I need to buy a new centre exhaust section. I've read some stuff about people having to replace britpart sections after 2/3 years. I don't really want to have to do this again in a few years so I'm wondering if anyone has replaced theirs in the last few years?
Which brand did you go for and how is it holding up?
I bought a Euro Car parts own brand (Klarius) one that lasted far better than the previous Britpart. Wasn't a lot in it in price either if you buy it when they have one of their offers on.
Secondhand stainless steel exhaust on Ebay, 10 years+ ago.
It was or is a Double SS exhaust. Clips are mild steel though.
Bit noisy at the start but sooted up now and quieter.
Realistically stainless steel is the only option certain to last well on a low annual mileage vehicle. If you don't get things good and hot on a regular basis internal condensation is certain to start eating the silencer box from the inside out. Doesn't help that most, if not all, of the aftermarkets are wadding filled systems which not only take much longer to warm through than a baffle system but also concentrate the corrosive stuff from the exhaust. Found out the hard way that handling wadding blown out of a failed tailbox with bare hands wasn't a good idea. The crap collected in the wadding decided that starting to eat me was a good second course! Distinctly stingy and a major pain to scrub off.
After a "best we can get"aftermarket steel set of tailboxes from the local exhaust guy failed after around 3 1/2 years with the original RR centre box starting to go I put a Double S centre box and tail sections on. About 2 1/2 times the price of "best we can get" from the local guy. So if 3 1/2 years was an appropriate life I'm due to break even sometime next year.
As Dave says way too noisy at first but it does quieten down over the years. If you do buy a Double S system note that mine didn't come with clamps. Which wasn't noticed until the old system had been irrevocably cut off. To make matters worse the exhaust guy didn't have the largest size in stock so we had to wait a few hours for one to be delivered. I ended up fitting stainless steel Mikalor types as Id on't approve of the usual Benelli (U bolt) style.
Clive
I procured and fitted a Double S stainless steel cat-back system in 2009 through Rimmer Bros for a little over £600 which was a comparable price to the mild steel systems on offer back then. It came with everything, all nuts, bolts, washers, clamps and, IIRC, the rubber hangers and a lifetime guarantee! It is still on the vehicle although it is somewhat akin to Trigger’s broom in that the centre section has been repaired once and replaced once completely free of charge as per the guarantee. Can’t fault either Rimmer Bros or Double S in standing up to the guarantee and both the repairs and the replacement were furnished within 48 hours of reporting the problem - brilliant service.
All the rubber hangers have been replaced at least once as have the mild steel clamps as they have rotted out and split flanges were required at both ends of the centre section to affix it back on - these are now stainless steel as well. It has now accrued a minor crack where the near side tail pipe finisher is welded on - just a minor job for a professional stainless steel welder when I get round to it - not worth the hassle of taking the rear sections off to claim under the guarantee.
The U clamps at the back part of the exhaust came as the only advisories at the last MoT in May so I replaced them and took the opportunity to thoroughly inspect the exhaust and it remains absolutely solid and good, it seems, for another 14 years!
That’s a really useful review! 14 years of use plus the companies standing up their guarantee.
mild steel fitted...also 3 years for a hole in the centre box, so it seems consistent
My only criticisms of Double S exhausts is the pipes (on mine at least). They are 409 yet the boxes are 304, plus of course the fittings which are just mild steel. 409 goes rusty just like MS pipes. It does't look good but they give a guarantee against penetration.
When I first got them I checked with a magnet and they were magnetic. I rang up Double S and was put through to one of their engineers. He basically explained about 409 but also said if you order direct from the factory, they could make them in anything you want, all 304 or all 316.