Ah, it's that "little bit of modification" that will get you -- as in pipes the wrong size so you have to sleeve them and they leak (the 280 SE), pipes welded in instead of replacing the front muffler (the 220D), pipes that won't fit no matter what you do, hangers that don't align, and so forth.

I aboslutely hate exhaust work, it's dirty, difficult, and hard to get exactly right unless you replace everything, so I stick with exact replacements or OEM stuff, at least it will go in place without welding pipes.

"Universal" mufflers are plain ones with a single pipe on each end. You are screwed if you have dual pipes in and a single pipe out (very common on MB applications), and it won't have the correct hangers or bumper brackets, etc -- you must cut them off the old parts and weld them on. Not worth it, for obvious reason, rust being one. You can also run into situations where the pipes aren't in the correct location on the muffler, this necessitates bending up a custom pipe, impossible without the correct equipment.

IF you get an OEM replacement, it will fit right in. You will still have to get the old ones off (this can be a huge PITA), and some systems must be welded (the 280, for instance) because it is so heavy clamps will pull apart.

I've had the best luck replacing the exhaust complete, manifold back on older cars, catalyst back on newer ones.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

One thing I learned from my friend, an MB trained mechanic who ran his own shop locally for 20 years (just retired), and did virtually all the foreign cars in the city, was that the aftermarkets never sound 'correct'. They might fit OK, but there is a lot of internal baffling and whatnot that Mercedes engineers into their exhaust components, which are designed to work together. If you must use aftermarket, try and at least keep the muffler OEM, or be prepared for a nasty surprise when the car no longer sounds like a Mercedes should.

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1986 560SL
2002 Toyota Camry
1993 Lexus