DIY vs custom Stainless exhaust and what size?

[Eyebrows123]

Looking for some advice as yet again my exhaust is rusting through. I'll need to get a cat as it's a 1996 car. I hope to try do it properly this time, so I'm wondering whether to do it myself (buy the pre-made angles, silencers and cat etc) or just go to someone like longlife and get them to do it?

I have access to a TIG welder, if I do it myself, where's the best place to buy the parts from?

What diameter should I be going for, is 2.5" sufficient or should I go for the full 3" and should it be downpipe back?

The car is currently a standard 2.3 lpt, but about the same time as I install this I plan to use a mbc to increase the boost a little. In the future I imagine I'll try move into maybe the mid 200hp with a bigger turbo, I may try to get close to but I doubt I'll ever go over 300hp. So I do want to eventually build the car up, currently doing it bit by bit and seeing as the exhaust is going, I may as well do it properly. Question is what diameter and is it worth doing it myself?

[tofufi]

I had the pipework in the garage, so just needed to buy a couple of silencers - around £40 each from eBay. An afternoon and under £100 got me a stainless exhaust

Can't comment on diameter as mine is a 740 diesel.

[jpliddy]

i had a stainless fitted exhaust fitted in 2008 from manifold back on my diesel it cost £ 450 expensive then but no problems since .

[360beast]

Go for 3" and be done with it haha.

I've bought a used 3" stainless steel exhaust for my 940 that I'm going to pick up after the lockdown, I've seen a video of the car idling with it (oddly a silver saloon with boot spoiler like mine) and it is bloody loud!

[Eyebrows123]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Go for 3" and be done with it haha.

I've bought a used 3" stainless steel exhaust for my 940 that I'm going to pick up after the lockdown, I've seen a video of the car idling with it (oddly a silver saloon with boot spoiler like mine) and it is bloody loud!

How many silencers has that got?

I assume if I go 3" it's vital to make sure the cat and silencers are all 3"?

[mhuk]

3" downpipe on mine. It was running a cut out valve. when it was open to 3" the whole car opens up and bloody hell there is a performance improvement but i have a larger 19t .

[360beast]

Originally Posted by Eyebrows123

How many silencers has that got?

I assume if I go 3" it's vital to make sure the cat and silencers are all 3"?

It has a reducer which bolts to the standard 2.5 inch downpipe and goes up to 3 inch with one silencer no cat.

[mocambique-amazone]

3" downpipe
2.5" behind the cat.

There will be no advantage from 3" in relation to a 2.5" behind the cat

3" is crazy stupid loud

The most advantage will be a TD04HL with a strait or angled outlet.

Some of the aftermarket stainless are astonishing cheap.

In Great Britain are a lot of the old style exhaust workshops.

Good luck, Kay

[360beast]

This the exhaust I'm buying

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dnnthyQ7a1c

Thankfully this is a different video to the first one I saw and it sounds like the manifold is seriously cracked causing it to sound so loud.

[MiniNinjaRob]

On my car the previous owner had one custom made by Tony Banks exhausts in Leeds. It was £500. I went there to enquire about a change and he said he had a month long waiting list and the cars parked outside were high performance and exotic cars (but he did every kind of car). The exhaust I have is a replica of the original but a slightly bigger diameter I think. Sounds good to me and all I need to do it change the tailpipe section as the original factory style is really ugly. Tony quoted me £50 to cut and weld in a new straighter one with a rolled tip.

Quality seems good, had to have a flexi pipe replaced recently but it looks pretty good and works fine 5 years later from it being fitted.