Looks like I will need new exhaust before long. My second set (in 35 years) are heavily corroded. The OE pipes are/were heavy duty and likely worth the extra $$.

One option is to again buy parts from MB. Obviously need the front, central and rear pipes with muffler.

Based on your experience, which of the small parts would likely have to be replaced?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

After 30 years and 203k miles, I replaced the failed #9, badly worn #76, and #128 and #131 (4) on principle.

Thanks. I guess I will have to take a closer look at the bolts at manifold end as well as between front and center sections. Clamp at muffler end too.

Car is at friends place at present, otherwise would check. In meantime will check pricing aftermarket vs OE.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I just looked at my records. I had MB Toronto replace my entire exhaust system in 1998 at 265k km. In 2011, the muffler and back pipe had to be replaced (at 422k km). Car is now just at about 455k km. The aftermarket section and muffler don't look too good, nor do the 22 yr old front sections. No holes as yet.

I need to price out a new OE system. Or go with aftermarket which will hopefully outlast me. Will depend on cost, I guess.

In 1998, a complete MB system cost $685 of which $98 was labor (just over 1 hr). At that time, Speedy muffler was only about $50 less, IIRC.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I saw posts here where some said they had bought all the parts for a fron to end exhaust on a W123 for about $300.

That was likely a few years ago and in USA. Here in Canada, I have been having trouble locating the three pipes.

The front seems more available. C$220 for an ANSA.
The rear with muffler also available. C$221 for ANSA
Centre with resonator hard to find. Only one found so far Eberspaecher C$228
So $669, say $700 with small parts plus tax C$791. Plus labor if I get someone to install. In US$ terms, that is close to $600.

Hard to ship these items, but where do you guys South of Border buy at such low prices? Too bad Rok Otto doesn't carry them.

I am thinking about maybe buying the front pipe and then seeing if Midas or Speedy can cobble something up.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

If #9 has never been replaced, I would consider a visual assessment of it to be next to irrelevant. This part significantly aged can look fine but once it experiences even a small amount of vibration/movement (inevitable in the process of replacing components downstream), it can easily disintegrate. To start with, the material that it is constructed of is quite thin.

Could've been me.
2015.
Center: US $143.59 (US $155.33 in 2020 dollars)
Rear: US $149.68 (US $161.92)

?? It was replaced in 1998 with OE pipe which is quite thick compared with aftermarket. And as mentioned, will be replaced again this time. No leaks anywhere, but lots of heavy scaling on surfaces.

Where did you buy those from? Were they ANSA? You didn't replace the front pipe? Assuming it costs about same as the rear, that would be US$479 for all three or C$648! Same ballpark as I have been quoted here.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I was only able to buy the front pipe in Canada. C$228! No stock of the other two.

I now have the mid and rear on order. Rok now had them. Price was low (C$226 for mid and rear. Because of COVID, border is closed, so had to have them shipped direct here. Shipping another C$229! C$929 altogether plus tax plus tax! Luckily I have US$ saved, so about US$687.

I was going to go to Speedy or Midas, but they didn ot have a source of parts and would have had to make custom parts. Probably just as expensive.

Front pipe is in (Young friend did it while doing oil cooler lines & motor mounts) Now have to decide if installing the other two is something for an 80 yr old. Shouldn't be much to it, provided everything fits up.

One thing we found with that front pipe. Instead of having a bellows type expansion joint, it had one of the type that has a woven metal exterior. This woven joint is of larger diameter and interferes with the underside of the car . It will need to be offset a bit or ??? Still need to look at that when we put the mid and rear sections in.

This video discusses the different types. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXPli5VYd5I

I did not know about the different construction and wished I had had a better look at the ANSA replacement we used. Maybe it is woven inside and out like the one in the video?

Original type (turbo flange can slip over the smaller diameter flex joint)


ANSA replacement (note the larger diameter that causes interference)

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5