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[dippydave]

As ever a small problem gets magnified by a trip to the 'professionals'. My V6 had a 'full stainless system' according to the ebay advert when i bought it. However when i reversed and caught the nasty 4" rat catcher on a high flying kerbstone it became truly modified   i'll try and attach a piccie! no can do


I went to the local Powerflow dealer to see if they could straighten out the pipe. Not only was it not possible as the box is dented and cracked and ..... but they also pointed out it'd been welded to the original centre pipes - they're not stainless! If i ever see the kid that had my meega before me.... grr  To further dismay they demonstrated that the centre baffles were loose (by banging!!) and there's more corrosion.


So it's bite the bullet time - new pipes & boxes from the cats back in either original or stainless. Or go the whole hog and upgrade manifold, install cat bypass system etc etc. I'm currently thinking the whole hog is not necessary for an otherwise standard 2.5!!  :-/


The Powerflow guys can do a stainless cat-back system for (rough scratching of head) "about £400"

I've found stainless systems out there from Magnex, Peco, Remux, Scorpion.... anyone had any of these or other makes?

What's the favourite among Forum members? (apart from Trade Club - which I don't have!) What kinda prices we talking?

Sorry I've started a new post but i can only find snippets by searching!

My research into non stainless systems is:
Buypartsby - Timax - £140 delivered.
Leisureshack - Bosal - £165 delivered.
NAtionwide Autocentre - Bosal or Timax - £229 fitted.
Hi-Q - Timax - £249 fitted
Kwikfit - Timax - £263 fitted
Vauxhall - GM - £385 plus fitting!! (manufacturer stated as "GM"!!!)

so I'm torn between stainless and not, and then which manufacturer too!! :-/

I await your wisdom guys n gals.

[JamesV6CDX]

Get GM cat back system, and use Trade club, much, much cheaper

[amba]

If you plan to keep the car it is worth putting a GENUINE gm system on as most aftermarket systems are "bean tin metal".You will also get a quiter car with the genuine article but that is reflected in the price,so worth finding someone with a trade card who lives close by.I have no experience of stainless steel systems,but the original unit on my 9 year old mega is still fine and that is the one it rolled off the production line with..so you pays your money....

[dippydave]

I do plan to keep the car, that's why i was considering stainless! Also on my last meega there was a Bosal system on which sounded awesome and had lasted a far while before I wrote it off - that's why i have my quandary!

I really don't understand how this trade club thing works. another thread methinks.

I'm mostly interested in what stainless systems fellow member use - it's appearing so far that nobody likes them! (One 'benefit' is looks of course - i love the twin square exit style ala Irmscher!)

[markey mark]

get a stainless if you are keeping it bud have a powerflow system on mine and it sounds wicked !! i also got the cat bypass as well !!  

[JamesV6CDX]

get a stainless if you are keeping it bud have a powerflow system on mine and it sounds wicked !! i also got the cat bypass as well !!  

What happens with emissions at MOT time?

[razzo]

Got a custom stainless on mine from the cats back, built by a chap in Cornwall & single tail pipe instead of the usual twin. Been grinding it on speed humps for ages & stil going strong  

[Kevin Wood]

get a stainless if you are keeping it bud have a powerflow system on mine and it sounds wicked !! i also got the cat bypass as well !!  

What happens with emissions at MOT time?

It fails... Unless you put the cat(s) back on.

Kevin

[markey mark]

get a stainless if you are keeping it bud have a powerflow system on mine and it sounds wicked !! i also got the cat bypass as well !!  

What happens with emissions at MOT time?

at mot just refit cats bud !!   worth it just for the sound of the v6 !  

[dippydave]

Powerflow tamworth don't like doing systems involving cats. bypassed or not!
They reckoned yes you'd get a few more horses (like 30!!) but that could be done by chipping as well!

still umming and ahing about the pros cons of gen/stainless.... :-/ :-/ may even go Vx centre and stainless back!

[chrisdb]

I'd advise genuine Vx, but under no circumstances get Timax - they are cheap for a reason!

[Kevin Wood]

I would be very surprised to get a 30BHP gain from removing cats. They are very free flowing these days and, if in good condition, they won't give you a noticeable reduction in power.

Kevin

[markey mark]

have chipped mine as well ! havnt had it on rolling road yet but should be somewere near 250 bhp !  

[dippydave]

oooh. so you've got 40 more horses from taking cats out and chipping? where's the chip from? I'm only starting with 170 so hope to get some more from a suitable power/economy increase chip

definitely not going down the shed route for the exhaust, just deciding whether to go discreet with vauxhall  8-)or less so with Powerflow  

[Jay w]

a few years ago i was messing around with modified stuff, because i was doing engine swaps i needed a custom made exhaust....

went to powerflow and they did me a good deal (or so it seemed at the time) for a one off system in stainless it was about £250.
6 months after the system was built one of the hangers became detached from the car, too it back under g'tee and was told that the hangers are not included in the g'tee as they are not stainless  
This was a show car that had done no more than 2000 miles in that time and never went out in the wet, they tried spinning me all sorts of crap, eventually i told them to stuff it and went to a company called longlife exhausts.
FULL stainless system, including brackets, lifetime g'tee that was transferable to the new owner and cheaper than pooperflow (who later closed down in Plymouth due to bad reputation)  and when i asked longlife to heat up a bracket and bend it a little more they were more than happy to do it and didn't charge me (even though it was sometime after the exhaust had been made)

I got my money back out of pooperflow through the small claims courts, plus costs  

on a Omega i would use a genuine one everyday of the week, my miggys exhaust has done 145,000 and looks to be the original one, it will need replacing soon but i dont think that is bad mileage for an exhaust