Backbox Fell Off This Morrning, So Need A New/replacement!

Gareth Rose · February 15, 2013

Hi guys,

Driving to work on the motorway this morning, I thought I could hear something not quite right, especially with the roof rack on, so pulled off at the next junction, only to be greeted with the back box pipe seperated at the weld onto the flange. My local garage had a quick look, and he said he the metal aroud the failure was too thin to do anything with. Now as with these things, they always come at the worst possible time. I'm part way through a house refurb, and I'm getting married in May, so things are a bit tight without surprises like this.

I could get a pattern one for £59 +vat, but never really liked pattern parts, and they never last as long, mine has lasted 10 years and 110k. So just for a giggle I rang the main stealer, and they wanted near as damn it £200 including a 35% discount. If I had time to save/wait it out I'd probaby consider an aftermarket stainless one, but at the moment thats just not going to happen. My next choice was to get a used one off eBay just to get me going again, and as long as it lasts a while I've got a chhance.

Only thing I'm not sure of is whether theres any variation in the exhaust, my car has got a TTE kit on it which it had from new, and a few of the aftermarket companies mention on their pages that they won't fit car with a body kit.

I don't suppose anyone who has changed to an aftermarket exhaust wants to part with the original for a few beer tokens?

Cheers guys

Gareth

IHgs300 · February 15, 2013

All the standard back boxes are the same for is200/is300, even for those with bodykits Hope this helps you find one.

Gareth Rose · February 16, 2013

Has anyone tried any pattern part exhaust? My concerns are that they're gonna rust quicker, but also that the tip will be a different size, because my car has got the chrome slide over tip, so don't know if it will fit a pattern one.

Gareth

steve2006 · February 16, 2013

I'd take a look at the aftermarket one and see what the quality is like, if it's from a factors you can always try the tail pipe on it for fit or even take your old one in to compare for fit etc.

Even if you only get a couple of years out of it you will be in a better finacial position hopefully by then and in the meantime keep a lookout for a secondhand stainless steel custom one.

Why was I under the impression that all Lexus models had stainless exhaust systems as standard or is it just the LS?

IHgs300 · February 16, 2013

Once was told that they are stainless but not the top grade (t304) also its mostly the welds which give way rather than the pipe.Most manufacturers use t409 as oem. Apart from top marques.

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Gareth Rose · February 16, 2013

Mine has gone on the weld. The rest of the pipe seems ok. Lots of flakey surface rust, but no holes. So it must be some kind of stainless to have lasted that long. I've borrowed my dads car for the week (which incidentally is an IS200 on a W still on its original exhaust) so I've got a bit of time to sort it. None of my local factors had any in stock on Friday, but I'll try the factors near to my work on Monday and see if they've got one I could look at.

Thanks for the replies, and if someone suddenly gets bored of they're stainless one let me know. While I'm on the subject, how noisey are most of them? Are the cheaper ones quite chavy noisey ones? Ideally I'd like something like a TRD or HKS hipower, but unless I win the lottery tonight thats not going to happen.

Gareth