In this post I will rationalize what I am about to do. When I bought my Golf back in June ish, the exhaust was (I think) stock from headers to cat. Everything cat back was from a junkyard car. The stock system from the junkyard was then cut up with a resonator delete, welded poorly, slapped on the car, and topped off with a DC racing tip. A month or so after I got it (after I replaced both axles when three CV joints failed in close succession, by the way, how?) I was at the junkyard for a replacement fuel pump and I ran into the PO (typical), and he asked if I noticed his crappy weld. Uh, yeah, would have been nice to know about beforehand.
Anyways, mid-October my first patch on the exhaust failed. I was quoted $270 minimum (my balance at the time) for a straight pipe and that’s it, which I walked away from and redid the same patch. Mid January, the patch failed again and I redid it. Late February, I heard the rusty pipes banging around again and put it on ramps to re-re-re-patch it, aaaaand... the previous patch was fine. A new crack had started at a bend where I could not patch. Welp.
Over the weekend that same crack finished working its way through. The muffler was now completely disconnected. So, being the genius I am, I removed everything from the first break back (about 2-3 feet behind the catalytic converter). Here’s how it sounds now.
Here are the old bits. None of this is salvageable.
Next step is order the cheapest exhaust I can and install it as soon as I can. Did I mention that I am supposed to drive 200 miles home for Easter break on the 17th? That’s not happening, most likely. Ebay says delivery by the 15th. Let’s hope it comes Saturday.
The whole point of this post: I cannot drive this car with a straight pipe. It is ungodly loud. I also do not want to pay actual money for a not so great exhaust. I’ll look at the welds before I install, and if needed, I know a few people with welding equipment.
Wish me luck, Oppo.