Revisiting a past headache
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Almost forgot about this one for the month. After a week from sending my email to check in I am getting
Not a reply this time. Maybe the guy is on vacation? Tired of my check ins?
Not a reply this time. Maybe the guy is on vacation? Tired of my check ins?
I was going to put some more time between emails to see what progress if any there was for the correct tailpipe but they sent me on today that was unexpected but wasn't what I really wanted to read:
Hi Dennis,
I was just thinking about you and these tail pipes. We still have 35 sets of tail pipes in inventory and since the EPA has required us to sell your kit with CAT's on them now, the sales of this kit and anything else that uses this tail pipe has stopped. Averaging 45-50 sets per year since 2005 to 0 in the past 3 years has taken a toll on this kit. I would think they are going to re-evaluate these kits and discontinue them. I still have requests for your kit and I have to tell them the entire story of the EPA requirements.
So in your case, I would either sell the kit you have and let someone else deal with installing it OR take it to a shop and let the shop deal with the RH tail pipe.
I'm sorry to do this to you, but I feel you've waited patiently for the corrected tail pipe. I've been asking my VP of R&D about this every month since you and I started this.
Take care of yourself... Mike
So nothing on any attempt to still correct the original problem, nothing on just pulling one out of a kit if it would of had the coorect tailpipe, nothing on trying to make it right. Even if they would of offered me a 442 style tailpipe set to right the issue would of been acceptable. As it looks it goes from being able to be salvaged so the kit would of been worth it to the sum of the pipes are not worth the cost of the kit as it is basicly scrap stainless. Now I'm glad I have the Jegs kit still in the garage but the better ease of installation of the Pypes kit was why I wanted to go back to it. I'm going to thing it over before I do email them back for what will be the final time to see if the warranty angle will still do anything with them. The time, effort, & money spent to corrrect their manufacturing error that was around for some time per their instruction should have some compensation since it just left me with a section of scrap pipe that still needed more cuts to correct the incorrect bends. I'm not happy after having (false) hope of them righting the problem just to have it go full circle to "have a shop fix our mistake at your expense after buying our $*** kit."
Hi Dennis,
I was just thinking about you and these tail pipes. We still have 35 sets of tail pipes in inventory and since the EPA has required us to sell your kit with CAT's on them now, the sales of this kit and anything else that uses this tail pipe has stopped. Averaging 45-50 sets per year since 2005 to 0 in the past 3 years has taken a toll on this kit. I would think they are going to re-evaluate these kits and discontinue them. I still have requests for your kit and I have to tell them the entire story of the EPA requirements.
So in your case, I would either sell the kit you have and let someone else deal with installing it OR take it to a shop and let the shop deal with the RH tail pipe.
I'm sorry to do this to you, but I feel you've waited patiently for the corrected tail pipe. I've been asking my VP of R&D about this every month since you and I started this.
Take care of yourself... Mike
So nothing on any attempt to still correct the original problem, nothing on just pulling one out of a kit if it would of had the coorect tailpipe, nothing on trying to make it right. Even if they would of offered me a 442 style tailpipe set to right the issue would of been acceptable. As it looks it goes from being able to be salvaged so the kit would of been worth it to the sum of the pipes are not worth the cost of the kit as it is basicly scrap stainless. Now I'm glad I have the Jegs kit still in the garage but the better ease of installation of the Pypes kit was why I wanted to go back to it. I'm going to thing it over before I do email them back for what will be the final time to see if the warranty angle will still do anything with them. The time, effort, & money spent to corrrect their manufacturing error that was around for some time per their instruction should have some compensation since it just left me with a section of scrap pipe that still needed more cuts to correct the incorrect bends. I'm not happy after having (false) hope of them righting the problem just to have it go full circle to "have a shop fix our mistake at your expense after buying our $*** kit."
Well, this is disturbing. Now that the wagons running Ive been looking to buy an exhaust system. I was on the fence about a Pypes system. The other company I was looking into is American Racing here on Long Island. Not cheap. A 2 1/2" side exit is over $1300 with no mufflers. They use 304 stainless. They come with an x pipe and I'll still have to get a shop to install it due to the fact I have the shorty headers and I dont weld. Downside is theyre backed up 5-6 weeks.
Yesterday I went to a local muffler shop. They'll do an aluminized steel system, no x pipe (didnt really want that anyway) for $600. I just have to buy the mufflers. Im planning on using Super Turbos since they sound pretty quiet in the videos online. Now Im really not sure which way to go. UGH
Im surprised they didnt make good on this. Theyve sold a crapload over the years. Your fiasco makes me hesitate buying a Pypes kit but Ive never seen/heard of any other complaints. I wonder if the side exit tailpipe kit might be less prone to problems.
I stopped at a local shop yesterday afternoon. Ive seen the guys work. Hes going to write up a parts list for me in stainless and aluminized steel. Then an estimate for labor. Im leaning towards the SS but I'll decide when I see the price. He did a real nice system on a fox body recently.
The response email they sent doesn't seem to really match to what I sent them:
Dennis,
We have no control of the EPA...I wish I did... we would be in a much better place.
As I mentioned... we were selling these like hot cakes and all of a sudden... it stopped. I'm really disappointment with this kit too... and not getting you the modified tail pipe...
From what I can remember... the pipe just needed to be tweaked. You do not need to redo the entire pipe; just have the shop use our pipe and make the slight modification. I'm not in the design dept, so I don't know what you need to do or I would have described it to you or your mechanic
The entire system can still be installed; just not the tail pipe... then you can drive it to the shop.
I'm sorry to give you this news.
If you would want to continue to wait, I have no problem with that either. The sticky note is still attached to my monitor and I look at it every day. I ask my receiving guys once a week if the tail pipe has come in.
Let me know... Mike
EPA has nothing to do with my issue, I am putting cats on my car. They must of dumped the pics I sent cause that paipe needs more than to be tweaked & already had one shop make modifications to the pipe with failure. He totally missed that my car is in pieces spread between my in-laws house & mine plus needing an inspection done since it expired in 2004, so just driving it to a shop to make a new pipe to replace their pipe just ain't happening. Then he adds that they are still waiting for the new pipe which was what I have been waiting for them to say it's in & on the way. I don't want a full kit, just one stupid tail pipe. I got the weekend to think it over & redirect my anger before emailing them back. This is now looking like a kick to the nuts at this point.
Dennis,
We have no control of the EPA...I wish I did... we would be in a much better place.
As I mentioned... we were selling these like hot cakes and all of a sudden... it stopped. I'm really disappointment with this kit too... and not getting you the modified tail pipe...
From what I can remember... the pipe just needed to be tweaked. You do not need to redo the entire pipe; just have the shop use our pipe and make the slight modification. I'm not in the design dept, so I don't know what you need to do or I would have described it to you or your mechanic
The entire system can still be installed; just not the tail pipe... then you can drive it to the shop.
I'm sorry to give you this news.
If you would want to continue to wait, I have no problem with that either. The sticky note is still attached to my monitor and I look at it every day. I ask my receiving guys once a week if the tail pipe has come in.
Let me know... Mike
EPA has nothing to do with my issue, I am putting cats on my car. They must of dumped the pics I sent cause that paipe needs more than to be tweaked & already had one shop make modifications to the pipe with failure. He totally missed that my car is in pieces spread between my in-laws house & mine plus needing an inspection done since it expired in 2004, so just driving it to a shop to make a new pipe to replace their pipe just ain't happening. Then he adds that they are still waiting for the new pipe which was what I have been waiting for them to say it's in & on the way. I don't want a full kit, just one stupid tail pipe. I got the weekend to think it over & redirect my anger before emailing them back. This is now looking like a kick to the nuts at this point.
Would these tailpipes from Flowmaster be of any help to you? https://www.classicmusclecarexhaust...body/G-Body-Tailpipes-2-5-FLO15817-p256349540
They are amuminized, not stainless, and there is a welded joint on the drivers side pipe. They get mostly good reviews, ranging from 'won't fit' to mostly 'fits great'. Sorry you're going through this hassle.
They are amuminized, not stainless, and there is a welded joint on the drivers side pipe. They get mostly good reviews, ranging from 'won't fit' to mostly 'fits great'. Sorry you're going through this hassle.
I've been thinking they could since they do look simular. But I was told of a shop that could make me a new one in stainless. I'll check them out Monday.
I was able to get a better "adapter" elbow for the bad tailpipe today. Put it all back together & it works/fits better. Next will be working that elbow welded on after every thing is where it needs to be. Now on to another thing I never did bring up since to me it was something that I was thinking about changing from the get go, the X-pipe. There instrucitons say to have it 8"-12" back from the transmissions tail, as it sits is about 24" back. Something a straight pipe can fix since I have to make adjustments since I changed to spun cats. Maybe I'll keep it or I cut what I need off it & sell it as a usable X-pipe.
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