SMax replacement exhaust

ECP ? Then get a garage to fit. Done a back box on my own car (20 years old) but when the mid section went in Winter, I wasn't doing that under the car in bad weather. Even then, the garage ordered the wrong mid section. Parts are taking time to get - taken my local garage 2 months to get a lower suspension arm.

Sounds crazy but when my merc one went I got a full stainless steel semi-custom made for less than the dealer price for a regular folded tin one. Yes its going to cost more than a Kwik Fit one (if they could get one) but its the last exhaust the car would ever need. Could work depending on the cost from Ford. It was obviously merc pricing but it was also a big double box system.

Euro car parts only have a gasket listed for the car, no exhaust available for purchase.

I've just got my local exhaust guy to make a customer stainless exhaust for my Mondeo. Was considerably cheaper than what Ford or an aftermarket copy could do. It should outlive the rest of the car by some margin

Custom stainless exahust is the only viable option at the moment (£500) compares to the £1k Ford option.

Cant believe this is the solution.

This any good?

https://www.dcperformance.co.uk/cheap/851946/ford/fox-exhaust-backboxes/fo160003-461.html

Is it the actual backboxes that are blowing or the pipe?
Or as mashr said, an exhaust specialist can probably chop out the bad bits and fabricate something for you to weld in its place..

mj27
Free Member

Custom stainless exahust is the only viable option at the moment (£500) compares to the £1k Ford option.

Cant believe this is the solution.

Not sure I understand the issue with that solution? Exhausts are bloody huge things to move and store. Customs are just smaller pieces that are pulled together as needed so don't have many of the issues that a pre-made does

Someone like powerflow in halifax could build a custom replacement section/s, and weld them in, for example.

I take our Skoda to a local specialist and when the exhaust broke just before the back box, he welded a pipe or somethings into it to join the two bits together as he said it was the cheapest way to fix. Not sure kwik-fit do that type of thing. Maybe better to find a local specialist who can do that?

Thanks for the suggestions. Have just contacted Powerflow in Sowerby Bridge for a quote.

Singletrack solves again... I hope.

If you go that route and end up with replacement back box or full system don’t forget to factor in the modified parts premium on your insurance. Full stainless aftermarket exhaust will almost certainly be viewed as a modification.

It always has whenever I have had one fitted.

If it’s just replacement mid sections you should be fine assuming diameters are the same and no filters are removed

If you go that route and end up with replacement back box or full system don’t forget to factor in the modified parts premium on your insurance. Full stainless aftermarket exhaust will almost certainly be viewed as a modification.

It always has whenever I have had one fitted.

If it’s just replacement mid sections you should be fine assuming diameters are the same and no filters are removed

Possibly true, but if the OP just goes for 'OEM' spec stainless replacement items/sections, I don't think it would be an issue, you don't have to go full boy racer with a custom exhaust, they can just copy the existing exhaust parts.

So it'd be no different than buying an off the shelf 'pattern part' from ECP or simmilar, just made out of a material that will last longer.

Another shout for custom stainless option. Had my S-Max done a few years ago at DCMS in Burnley. Cost less to have it made & fitted than I could have got the bits from Ford for. He also switched it to use VW (I think) mounts instead of Ford which he reckoned were awful.

Update on this.

Have had a new exhaust fitted to the SMax, from the cat back in stainless steel with 3 shiny mid/back boxes and custom tips (chosen by car-mad son).

All done by Powerflow in Leeds. Not cheap (£900) but no other options really.

@mj27 missed this update, ouch, but for an S/S cat back and 3 boxes it doesn't sound too bad.

What do you think of them? I take it you went for more an OEM style replacement than a noisy/racey sounding set up? not used them personaly but have friends who have.

The work seems to be good and it does look nice, though it has gone back today as it is banging on the car as it is too close on the left side.

£900 still smarts a bit but there were no cheaper alternatives.

banging on the car as it is too close on the left side.

hopefully just a hangar not quite straight, nothing a quick bash with a rubber mallet wont fix 🙂

But do make sure it's corrected.. once it's driven a bit things move and settle with heating up and cooling down, so not entirely unexpeceted.

Especially with a twin exit system.

Side note, why do cars with flat/straight engines ever have twin tail pipes? Sureley it's just for show unless it's a V6 or a V8?

Yup, marketing/styling engineering. At least the S-Max adheres to the cylinders > exhausts rule

It always has whenever I have had one fitted.

To be fair if you told the insurance*you were putting a cup in the cup holder they would see it as a mod.

* Except Adrian flux who would insure you then say your not covered when involved in an accident.

I'm disappointed that you didn't go for a Peco big bore 4.