Obvious Mufflers, this annoy anyone else?

[PowerPeeCee]

I've seen this a lot, particularly on late model GM SUVs, the complete lack of any attempt to hide the muffler behind the bumper or paint it or anything, just this big, obvious cylindrical muffler hanging well below the bottom of the bumper. It looks soooooooooo tacky.

If I were unfortunate to have to drive a big, stupid SUV like that the first thing I would do is get some engine black and paint over the #@$%! thing so it would look at least presentable.

I always like to paint black over all the stuff that can be seen under the bumper from behind the car.

I'm probably the only one who does this, though.

I don't mind seeing the pumpkin hanging down, but all the unpainted suspension parts that they put on these things look terrible.

Am I

?

 

[Drew99GT]

Like the Trailblazer??? Thing looks like an air tank or something. HUGE!! BAM, right there in the face ugly.

 

[moribundman]

In a rear-end collision you want the exhaust, tailpipe, muffler, cat etc, to neatly and safely fold up under the vehicle. Tucking in all the "guts" may be detrimental.

 

[TooManyWheels]

One of the worst examples of this is the seventies-era Corvette. The styling wasn't that great to start with, then they hang those two blobs off the bottom, which, given a lack of anything else to look at, become the focal point

 

[ikeepmychevytoo]

I cringe when I see this on a classic or a semi-classic, where the pipes used to diagonally cut as they angle downwards, nicely hidden somewhere beneath the rear overhang. These "proud" form of chrome plated protrusions appear ignorant and bitter when you consider the remaining original details.

 

[PF52]

Well how about the Camry? Every Camry I've ever seen looks like its missing a couple exhaust hangers. Its not the muffler, its the pipe just forward of it. These things look like they'll catch on speed bumps.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

I like the big rings the ricers hang on their tailpipe ends. Adds horsepower, I bet..

The muffler on my 2005 Hyundai AccentGT is rather strange. A little stainless steel square box up under and behind the rear bumper, I probably won't be finding this thing in the after market. It barely extends the outlet, and you can't see any evidence of muffler or tailpipe from behind the car without getting under it. Nice, neat and compact!

They should all have this!

 

[benjamming]

Quote:

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Well how about the Camry? Every Camry I've ever seen looks like its missing a couple exhaust hangers. Its not the muffler, its the pipe just forward of it. These things look like they'll catch on speed bumps.

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I have thought the same thing several times. Finally, I went to the dealership after closing and inspected it. Sure enough, it appears to have been 'designed' that way. I thought for sure they were having some bad days on the assembly line or run out of hangers. I don't remember noticing this on the newest Camry, just the model years that began in '02.

 

[benjamming]

I agree with painting the can black. Our '02 Accord was losing some of the black paint off the mufflers. I took it to the dealer (yeah I know didn't want to) to be repainted. One dealer told me that you can't expect it to last. It gets really hot. Well, I sure don't want to push a dealer into fixing something like this during warranty b/c they will just screw it up even more. I took it to another dealer and no problem. It still looks good today.

I notice that some of the 6th generation Accords don't have painted muffler(s) or it's all gone. I guess some folks would call it nitpicking, but it does make a noticeable difference to more than just me I guess!

 

[CBDFrontier06]

I noticed these a lot on the last gen Caddy Fleetwoods. Not that the car was a real looker anyway, but then you have two huge Corvette-style pipes and mufflers hanging out the back end, further messing up the lines of the car. You'd think they could have found a place to tuck them underneath such a yacht.

 

[Win]

Quote:

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Every Camry I've ever seen looks like its missing a couple exhaust hangers.

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Yeah, what's up with that? Every recent Camry I've seen looks like the exhaust pipe is falling off of the car.

 

[brianl703]

Quote:

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Well how about the Camry? Every Camry I've ever seen looks like its missing a couple exhaust hangers. Its not the muffler, its the pipe just forward of it. These things look like they'll catch on speed bumps.

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The Lexus has the same affliction.

 

[Drew99GT]

So "did" my Corolla until I put new rubber hangers on it and smacked it up nice and tight under the car. It can get me to the fishin hole now with no scrapage.

 

[road_rascal]

I completely forgot about those until I saw one today. I spray paint the exhaust on my vehicles about once a year with high temp black just to mask the darn things.

Quote:

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I noticed these a lot on the last gen Caddy Fleetwoods. Not that the car was a real looker anyway, but then you have two huge Corvette-style pipes and mufflers hanging out the back end, further messing up the lines of the car. You'd think they could have found a place to tuck them underneath such a yacht.

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[eljefino]

I first noticed this with the early 90's taurus/sable wagons. At the time, at least, they had a mismosh of shiny/dull rear suspension parts. Follow one in traffic with your headlights on and your eyes go beneath the bumper.

 

[Jim]

Gotta love the German cars, they are always clean and flat on the bottom side. It's almost as if they were designed.

 

[PowerPeeCee]

^ not always, the VW Vanagon has both the cat and muffler hanging below the rear apron for everyone to see.

Video that shows this extremely well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7TndZ0B9s

I Guess a Vanagon has the right to be an ugly pile if it wants though. I had the parts painted black on mine, but since the exhaust system on the Vanagon is so small, the muffler stayed hot and the paint would always burn off with in a few days.