Honda Accord Exhaust Replacement

[kschachn]

I need to replace (again) the exhaust on my 1996 Accord. It had a perfectly fine factory exhaust that got damaged when my daughter drove it up on a roundabout curb. I replaced it with a Bosal system (cat back) that lasted about a year and a half.

She's moving to California (military wife) and I need to get the car ready for that. I don't want to buy another Bosal system, besides it failing relatively fast it didn't fit properly either - the pipes were shorter than the OEM and the flanges were not welded on properly. The thing is, the other aftermarket choice (Walker) is about the same price as the Bosal. An OEM exhaust is more than twice the price, $550 or so instead of about $230.

So yeah it is one of those "what should I do" questions. Should I spring for the OEM exhaust? Is Walker any good? If it were a bit more expensive I would think it might be - but at about the same price as the Bosal I am skeptical.

 

[Lead Shoes]

Use the oem muffler and have a shop weld you one up, it shouldn't cost as much as another Bosal system.

 

[vssjim]

Walker/Napa exhaust fits fairly good, AP/ Carquest fits much better than it use to so it is my second choice. Bosal is my fifth choice and there is no third or fourth. Some boasl stuff after you fight to get it on rusts out so fast our name was still on a piece of tape where it was delivered to us about a year or so earlier. I very very much avoide bosal stuff.

 

[antiqueshell]

The quality depends on the car and model.

Brosal is the OEM for VW/Audi and other European car makers.

The best rule of thumb is to use an OEM for YOUR specific car make and model.

 

[kschachn]

Your Bosal comments are right on the money. It is Internet lore that Bosal makes the exhaust for Honda which may be true, but their aftermarket stuff is nowhere near the same. I had to fight that thing to get it installed and like you said it rusted out in short order. I will check out NAPA that's a good idea.

Originally Posted By: vssjim
Walker/Napa exhaust fits fairly good, AP/ Carquest fits much better than it use to so it is my second choice. Bosal is my fifth choice and there is no third or fourth. Some boasl stuff after you fight to get it on rusts out so fast our name was still on a piece of tape where it was delivered to us about a year or so earlier. I very very much avoide bosal stuff.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
I need to replace (again) the exhaust on my 1996 Accord. It had a perfectly fine factory exhaust that got damaged when my daughter drove it up on a roundabout curb. I replaced it with a Bosal system (cat back) that lasted about a year and a half

Read your own comments. You have a 16-year-old car which had a "perfectly fine" factory exhaust. That factory exhaust lasted you 16-years. So you replace it with an aftermarket exhaust that costs half of OE, but lasts less than 2-years. That's $115 per year for aftermarket, or $35 per year for OE. Not much of a bargain unless you plan on unloading the car in less than 2-years.

If it were me, I would spend twice the aftermarket price for OE, and know I'd never have to touch it again, not 2-years later, not ever. Unless your daughter goes over a curb again...

Yes, Bosal is an OE to Honda for certain models, but, as I keep saying over and over, the OEMs do NOT necessarily sell the exact same piece to the aftermarket what they sell to the automakers.

 

[mechtech2]

The car is getting old enough to consider costs. Exhausts are ridiculous now. Try independent shops [or even chain stores] to get quotes and warranties.

 

[kschachn]

What $350 gets you...

I ended up buying the Honda exhaust from an online dealer ($650 total including nuts, bolts, insulators, shipping, etc.) It was a lot more money of course but wow what a difference compared to the Bosal exhaust. First of all it is mostly stainless, and the pipe off the converter is double-walled. The thickness of the metal is noticeably greater and just the look of the thing is totally different. More gussets to support the pipes, pre-attached heat shields and much higher quality.

It fit too... The Bosal system was too short and I had to yank on the muffler pipe to get it to line up. It took me about an hour and a half to get everything attached and tightened down (I put on new rubber insulators too). All the flanges lined up -perfectly- and the attachment bolts and springs needed NO encouragement to fit.

Was it worth the more than double cost? Considering the age of the car probably not. But since my daughter is taking the car to California to live and considering the complete and total lack of aggravation in installing the system, yes it was.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
I need to replace (again) the exhaust on my 1996 Accord. It had a perfectly fine factory exhaust that got damaged when my daughter drove it up on a roundabout curb. I replaced it with a Bosal system (cat back) that lasted about a year and a half.

She's moving to California (military wife) and I need to get the car ready for that. I don't want to buy another Bosal system, besides it failing relatively fast it didn't fit properly either - the pipes were shorter than the OEM and the flanges were not welded on properly. The thing is, the other aftermarket choice (Walker) is about the same price as the Bosal. An OEM exhaust is more than twice the price, $550 or so instead of about $230.

So yeah it is one of those "what should I do" questions. Should I spring for the OEM exhaust? Is Walker any good? If it were a bit more expensive I would think it might be - but at about the same price as the Bosal I am skeptical.


If it were mine I'd just spend the money and get an OEM version. Your old systen Brosal probably didn't make it due to thin guage metal. Most if not all Honda mufflers are stainless steel and will last much longer. In addition Honda mufflers are free flowing for economy sake. You didn't say if you have the 4 or 6 cylinder engine.

Durango

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Durango
Brosal
LOL, okay Broseph!

 

[kschachn]

Yeah Durango, that's what I ended up doing. Like night and day they were, not even the same part really.