M6 Exhaust experience

[Ray Bahr <rbahr@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,

I recently bought a 1985 Euro M6. It is generally very good shape but it
needed a new exhaust. The P.O. had done a major hack and had installed a
really cheap cat and resonator. The muffler was OK but not that great. I
searched around a lot looking for a full system including cat that would
fit the Euro style headers and had only a couple of choices. These included:
1) Metric Mechanic who wanted ~$1200 for a steel system - the muffler would
rust away within 3 years - I live in New England, 
2) Stebro who wanted ~$1200 for a stainless system. 
3) B&B - the reports were all 'to loud' and since I don't want to be to
uncomfortable on long drives this was not for me! 
4) I could also find a good custom shop and just build one.

Well I ended up buying the Stebro system. I ordered the system - they are
great folks to work with, and got it - 3 weeks after I ordered it - seems
like it is a pain to get things across the US border - they are in Canada.
I got the system and THEN I find a good custom muffler shop!!!! Well I
bring the parts by and find that the fit is pretty lousy for a $1200
system!!! After 2.5 hours of welding and fabricating brackets the system is
installed. It works GREAT - It sounds good - although there is a bit of a
resonance at 2K but there are muffler inserts that should fix that. I have
spoken to Stebro about the trouble in installing the system and they agree
to compensate me for some of the time necessary to install the system - we
will see - I will report back what happens - 

Summery: They have been great to deal with, the system cannot be installed
by a backyard mechanic - unless you can weld stainless and have some
fabrication skills, The system sounds great, the car performs wonderfully,
We will see how they continue to deal with me for the time I spent
installing things. My current thoughts are that I wish I had known of a
good custom shop - It would have been cheaper, Stebro is my next favorite
choice

Ray Bahr

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