Stainless Steel exhaust - UK

[simon-york]

Hi All

The aftermarket exhaust fitted by the previous owner finally gave up the ghost today on my 530i SE. I intend fitting a stainless system since it is about the same price as a BMW original and has a liftetime guarantee - the firm concerned has been around since 1973. Anyone had experience of fitting a stainless system on here? Especially keen to hear from you if you are from the UK.

Best wishes to all

[danzee]

The OE version is stainless and I in my experience, I doubt you can find a more durable system, warranty or no.

[simon-york]

Thanks Danzee - I was not aware that OE systems were stainless, which makes me wonder why they need replacing. I know OE systems last 10 years or so but I wonder what goes wrong then - do they crack perhaps at joins? I know SS is supossed to be more brittle. Any views anyone? Any UK-based owner bought a OE system for a 530 or 535 M30 engined car recently? I believe the system is the same although the manual 530 M30 is the rarer beast I believe.

Many thanks for all input.

Simon

[Fred Tyler]

I had mine checked just today and was pleasantly surprised how good it was! I had been deciding on what type of exhaust tips I was going to have installed. Now I wont worry about that for some time.

[shogun]

I suggest you ask the chaps on the 7 series forum in the U.K.
They are quite experienced and can give you also some advise where to buy
.http://www.7seriesforum.co.uk//index.php

[simon-york]

Had a chat with my indpendent today - he is a BMW master technician now running his own business and I have confidence in him. He did not think the OE BMW exhaust is stainless but it is double-skinned and he would expect it to last over ten years. In addtion he warned me that some stainless systems may be noisier since the internal baffling can differ. I know some members here will like louder systems, but that's not my cup of tea!

Apparently BMW here in the UK have recently reduced the price of their spares on 'the old 5s' and certainly a complete exhaust for mine was priced at 450 GBP today by my local dealer as opposed to around double that a few months ago when a transmission specialist made the same enquiry for me. He was going to check over the gearbox but daren't remove the exhaust due to its fragility! Since the rear box (which is substantial) virtually fell off yesterday, he was certainly right!

So I plan to buy an OE system for around half the cost of the stainless one and be content with a ten year life(!). It seems to represent good value for money. As ever, many thanks for people's time and effort in replyinging to my question.

[ukm5]

where did u hear that from, a full stainless steel exhaust as standard from the factory on an E34! doesnt sound right to me

[danzee]

I retract my supposition in the face of the factory tech's information.
I observed little to no corrosion on the ehausts of three cars with over 180Kmiles each, each with OE exhausts intact. E30's and E34. I guessed they were stainless. I suppose it must be one hell of a passivation process if it's not stainless.
I replaced one system on an E30 with 185K and it was not double walled, but that was several years ago.
Dan

where did u hear that from, a full stainless steel exhaust as standard from the factory on an E34! doesnt sound right to me