Downpipe & Exhaust & Springs

[kjbrosha at gmail.com (Kevin Brosha)]

On 8/15/06, Jeff Toomasson <area53@validpath.com> wrote:
>
> See within...
>
> > Ok, another advice thread to the list . . .thanks to my vehicle
> inspection.
> >
> > A couple years ago, the flex joint was shot on my 16v.  At the time, I
> > couldn't afford to fix it properly, so I just said, "Fix it as cheaply
> as
> > you can".  I'm not sure what the muffler man did, but it ended up with
> no
> > flex joint as a result, and now it has cracked, two years later, and
> won't
> > pass inspection.
> >
> > Is it possible to buy just the flex joint and get that welded in?
> > Replacing the entire downpipe would be pretty expensive, I'd rather
> avoid
> > that if possible . . .unless there's some benefit to that.
>
> It is nowhere near worth it to have the flex joint repaired - the cost of
> it
> alone and then the labor of having it installed is close to if not more
> than
> just ordered a replacement aluminized DP from TT (order it through lister
> Peter
> L. (peter_at_thescirocco_dot_com). If you live in a snowy area, you should
> go
> with a stainless DP if you plan on keeping the car that long.


I e-mailed him for a quote, we'll see what it costs.  I'm looking around
$150 to get it fixed the cheap way, it's gonna be more than that - but
potentially worth it.  I'm debating it with myself - but it's already eating
into my money for school, which means I need to find more work.

> On the topic of exhaust, to pick your brains, any aftermarket
> > recommendations for a full catback exhaust replacement? I don't like
> loud
> > though - I'd much rather sacrifice any possible hp gains, which I don't
> > _really_ need and stick with stock.  I have worse than stock now - like
> a
> > $50 el cheapo muffler on there - but I won't think about changing to
> > something 'better' if it's gonna make the Red Beast any more beastly.
> >
> > I can't afford to do any of this now beyond fixing the downpipe - just
> > looking for more information  for my "if I had money" wish list.  It's a
> > 2.0L engine too, but I don't know if that makes a difference for
> choosing
> > an exhaust.
>
> A cat-back system from TT isn't that much more if you get their bottom
> level
> muffler (this muffler is a waste of time IMHO). You'll really notice a
> difference with a decent exhaust if you're running a 2L


The price is pretty high though, even with the basic muffler it runs $300.
The TT site says $505 for the stainless with the borla muffler - can I
justify that much extra for a muffler?  I like the lifetime warranty on the
muffler though, that means something.  Anyone with one of these want to
comment on how loud they are?  Whatabout the TT with flowmaster?  The
quieter the better for me.


> Lastly, to steal as much info as I can from you Scirocco wizards, I need
> to
> > get new springs sometime in the medium term.  I replaced the struts 2
> years
> > ago with fairly cheap stock replacement Monroe struts - also had to
> replace
> > bump stops and so on . . . it cost a lot more than I planned.  To save
> > money, I didn't replace the springs at the same time.  A mistake, I
> think -
> > the rear end bottoms out going over any moderately hefty bumps.  What
> > springs would any of you suggest to pair with these struts?
>
> This symptom is not due to your springs. It's not unheard of for those
> shocks
> to blow quicker than expected (but @ $20/per who cares?). If you have to
> rip
> out your shocks again, swap in some used springs. With the coilover craze
> in
> full effect, you can pick up some decent used springs for relatively
> cheaply.
> Check the Vortex.


Really?  Not the springs.  It's been bottoming even when the shocks were
brand new - and they weren't blown out then.  I thought that a shock just
worked like a dampener - how does that stop it from bottoming out?  I
thought springs, but I don't really understand this stuff yet.


On a summary note, we're all cheap-asses (TM) to some degree, but certain
> things you just have to pay for to get peace of mind...my $0.02...



I'm not cheap by choice, believe me!  I'd love to go all out on this car . .
. it takes alot of restraint to try not to.