Protecting New Exhaust System

**malibuboats91** · 12-10-2011, 12:43 AM

I Just ordered an APR stainless steel catback exhaust system for my 2010 Jetta Wolfsburg. Many times I have seen people with aftermarket stainless systems that have turned blue or just don't have that shine to them anymore. Is there anything I can do to protect it before I put it on my car to keep it shiny?

I am planning on putting it on in the next few weeks so it will be dealing with salt and snow for about 4 months. Anything that will help me keeping it looking new would be great. Thanks for the help!

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**ShaunD** · 12-10-2011, 01:05 AM

All I can think of is polishing/sealing with Flitz or a metal specific sealant or even WG trim sealant. I think the blue looks good on exhaust, and you can polish and seal that later.

**FUNX650** · 12-10-2011, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by malibuboats91

I Just ordered an APR stainless steel catback exhaust system for my 2010 Jetta Wolfsburg. Many times I have seen people with aftermarket stainless systems that have turned blue or just don't have that shine to them anymore. Is there anything I can do to protect it before I put it on my car to keep it shiny?

I am planning on putting it on in the next few weeks so it will be dealing with salt and snow for about 4 months. Anything that will help me keeping it looking new would be great. Thanks for the help!

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Before installing your cat-back system you could apply something like Simichrome metal polish and buff to high shine.

After installation, and not knowing what access to the entire cat-back system you have, cleaning as much of the snow removal salts/brine/slush off the cat-back system, as well as other hard to reach undercarriage areas, as soon as possible is imperative. (The upper vehicles areas as well.)

Clean as much of your cat-back system as you can by first hosing-off/power washing as much of the contaminates as you can; and then gently washing it down with products such as P21S TAW, other citrus-based car shampoos, or even some of the "better" car wash shampoos.

The idea is to get as much of the salt off as soon as you can.

Afterwards....Re-apply Simichrome (or similar product) to all of the cat-back system you can reach.

Is there any way you could wait until Spring for your install? Personally I'd like to have at least 6-7 months without worrying about snow's melting/de-icing products mucking up something brand new right off the bat. That's just me, though.

Bob

**malibuboats91** · 12-10-2011, 01:40 AM

Thanks for the input! I'm really debating if I should install it or not. I bought it now because it's on sale. Will winter affect it a lot?

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**FUNX650** · 12-10-2011, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by malibuboats91

Thanks for the input! I'm really debating if I should install it or not. I bought it now because it's on sale. Will winter affect it a lot?

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Winter "road contaminates" are very harmful to every square inch of your vehicle, and its components, that it comes in contact with. Therefore, the urgent need of their removal, ASAP...IMHO.

BTW: I forgot to say: Congratulations on your new exhaust!!

Bob

**malibuboats91** · 12-10-2011, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by FUNX725

Winter "road contaminates" are very harmful to every square inch of your vehicle, and its components, that it comes in contact with. Therefore, the urgent need of their removal, ASAP...IMHO.

BTW: I forgot to say: Congratulations on your new exhaust!!

Bob

Thanks! I'm going to have to decide if I should put it on or not. I'm anxious to get it on, but I don't want my $850 investment to get all messed up because of winter.

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**Pockets@PoorboysWorld** · 12-12-2011, 05:31 PM

It will look like garbage underneath lol my Roush cat back on my F150 looks terrible it just bakes the salt and crud on it but sure sounds nice and I can keep the tips shining as best I can!

There really is nothing you can do becasue of the heat its will eat anything

But hey that's why you are getting stainless because you want it to hold up and if you just hose it off every now and then you shouldn't have a problem

**SkateForGirl** · 12-12-2011, 05:56 PM

Congrats on the new exhaust. I actually used to have an APR RSC exhaust on my 2006 GLI and I loved it. With an ATP downpipe that car will sound amazing. When I had mine I only used to polish the tips with never-dul to keep them clean. During the winter the exhaust system is going to get infested with salt and sand and then baked on due to the hear so If you really are worrying about it staying clean then I would put it on in the spring next year. GLW your decision though.

P.S. - get a REVO tune if you haven't already. Its like a whole new car.

**malibuboats91** · 12-13-2011, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by SkateForGirl

Congrats on the new exhaust. I actually used to have an APR RSC exhaust on my 2006 GLI and I loved it. With an ATP downpipe that car will sound amazing. When I had mine I only used to polish the tips with never-dul to keep them clean. During the winter the exhaust system is going to get infested with salt and sand and then baked on due to the hear so If you really are worrying about it staying clean then I would put it on in the spring next year. GLW your decision though.

P.S. - get a REVO tune if you haven't already. Its like a whole new car.

Thanks! I just got the catback for now since my check engine light will come on if I have a different downpipe. I'm planning on doing either apr or revo tune to it when my warranty is up. That gives me time to save up some money too.

I think I'm just going to put it on because all that will be seen is the tips. If I keep those clean it should be fine.

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**SkateForGirl** · 12-13-2011, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by malibuboats91

Thanks! I just got the catback for now since my check engine light will come on if I have a different downpipe. I'm planning on doing either apr or revo tune to it when my warranty is up. That gives me time to save up some money too.

I think I'm just going to put it on because all that will be seen is the tips. If I keep those clean it should be fine.

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Yea man. To come to think about it I had mine for about a year and a half and it didn't look to bad when I took it off to sell it. If you get either Revo or APR you can get the program device you plug into your ODB port and program it back to stock. I used to bring it to the dealer and put it back to stock all the time lol.