From my understanding, an aluminized exhaust pipe is a steel exhaust pipe that's been covered in an aluminum coating.

What are the differences between the aluminized and SS versions of exhaust piping from VRS?

Also, it seems VRS has misspelled aluminized on their entire site, unless aluminzied is something different.

SS is less prone to rust while the aluminized isn't.

SS is less prone to rust while the aluminized isn't.

Has anyone experienced rust w/the aluminized version of the VRS exhaust??

How long would it take for the exhaust to start rusting? I live in the Midwest, so in the winter there's a bunch of ice and snow. I'm sure I'll get a lot of road salt under the car.

I was also wondering what's the average price for an exhaust shop to weld up a piping kit?

Stainless will last a lot longer.

Aluminized will realistically last several years, but SS will last pretty much forever. Aluminzied can also generate surface rust pretty quickly, and if/when the SS generates some surface rust you just wipe it off.

If you plan on keeping your car awhile, I would recommend spending the extra money on SS - just my $0.02.

Josh

Ai oxidizes which is almost as bad as rusting and when it starts to pit the steel will be exposed. Anyway there is water in the exhaust and it will rust from the inside out anyway, especially if you dont drive often. Not sure if they coat the inside too or how well.

SS it is! thanks!

Can anyone give me an estimate on welding costs for the entire exhaust system?

-G

stainless steel is shiny, looks better, and won't rust. it may rust a little bit, but should be able to taken off easily, as the properties of stainless is that it doesn't rust. aluminized steel is not shiny, may rust in the future and at a faster rate, but is cheaper. i bought aluminized piping for mine because i didn't really care what the exhaust looks like under the car, as no one is ever gonna see it. and stainless steel piping, if ur gonna have it welded, u need to get it welded specifically with stainless steel mig wire or filler rod, that way the welds won't rust.

Everything is relative. If you're gonna keep the car for ten years or longer, then you may want to spring for stainless and CLEAN IT OFF when you see rust pits. I put the vrs aluminized stuff behind my VE a year and a half ago and it looks very clean, BUT I'm not driving on socal beaches or midwest salt, either, and given the car as of a couple months ago is no longer a dd, I make sure it gets HOT whenever I run it before I shut it down and put it back in the shed and under the cover. Will it become toast eventually? Of course. But by then I'll be too damned old to drive it.

SS it is! thanks!

Can anyone give me an estimate on welding costs for the entire exhaust system?

-G

I sell VRS exhaust systems, tell me what you're looking for, and I can give you a cost.

I sell VRS exhaust systems, tell me what you're looking for, and I can give you a cost.

What do 2.5" for the p10 go for?

What do 2.5" for the p10 go for?

http://www.gofastdepot.com/myProducts.cfm?parentcategoryid=19030%7CSR20&CategoryID=19089|Exhaust%20Systems&collection=19030%7CSR20

Click the link for the exhaust to "build" it and get a price.

I would go with ss. It will be worth more forever.

If you really wanted to, couldn't you just throw some high temp primer and paint on the aluminized exhaust to further protect it?

I have painted exhaust before, and it holds up to the temps, but rocks and sandy roads will chip it of with ease. Especially in the winter time with the salt.

i'll prolly powder coat mine

sounds like a plan too. but isn't the aluminum coating very thing? Powder coating could chip off as easily as paint it sounds like.

If you really wanted to, couldn't you just throw some high temp primer and paint on the aluminized exhaust to further protect it?

That should help protect the outside, but it will still rust from the inside out like Zerosin stated. Plus powder coating it will probably cost just about cost as much as going with SS unless you do it yourself (the PC).

Josh

I have painted exhaust before, and it holds up to the temps, but rocks and sandy roads will chip it of with ease. Especially in the winter time with the salt.

i have mine currently painted with vht blk paint..and the dp with some charcoal blk paint..im thinking that the salt will have an effect now:(

Has anyone experienced rust w/the aluminized version of the VRS exhaust??

How long would it take for the exhaust to start rusting? I live in the Midwest, so in the winter there's a bunch of ice and snow. I'm sure I'll get a lot of road salt under the car.

I was also wondering what's the average price for an exhaust shop to weld up a piping kit?

One Winter season if they use salt, you'll begin to see little spots of rust. I live in CT and my SS VRS on another car even showed some minor rust spots on the SS surface of the magna muffler. That car isn't garaged, so that doesn't help. leaving it 5 days a time for work travel for months didn't help either. Buy SS, the Aluminized stuff may last several years but it will look rusty on the surface after at most 2 Winter seasons.

Welding up a piping kit? You mean if the pieces are all ready to go together, how much will it cost to have it "assembled"? If no custom fab then usually the token one hour labor, which around here is usually $80. More like $200 if they have to do custom fabrication to make things fit.

I actually used the sleeved joint behind the resonator and a clamp, because I knew I was about to install a new header and cat (Altima). The new cat has thicker flanges despite being an "OEM Fitment" so the overall length of the pipe before it bends around the tank is about 1 cm too long. But, because I used the clamp and sleeved pipe option, I just have to cut that off the rear section of pipe.

When I do that I may get it welded. But, point is different headers/cats may mess up your fitment overall for the catback just enough to be annoying (mine hits a heat shield on the gas tank just a little, rattle, rattle...). Once you're dead sure the fit is right and it will stay that way then weld it. No big...

I thought I was rooked at first by the lack of super high polish on my piping (i.e. wasn't SS) but turns out is SS, you can see the pics as they came out of the box here:

VRS Cat Back 2.5" Exhaust (http://homepage.mac.com/stracy01/Auto/PhotoAlbum114.html)