I did replace two rubber hangers that deteriorated after 15 years. They had metal straps inside and the rubber ripped, and the metal rusted apart.
Life of exhaust systems
- Thread starter Snagglefoot
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Painful to recall. 2010 my ‘98 Maxima exhaust rusted out. Midas fixed it cat back. Mgr wrote “lifetime guarantee entire exhaust” and stapled his business card. When it failed again they wanted $800. I said nope lifetime and corporate which was sold and moved from Chicago to Miami said nope, he had no authority to say lifetime on entire exhaust. Went to BBB and they said they’ll do it one time. So when it failed 2 years later I had to pay for all but the muffler. After that had wife’s uncle do it.
13 years later Midas got the last laugh. When I junked the car I learned they stole the OE catalytic converter (salvage yard deducted $300 and showed me what OE looks like vs mine).
From what I've read after leaded gas was phased out exhaust systems started last much longer. Add stainless steel and rust resistant alloys and I'm surprised that there are as many muffler shops still around.I recall when replacing a muffler or section of exhaust system was an expected maintenance item. My 16 year old Burb still has its original exhaust system. It got so bad that Midas Muffler had to morph into a tire store. Anyone else finding that?
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Since when was leaded gasoline phased out? j/k I bet there are many here among us, who never owned a vehicle that used it.
T304 Stainless Steel
Borla says 1,000,000 miles... Sounds like a challenge to me
Borla says 1,000,000 miles... Sounds like a challenge to me
Why do they still call it unleaded? It’s like drinking uncreamed coffee.
I've thought about this on occasion. Regular repair of a rusted out exhaust system was just one of those things that had to be done, to keep a car on the road. Right along with a tune up, replacing the fan belts every 20k - 30k miles, and all the other maintenance items. It has been well over 20 years since I have had to have an exhaust system repaired.
They sure don't build them like they used to. And it's a darned good thing, too.
They sure don't build them like they used to. And it's a darned good thing, too.
A lot of exhaust failures for people who do short trips there's too much condensation trapped in the pipes and they rest from the inside out. I know I tell a lot of people if you can get some Grill paint high temperature and be able to coat the factory piping and let it sit for a couple days it will help but if you live somewhere where they salt and you don't have at the very least 409 Steel or better you're in for a big hurt real quick
I drilled drain holes in my Honda Accords dual mufflers- they faithfully leaves puddles wherever parked.
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My wife’s Buick Enclave has holes from the factory and there are puddles under them when I go on a short trip. Also black soot around them.
“Aluminized” exhaust systems on imported vehicles were only good for a couple years and U.S. cars seemed to last about 3 years here in Michigan. Seemed like I was always repairing or replacing sections on my cars. Then in the mid to late eighties, the manufacturers went to stainless steel. I haven’t replaced a system since then.
Probably just stuck as it had been called unleaded for so long. Most cell phones still use the icon for a tape for voicemail. Most people probably haven't had physical tape in an answering machine in what 15 years?
I coated the inside of an aftermarket pipe with an alu-zinc spray (sprayed it liberally and let it run down the pipe till everything I could see was coated). And that never rusted out. I sprayed the outside aswell. The heat coloured the coating some but it lasted. This was the downpipe from the turbo btw.
My (mechanic) uncle always did that too. A small hole at the lowest point - which was usually/always at the back.
My '86 Volvo had the unusual distinction of the exhaust breaking and dragging - twice. On both occasions far from home. It always broke right in front of the back muffler. I learned to carry wire and pliers in the glove compartment to sling it back up.
Over time I replaced both mufflers, each with a Volvo lifetime warranty, and when one failed again was given a Volvo OEM connected pair. That looked like a much better design.
Over time I replaced both mufflers, each with a Volvo lifetime warranty, and when one failed again was given a Volvo OEM connected pair. That looked like a much better design.
stainless varies!!! 400 series used by OE corrodes bit not supposed to rust thru. the costlier 304 grade will last FOREVER!!! of course the hangars may be another story. the aftermarket 304 system on my 01 jetta with just under 200 thou could be pulled apart if needed, + still on the car when traded in 2014, the big difference with cheaper but still good 400 series stainless!! i live in Pa the RUST BELT!! i might add the car itself only had surface rust where the mud guards rubbed thru the 100 % galvanized factory coating, BEST car i EVER OWNED!!
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100LL is still a thing, not that you'd fill your plane at the nearest interstate highway gas station.
a comment on Borla on my 2001 audi TT bought in 2012 that replaced the jetta has Borla cat back on it + it will prolly out
live car a summer fun roadster, no body rust either bought with about 37 thou on it + 61 thou now, another great VAG car!!
live car a summer fun roadster, no body rust either bought with about 37 thou on it + 61 thou now, another great VAG car!!
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I remember the busy exhaust shops when I was a kid. The store rooms were so jammed with vertically hanging, pre-bent systems that it looked like spaghetti in there. When a bay needed a pipe, someone would wing it across the floor to the bay in need..
Nowadays, I predict cars being junked because of NLA exhaust components, no shop willing to do an aftermarket repair on it, and $6K worth of required catalytic converters.
Like I mentioned above, search up some of the flex pipe debacles that are out there. Dealers will tell you too bad, so sad, it's NLA. If you can't DIY, you have to hope and pray you can find a shop to repair with aftermarket parts.
Nowadays, I predict cars being junked because of NLA exhaust components, no shop willing to do an aftermarket repair on it, and $6K worth of required catalytic converters.
Like I mentioned above, search up some of the flex pipe debacles that are out there. Dealers will tell you too bad, so sad, it's NLA. If you can't DIY, you have to hope and pray you can find a shop to repair with aftermarket parts.
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Supposedly if you do a lot of short tripping where the water never burns out then it can rust early.
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