RE: Exhaust Systems???

[mannix@privateI.com (I.Mannix)]

>>Don't know about that, Shawn.....got aluminized pipe on my GTI, it is
>>starting its second winter (third?  who knows...) and it looks fine.  If I
>>lived in Mass or Vermont, I'd consider SS, but CO uses no salt - my
>>aluminized pipes are still silver, the welds are barely rusting.  A friend
>>has a 5 year old aluminized exhaust on his 510, no problems.  SS is
>>undeniably better, but I don't think aluminized is that bad - my exhaust
>>cost $170, parts and labor, cat back.  Flomaster muffler, 2.5/2.25" pipe.
>
>
>
>Really, you have that system?? Everything ive heard about that system has
>all been really negative. Sounds like you really are satisfied with it.

Very - I had a shop use aluminized tubing, "as big as you can fit under the
Rabbit," bend, weld and install it.  I think the Flowmaster casing is
aluminized, too, based on a very scientific look - "it looks the same as
the tubes."  Sorry.  Anyhow, they were willing to do the system in
"normal"" tubes, but the guy told me I'd only get 1-2 years out of it, and
that the aluminized "should last 4."  No guarantee, but this guy is not one
to lie about it - he's got a good reputation, builds lots of racecar stuff
as well as doing the Midas type stuff, and known to be honest to boot.


>Oh, I forgot to mention that my knowlege of the alumnized system is all
>hearsay! This could be another scenerio kind of like when everybody was
>telling me how dangerous it was to run a scirocco with a rear 28mm swaybar
>and no front bar.

Yeah, I tried that too - everyone I know said bad things about it, snap &
spin, etc.  I found that some front roll stiffness was good, as the car
could still roll enough in quick transitions to roll away the neg. camber.


  They were telling me it was going to snap on me and spin. NOT!! I even
autoxed it this way and improved my times (Compared to the guys that were
beating me, at the time) by 2 seconds with just the rear s
>waybar. Sometimes we just gotta find out for ourselves......
>Who knows, maybe the Alumnized system is the way to go for us budget
>minded people. You know, I just might buy one for our GLi instead of the
>SS and see how it goes.

With my experiences here, I would'nt think twice about Stainless.  Way too
much money, unless you drive on the beach a lot - I mean, I had a set of
headers on my Jeep CJ, I'd get 3 years out of a header - mind you, the
header exited right behind the front wheel, I drove to Vermont to ski all
the time, (salt), drove it on the beach a lot, off road as often as
possible - and still, 3 years out of an uncoated, mild steel, $99 header
set.

>
>
>>If it lasts 4 years, and the next one lasts 4 years, I'll be happy, lets
>>say the second costs $200 - thats $370 and some inconvenience of having a
>>second put on.  Ok by me!  If one can afford ss, and thinks the car will be
>>around for years to come, it's great, but for those financially impaired,
>>aluminized is a safe gamble in salt free areas, IMHO.  Just my 2c!
>
>
>Yeah but, what happens after 4 more years? I will still have my SS system
>and you will be replacing yet another system. See, I look waaaaaaaay into
>the future. Thats just me. :)

I'll probably be dead or something.


>I plan on having my car a really sickening long time. Especially since I
>just registered it and it only cost me $50.00! I can deal with that!

I do too, and I'm willing to spend the cash on something that lasts forever
*if* it is prone to wearing out - in these parts, aluminized tubes seem to
hold up fine.  I do, however, spend a bundle on snowtires, as it snows a
lot, and skimping on snows here is silly - I need snowtires, don't really
*need* stainless steel.  It seems to me that the SS thing is a recent craze
- I've been at least thumbing through VW&Porsche/ec for 8ish years (had VWs
5-6), and I don't seem to remember the SS obsession......anyhow.  I like my
aluminized exhaust.


Mannix




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