yeah i was wondering the same thing. i thought maybe it's not a real tanabe exhaust, so my question was whether or not the original poster bought the exhaust from a dealer or from a private party? but then i thought nevermind, maybe it's just not ALL stainless steel, that there's some catch to the claims.

 

i got the exhaust from
Custom Cars Central - Import Performance Parts and Accessories

 

that definitely looks like rust. looks like shit, to tell you the truth.

they should give you a new one that is using the staineless steel they
advertise.

do the medalian come in other metals for other markets? ive seen some
exhaust manuf. offer both a stainless and non-stainless variant of their
designs.

 

See if a magnet will stick to the pipe, canister, and hangers. It it does, it is not made of 302,203, 304, or 316 SS.

 

answer to your question----YES it is rust

 

Well if tanabe doesn’t do something about this, I am never buying their products again.

it looked like this 5 months ago

 

wierd!! I have had my tanabe concept G for over a year and havent noticed any rust! should definately contact tanabe!!

 

Yeah man, that's how your exhaust should look. If anything, maybe some water spots/stains from washing the car, but definitely not what you showed us in the first pic!

 

my megan axleback that i used through the chicago salty winter is
holding up nicely.

tanabe definitely needs to do something about that exhaust you got...

 

every one is blaming tanabe, what if you got a fake? maybe you should go to the company you bought it from. i highly doubt a company as reputiable as tanabe would randomly stop using stainless steel. it would kill their business. my bet is that you got a knock off.

 

valid point, but does tanabe offer a non-stainless variant for other
markets? if so, it may have gotten mixed up during packaging.

 

well got a reply back from tanabe they ask for ss # on the exhaust, so if its a fake the # wouldn't be valid if so i got screwed. waiting on there response

 

i live in sf ocean side too, i experienced rust on all weld on muffler i had. it's very normal for cars to rust here in sf, check under your hood, you might find some rusting too. there's nothing we can do.

 

well kenchan megan axleback is holding up nicely in chicago salty winter.
and i think he had it longer than me.

 

question, is this tanabe a weld on or axleback?

 

is axleback

 

for sure that it's rare to see axleback rust so fast. it will be normal for a welded on muffler to rust because the welding point will start to rust even when the muffler is stainless. you can contact tanabe and try, but imo, i don't really think it will help much. ppl make replica stuffs, but fake muffler with the original name on it? that's i never hard off. when you find rust on your car, you won't say you got a fake car right? and honda will say it's not their problem because you own it for this long. so, it's good to give it a try, but i won't have high expectation.

 

not to knock on megan but they have been known not to make the most quality of auto parts and if kenchans megan axle back is holding better in salty chicago than a tanabe exhaust in sf im sure that there is something wrong with the tanabe. i know both places are salty but in chicago its cold salty and wet, especially if theyve got snow and the roads are covered in salt.

i mean tanabe even made a thread about it here...
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/tana...kes-fraud.html

its true that even if you got a fake that tanabe wont give you a real one for free, and i know for damn sure that the place you bought from will deny that it is fake but the chances are very high that it is. i have the skills and tool in my garage to take a tanabe style muffler, make it fit a fit, and etch tanabe on to it.

have you heard back from tanabe about the ss#?

 

nope not yet i reply back on friday so i prob won't get a reply untill monday or tuesday.
well guess my rebate check is going for a new exhaust.

 

update contacted the place where i bought the exhaust got a RAM # sending it back to tanabe hopefully they will send me a new one.