[fozworth]

Just a question regarding my play mini exhuast .I noticed that the main tubes look sort of rusty ,but the exhuast is stainless steel so i thought they just went off colour.The rusty texture does rub off sort off but i just wounderd if this is normal.

[minirog]

Hiya, I haven't got a Play Mini exhaust on my new MINI but I do have a stainless Play Mini DTM exhaust on my classic and I've found the same thing. Looks like rust but it comes off leaving a slight mark. I presume it's normal to be honest and sounds similar to what you're describing. The exhaust is over three years old though, is yours new?

[fozworth]

No mate its about 2 years old and done 35k, but i thought stainless steel just stayed an off shiny colour where as this looks like rust texture but clearly isnt. i guess it doesnt mater so long as it lasts.

[minirog]

Quote: Originally Posted by fozworth (original)

No mate its about 2 years old and done 35k,

Perhaps it something that happens with age then?

Quote:

but i thought stainless steel just stayed an off shiny colour where as this looks like rust texture but clearly isnt.

I thought that too and was a bit surprised to see these rust like areas but when I cleaned it up and it looked okay I wasn't so worried (I don't mind a bit of discolourisation on an exhaust, in fact it makes it look quite cool I think).

Quote:

i guess it doesnt mater so long as it lasts.

Yeah that's my philosophy too and the Play Mini exhausts have a reputation for lasting well so I'm not too concerned.

[fozworth]

Im from Bristol as well ,actualy im in Brislington

[minirog]

Quote: Originally Posted by fozworth (original)

Im from Bristol as well ,actualy im in Brislington

Hey, I didn't realise that, cool

I'm on the Bishopston Horfield border... one street into Horfield to be precise.

Are you in any local clubs?

[Dealmaker]

I'm from just outside bristol, minirog, what local mini clubs are around as I would like to meet other owners! assuming that is what you meant??

[KPKalle]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dealmaker (original)

I'm from just outside bristol, minirog, what local mini clubs are around as I would like to meet other owners! assuming that is what you meant??

At least in the general Bristol area there's the New MINI Severns Club. Maybe you should say hello here http://www.mini2.com/forum/uk-irelan...er-thread.html.

Welcome to MINI2

[minirog]

^ Cor, you were in there quick KPKalle

Yup, I was going to mention the New MINI Severns who seem like an active and friendly club, I joined the forum recently but haven't been to any of their events.

I'm already in a club with my classic and they're very friendly to new MINIs although the emphasis is on the classics. There's three owners with classics and New MINIs (including myself) in the club which is nice and a few others that have been lucky enough to go along to MINI organised events like the Monte Carlo anniversary meal with Paddy Hopkirk held at Oxford a while back. There's a couple of people who as organisers of a club back in 2000/2001 were even invited to previews and to test drive the cars before the original lauch as well, lucky people!

So KPKalle are you in the Severns?

[Guran]

Quote: Originally Posted by fozworth (original)

Just a question regarding my play mini exhuast .I noticed that the main tubes look sort of rusty ,but the exhuast is stainless steel so i thought they just went off colour.The rusty texture does rub off sort off but i just wounderd if this is normal.

I'm a metallurgist so I'll offer a bit of professional knowledge. There's lots of different grades of stainless steel, the most common being 300 or 400 series alloys. The 400 series alloys (eg 405, 430) contain 10-30% chromium and are "ferritic" which means they are magnetic like regular steel. The 300 series alloys (eg 304, 316) contain 16-26% chromium and 6-22% nickel (therefore more expensive than 400 alloys), and are "austenitic" which means they are not magnetic. The 300 alloys are generally more corrosion resistant than the 400 alloys. The 400 alloys especially develop a "tea-stained" appearance in salty conditions (do you drive on salted roads in the winter or live near the coast?), or in environments with high levels of air pollution (near power stations, heavy industry, etc). So the rust staining you're seeing on your exhaust is probably normal, especially if the stainless is ferritic. You can test what series of stainless you have by putting a magnet hear it, and if the magnet is attracted then you have a ferritic stainless steel exhaust. The rusting is probably only superficial and shouldn't cause a problem ... unless you find you have a hole in the exhaust, and then I'm wrong!

[fozworth]

Checked it last week when i had a new gasket fitted,its definatly not magetic as they tested it to see if it was realy Stainless,as they werent to sure looking at the colour.but told me it must be.

[alexconvertible]

Hi there.
I'm a mechanical engineer. Sounds to me like the stainless used for the playmini exhaust is low quality. There are different grades of stainless, e.g. for north sea oil rigs they use the expensive stuff which will last forever. Its all to do with cost.

A TIP with stainless is to put a magnet against it. Stainless is non-magnetic apart form one or two grades which are expensive

[*Vikki*]

Play MINI zorsts are very highly rated by all companys and are NOT of low quality.

[fozworth]

The exhuast that i have sounds great and to be honest ive never owned a car long enough for even with a std steel exhast to rot out ,so i guess i havent any worries,and as Vikki says Play Mini do have a good name ,and rep.which can only come from sound kit,.

[minirog]

Quote: Originally Posted by fozworth (original)

The exhuast that i have sounds great and to be honest ive never owned a car long enough for even with a std steel exhast to rot out ,so i guess i havent any worries,and as Vikki says Play Mini do have a good name ,and rep.which can only come from sound kit,.

They do indeed, they've been doing exhausts for classic Minis for ages and I've never heard any complaints, only praise (believe me classic Mini owners will moan about anything given the chance so that's a good sign!).

Have to admit though that I'm slightly more concerned than fozworth because I'm keeping the classic long term, it'll be interesting to see how the exhaiust fares although the car is now only being used in good conditions and not being driven in salt etc. IIRC they do a lifetime guarantee though don't they?

I'll have to take a look at what they do for new MINIs, although I quite fancy the JCW Cooper sound kit when my current custom exhaust falls off...