P38 Exhaust Recommendations

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tonymccandless

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My P38 sounds like a cross between a tractor and a boy racer. I replaced back from the cats with a Kwik Fit piece of scrap that is being returned.

Without having to take out a second mortgage does anybody have a recommendation for a good full and / or cats back exhaust they have used ?

Thanks
 
Simply depends on the thickness of your wallet.
I have used Bosal on mine from the Cats. back and the centre box seems to last 2-3 years and the back longer.
Barnes Silencer Services based in Bangor (Wales) and Anglesea are very competitive and offer good quality products at a good price, they deliver to your door next day. I have had systems for my P38, Er Indoors Vectra 2.5 and the old workhorse, the Micra from them over the years without problems.
You could of course spend a good few hundred on a Stainless system which is supposed to have a lifetime guarantee for the time you own the car.
Aftermarket exhausts do not last as long as the originals and if you get 3 years out of a mild steel system, doing local runs, you are doing well. If the car is used for long runs then the system gets hot and evaporates the condensate which is what causes them to fail. They always rust from the inside out, that's why they look ok one minute and then the end plate blows away or the tailpipe falls off just down the road.
 
tonymccandless said:
Thanks John

KF items was around £300 and just spoken to them. Indignant as ever but trust me they are taking it back. The thing is secured with rubber rings and cable ties !!!
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Come on now "You can't get better than a Kwik fit fitter" i have seen some very good ones. Playing football at dinner time. Unfortunatly when dinner time is over they revert to fitting sub standard parts being totally crap mechanics.
 
I have Janspeed stainless system on my car and very happy with it. My car originaly had the only one rear box, but it was not a big job, to fit the n/s rear silencer. It cost me £399 and sounds very nice. Get lifetime warranty as long as you own the car.
 
tonymccandless said:
Thanks folks.

Still trying to work out why it sounds so bad tho. I am wondering if the cats have collapsed in. Might post a sound clip and see what folk think.
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Yeah post a sound clip. Mine sounds horrible, as though it's got a manifold blow but I'm pretty sure it's because the previous owner removed the contents of the cats when they started breaking up and rattling. Still not managed to save up enough to replace them yet though.

Perfect condition, my arse. Does anyone ever sell a P38 with no faults?!
 
I have found Island 4x4 exhausts to be a good, durable standard. I've used them both for my P38 and a Classic before that, no problems and not a 'tinny' rasp when fitted
 
I got a Janspeed cat back stainless system delivered from Road Runner on ebay. Cost £430.00 needed a slight mod to fit round rear anti roll bar which Janspeed did for free. Nice sound not obtrusive.
 
After I'd changed my 2nd Genuine Part system in 5 years, I took the stainless route. I used DoubleS as they are just down the road from me. Pretty good system. Reasonably quiet 'till you boot it and then it sounds like a real V8.

I also binned the original ceramic cats for a set of metallic ones, which made a huge difference. The OE ceramic units clog up so the car chokes up eventually. Explained some of the poor running on the car at the time.

All in all, pretty expensive, but I don't expect to have to do any work on the exhaust for a good few years now.
 
Kwik fit :hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi Oh you guys are sooo funny!! cracking up here
 
I also have a Janspeed on my 4.6.
You do have to remove some material from the lower lip of the rear bumper to allow the 3.5 inch tail pipes to clear it. Nicely made and as others have said a lifetime G-tee while you own the car. Nice sound which is not intrusive. Check ebay Item number: 330359528925 which has a good picture showing how the bumper needs to be cut.
LW
 
I heard somewhere that the Janspeed had to be re-routed which affected ground clearance. Is that correct?

I had a stainless 'sports' exhaust on my previous Vectra and got absolutely stiffed by the insurance every year with most companies refusing to quote at all because it was 'modified'.

What are people's views on this? Do we think it counts as a modification in the same way that adding a turbo does or could one argue that it's no different to sticking a non oem brake pad on?

When I queried it I was told that it adds to the theft risk.

Guy
 
kooky_guy said:
I had a stainless 'sports' exhaust on my previous Vectra and got absolutely stiffed by the insurance every year with most companies refusing to quote at all because it was 'modified'.

What are people's views on this? Do we think it counts as a modification in the same way that adding a turbo does or could one argue that it's no different to sticking a non oem brake pad on?

When I queried it I was told that it adds to the theft risk.

Guy
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Modified! FFS, I'd call Nitrous modified, but me thinks it may be a legal requirement to have an exhaust, what a shower of greedy bastards.
 
woogoo said:
Modified! FFS, I'd call Nitrous modified, but me thinks it may be a legal requirement to have an exhaust, what a shower of greedy bastards.
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Well I agree but I didn't want to be caught out in the event of a claim.

They seemed pretty certain that it counted as a modification though and therefore felt free to stiff me for an extra sixty quid a year for the privilege.

Don't want to have the same problem with the rangey - I assume a janspeed looks sufficiently different to the standard to be noticed...?
 
To add a couple of questions to this thread,

1. If you have a 95-97 P38 with a single box system originally fitted, am I right in thinking you need a exhaust hanger welded to the chassis on the passenger side (RHD models)? Cutting bits off a plastic bumper I can do myself!

2. I've observed there is often a 50%-100% mark-up slapped on anything to do with Range Rovers listed on E-Bay - is the average owner really that gullible to assume E-Bay automatically equals cheapest?! What is a good source for and a reasonable price for a half decent stainless steel "sports" system (Island 4x4 are my local emporium, but I believe they only do mild steel OEM spec systems)?

Cheers,

Malcolm
 
forget SS stainless. Mine split in France and melted the air pipe for the rear. Load of w!!!!s and confessed the flanges are mild steel and some of the pipes are not stainless
Took me ages to get it sorted with them and not one sorry from the miserable barstools.
 
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