Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Magnaflow - Aluminized vs. Stainless

For those who have Aluminized mufflers, how are they holding up? Are they prone to rust?



The resonator I want to get is the Magnaflow 10436.

Magnaflow.com says its Stainless but Justmagnaflow.com says Aluminized

I just looked under my car yesterday and the aluminized looked pretty good (2-3 years)but my car hasn't seen much weather. I also just recieved a new magnaflow muffler for my truck that said it was the satin stainless and it does appear to have a different finish than the one on my car. A magnet still sticks to it but it is probably just a lower grade stainless. Magnaflow used the same part numbers and changed all the almunized numbers to satin stainless. I think the only way you would endup with a aluminized is if it was sitting on a shelf. I got my muffler from Performance Peddler They had very good service and free shipping. If you type in dtworld under the login it will give you a discount. I think you will like the price.

For it's first winter on the car my aluminum magnaflow resonator has done alright (No surface rust yet). I even let the car go without a wash a lot longer than I did the previous winter. Any surface rust on my stainless tips came off easily with rubbing compound.

Stainless is better, lasts longer. It will outlive your car. I'd say it's good for people who will truly garage their cars each winter. Personal value when it comes to a ten year old platform imo.

I have an aluminized catback on my Mazda6 for the past 2 winters and its rusted for sure. Mostly on the welds though, but the pipes are not free from it. Go with stainless, I wish I had.

there just rust on it or it getting rusty to a point that you will have to change it ?

I have Magnaflow aluminized mufflers and there is not a speck of corrosion on them after more then 3 years. I can't say the same for the aluminized piping I used. It definitely has surface rash.

Yeah, I'd say I'm in the same shape. The Magnaflow mufflers are in pretty good shape actually. Its the piping and the welds that are rusty. And no, I don't have to replace it. Its not rusting through or anything, mostly just on the surface.

Still, if I had to do it all over again, it would be stainless. I got the first ever catback for the 6, it was by Draxas. Plenty of warning was given in advance of what it would do in cold weather climates, but I just had to have it then! I don't know what the price difference is for Contour systems, but for the 6, the stainless one directly from Magnaflow is now the same price as what I paid.

Talked with Magnaflow and all their mufflers/resonators are stainless.

Anything that was Aluminized is now part of the "Satin Stainless" line.

I got my trubendz (aluminized) in the GB around thanksgiving. It made it through the winter pretty good. The welds were rusted and thats it. I cleaned them up already this spring and put on the "spray on" header paint. I used it on my stock exhaust when I removed the resonated and it worked fine for a 1 year without rust.

So if you getting the kit and I would spray the welds and hangers before you put on. Then each spring check to see how it looks and touch up as needed. Thats what I plan on doing with mine.