the car a while.

 

Otherwise, no.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I just fitted a new exhaust to mine, complete centre and back box assy. £8 from U Pull It, had only been on the donor car a month or so and still had the stickers.

 

That's how to do it. Bollocks to this £125 lark.

[cobblers]

Or I can have a stainless steel one built to order and fitted locally by the manufacturer for £375.

 

ExhaustsUK? They do a lot of chav crap, but they did a cracking job on my Lupo exhaust. Definitely recommend them although they did want to put a big chrome EXHAUSTSUK.COM sticker on my back window. No thanks!

 

If you absolutely can't just buy and fit the exhaust yourself for whatever reason (And save yourself about £300!) I'd probably go with the stainless one. It'll be worth "some" money when you sell/break the car, whereas even a nearly new mild steel thing has a resale value of about £40. Plus, it'll definitely last (they do a lifetime guarantee).

 

You should make them put a MASSIVE tailpipe on it.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

There is some good news in that I've realised that the hole is nowhere near where it had been blowing in the past, and it's most definitely happened due to scraping against the road...Since it's definitely scraped against some of the crappily resurfaced bits of the snakepass, there is a chance that I can get Derbyshire County Council to pay for it. Got a form to fill in, together with a couple of insane quotes from the likes of Shit Fit that I am going to 'beat' no matter whether I opt for mild or stainless. Unfortunately, however, the Ford dealer has stopped supplying the parts in question, which means I missed out on a good laugh!

 

Or I can have a stainless steel one built to order and fitted locally by the manufacturer for £375.

 

ExhaustsUK? They do a lot of chav crap, but they did a cracking job on my Lupo exhaust. Definitely recommend them although they did want to put a big chrome EXHAUSTSUK.COM sticker on my back window. No thanks!

 

That's the one. I was a bit scared when I went there for them to have a look (lots of chaviness on display). Quite disappointing though, as the final quote turned out to be £495 (the guy on the phone had forgotten to include the flexipipe, even if I had specifically spelled out what I need)...Although I did find another place (Hawleys or something like that) that can make one for £360, so the dilemma still stands.

 

 

If you absolutely can't just buy and fit the exhaust yourself for whatever reason (And save yourself about £300!) I'd probably go with the stainless one. It'll be worth "some" money when you sell/break the car, whereas even a nearly new mild steel thing has a resale value of about £40. Plus, it'll definitely last (they do a lifetime guarantee).

 

You should make them put a MASSIVE tailpipe on it.

 

I really can't do any work on the car. Don't have anywhere to do it, and am a bit short on tools, too. I did speak to my usual garage and they're happy to fit it for £50, including gaskets, mounts and VAT!

However, given the fact that I may be able to get it reimbursed, I guess it is worth taking a bit of a risk and buying stainless.

[HMC]

I'm no expert, but im assuming if they cough up the money its only on the basis of a like for like replacement and not an upgrade? Depends on how you present it and how closely they scrutinise it I suppose!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

"Like-for-like" (mild steel) is the Kwik Fit quote of £516 which I am submitting with the rest of the paperwork. I don't suppose they will have a problem with me paying £150 less.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Yes, that's the one I mentioned in the previous post! Good to know they do a decent job.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I haven't used Hawleys, my local one is in Turriff.

 

Presumably, however, a stainless quote from Hawleys would refer to a Powerflow exhaust.

[Split_Pin]

Be careful with Powerflow. They are only as good as the stockist who makes them.

 

I've had 2 from a place in Stirling.

 

The first one, on my first car was ok but the middle section went rusty.

 

5 years later when I had them fit another to my next car it was shocking. Sounded nothing like I had asked and boy did it rattle. Nail in the coffin was when I took it back for its annual inspection for the so-called lifetime guarantee, queried the rattling and he said the engine in my (35k mile) car was making the rattling.

 

Took the car home and bought a proper exhaust from Remus, my mate fitted it for me and it was spot on, no more rattling. Sold the old one for £60 and the new owner of it had to complete some of the welds. All in my new stainless exhaust was still cheaper than you have been quoted by Kwik fit for a mild one.

 

On my other (nameless) car, I got a stainless Irmscher backbox in mint condition for £40 through the owners Club and my mate has just given me a mild centre section for nothing.

 

Also, if you do buy a stainless one, make sure you ask what grade of steel it is. The less iron content the better. Companies like Remus and Magnex use good quality stainless steel.

 

What do you drive? Have a look on e-bay. Standard exhausts on there for common cars are very cheap. Even new ones.

[Pete-M]

JP Exhausts, Macclesfield.

 

I used them about 20 years ago and they were brilliant.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Cheers for that post, Iain. I have seen decent reviews of stuff made by Hawleys on Sheffieldforum, so I presume they are among the better franchises.

 

What do you drive? Have a look on e-bay. Standard exhausts on there for common cars are very cheap. Even new ones.

 

Scorpio 2.3. Unfortunately, driving something that's not mega-popular means somewhat restricted choices when it comes to this type of stuff. There is one e-bay seller who can supply a new exhaust for my car, they ship from Germany and only work out about a tenner cheaper than my local motor factor- in total, for all three sections I need, and assuming they only make me pay one postage charge. Interestingly enough, Unipart and Andrew Page have both quoted prices more than 50% higher than the local factor!

[trigger]

I'm thinking about buying a stainless system for the Cortina, the trouble is finding someone who stocks them still.

[tonedepear]

Never used Hawley's myself but heard planty of good stuff over recent years.

 

Have you tried ringing round local factors though? I'd be amazed if SDL can't get you one and they used to be just off the parkway.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Bullseye seem to be the only factors that can get it at a somewhat reasonable price- much cheaper than the chains (AP, Unipart, ECP). Not tried SDL, will give them a ring tomorrow.

 

I'm thinking about buying a stainless system for the Cortina, the trouble is finding someone who stocks them still.

 

The whole point of Powerflow, Longlife etc is that they are built to order. They say they can make "virtually everything".

[Guest]

JP Exhausts, Macclesfield.

 

I used them about 20 years ago and they were brilliant.

 

Seconded. When the exhaust on the 460 finally goes I'm going to have them make up a 2" decat system for it.

[alf892]

PD Gough in Nottingham are a proper firm and use 304 which is good stuff. They can supply for anything from the Horsey Horseless to date.

 

They are so good the fittings come with a bigger socket already hammered over just in case......

[warren t claim]

Are Mike The Pipe still trading?

 

Can you not just bodge the old exhaust with a bit of electric glue?

[trigger]

There's a "Longlife" exhaust place near me that I've just been in contact about for a exhaust for the Cortina, £339 all in for a full system, I don't know if that's expensive or not but I'm very tempted.

 

This company seems to list it for much cheaper and i should be able to fit it myself or at least know a chap who can, Anyone know anything about these lot?. http://www.ccw-tools.com/product.asp?st ... re+Details

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I got it done as a Powerflow system by Hawley's. I haven't looked at it from the underside, but I can confirm that it doesn't sound chavtastic or otherwise funny. GR9 service, too- got it done within about 3 hours and the guy seemed to really know his stuff and take pride in his work (e.g. he showed me the new mounts vs the old ones, stressing how much stronger they are etc). Unfortunately, however, the system hadn't been in the best condition to begin with so I'll reduce my claim to 50% of the cost before they scream OMG INZURANTS FROD and see what they say.

 

3 hours after I picked the car up (or 2.5 days after I called them), the Longlife garage from Leeds remembered to call me back. They were about a tenner cheaper than Hawleys and, unlike Powerflow, their guarantee is transferrable when the car is sold on. Had they been quicker, I would've probably done the 60 mile roundtrip to them...

[pompei]

I know it's no help now, but Papa_in_Law had a knackered exhaust on his 3 litre Camry a few years back. Quotes were touching a grand to have it done. He took it to a character who works from a garage behind his house in Cleethorpes who did an old fashioned mend with sections of new pipe and a torch and charged him half a dozen CD's (he used to have a record shop)

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Update on this after 150 or so motorway miles and a few more on smaller roads: I have observed a slight improvement in performance and a noticeable increase in noise above 3k rpm. You wouldn't call it loud, but it still annoys me- I think it spoils the character of the car. Given that the engine isn't a V6 and the gearbox has a relatively short fifth gear, fast motorway cruising is at 3.5k or so...Well, I guess that at least the stereo can cope.

[Guest]

Update on this after 150 or so motorway miles and a few more on smaller roads: I have observed a slight improvement in performance and a noticeable increase in noise above 3k rpm. You wouldn't call it loud, but it still annoys me- I think it spoils the character of the car. Given that the engine isn't a V6 and the gearbox has a relatively short fifth gear, fast motorway cruising is at 3.5k or so...Well, I guess that at least the stereo can cope.

 

'Kin ell Luxo, is anything good enough for you?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The stereo certainly is.

[Barry Cade]

Anyone remember Centaur blue's from kwak fart? We use to crack open the beers in the bothy when we sold one. When they cleared out the stock, Mk5 Cortina full systems were sold for a fiver.