Exhaust prices

[homer+vat]

What price do you pay for an exhaust system in the USA (1988 520i)?. Back in blighty the cheepest i can find is £280+vat(17.5%). How come they are so expensive?

[632 Regal]

Because they last at least 10 years.

[bahnstormer]

depends what kinda exhaust system u're trying to get...
i'm looking at a eismann race muffler that is 800 bucks...
for jsut a muffler....


eek

[homer+vat]

If you get 3 years out of an exhaust in the uk, with the cold, the wet, the salt and the fact that if you leave anything outside overnight it will rust: even the cat comes home with brown marks, you will be doing well!

[bahnstormer]

bav auto sells a 100% stainless steel exhaust from
billy boat, called teh triflo for around 800 bucks

it is catback, sounds great, and won't rust

[Derek A.]

List price on a 535i muffler from eberspracher (OEM BMW supplier) is about $390. You can find cheaper ones from Bosal and even cheaper ones from Ansa. The e34 muffler is a pretty stupid shape - so its expensive and not much else will fit.

[Marshy]

Aside from cats, both bmw exhausts I've had have been near bulletproof: my E38 730i system lasted until at least 180,000 miles, and my E34 540i is up to 146,000 miles and only just showing signs of blowing somewhere.

This is in the UK too...

[Alan_525i]

Funny thing about exhausts. The one that comes on the car typically lasts 10 years or more. Everyone that I have talked to that has had to replace it and has done so with an Eberspacher (OEM) or even (gah!) through the dealer says they only end up lasting another 3-4 years. Its a real mystery. Kind of the same thing with BMW OE batteries. May last 10 years (my mechanic and me think mine did!!!) but go and buy a new battery at the BMW dealer and get 3-4 years. Something about the parts they use on the assembly line, they've been magically blessed or something. Wish they'd do that to the radiators...

[homer+vat]

Got a quote from a bmw dealer today just for a laugh, £575+VAT and thats just to buy the exhaust not fitted! Main dealers in the UK are just one big rip-off.

Andy

[kick7ca]

You may consider doing without the #1 muffler, or resonator. Have a shop bend pipe from the cats to the second muffler. That's about 50% less cost.
Sometimes you can find find OEM replica mufflers on ebay.

Mine is gone too, sounds aweful, but it only has 1 muffler and the custom pipe (previous owner) has rusted out, which should be all I have to replace.

-or- spend the money for the real deal. ;)

[Derek A.]

Keep in mind that you can pretty much fit any e32/e34 muffler to these cars. Mine was off a 93-94 740. Generally the 7's give you bigger tips.