rls@ihuxf.UUCP (Richard Schieve) (03/23/84)
Life time muffler guarantees are not unique to muffler repair and replacement shops. Most major muffler manufacturers, Maremont, Walker etc... will provide a lifetime replacement guarantee with their mufflers. It is important to keep the original receipt, but even the local garage that installed the muffler can take care of the replacement. They will charge for their labor of course. Ask first, performance brands like Thrush, are not guaranteed. Also, I don't know of any that guarantee the pipes. Rick Schieve
wookie@alice.UUCP (Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing) (03/24/84)
There are definitely places that offer lifetime complete exhaust systems. I bought such a system in the Pittsburgh Pa. area about seven years ago. I had to have a system made for the car anyway since it was a high performance Pontiac with dual exhaust and pre bent pipes were no longer available. As long as the system had to be custom bent I figured it might as well be lifetime. The only difference I noted was the exccedingly heavy gage pipe they used (14 gauge steel!!) sp my thought was they were banking on the replacement system lasting longer than your keeping the old hulk. The car has since been put out of service but the exhaust system is still strong as an ox at this late date. So look around...........you should be able to find such a place and by the way there is a company in Ohio that will bend up a system for your car from stainless steel; I don't know how much it costs but I'll bet it's high. Also the aluminized pipes tend to really last a long time. I just replaced one pipe on my dads 1975 Buick and after nine years the system is in awfully good shape. Something people might think about to prolong the life of the exhaust system is to only run the engine when the system will become hot enough to drive out any condensation. I have found this makes a tremendous difference in pipe and muffler lifetime. Never start the car just to move it to the other end of the driveway and when you must start it leave it run until the tail pipe is dry. I do this and seldom have exhaust system failures. With a little fore thought you won't have to start the car for those deadly short periods!! Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing