Quality exhaust tips are made from either chromed mild steel or aerospace-grade stainless steel. Read on to decide which material is right for your vehicle.
• Chromed steel
Stock exhaust tips are usually made from chrome-plated mild steel. This is OK; it keeps the cost down and lasts a while. To add shine, the steel is chrome-plated, which dramatically improves the finish. In the end, though, the chrome may begin to flake and peel as the steel slowly succumbs to rust. Depending on your local climate, this process could take months or years—but it will happen.
If you’re looking to add quick flash and save some coins, chrome-plated mild-steel exhaust tips are an excellent choice.
• Stainless steel
The other choice for exhaust tip materials is stainless steel—aerospace-grade T-304 stainless steel to be exact. Extremely resistant to corrosion, stainless steel exhaust tips last about 5 times longer than chrome tips. What’s more, the stainless steel‘s finish is polished to a mirror shine. This finish doesn’t flake or chip like chrome and continues gleaming for years to come. The only drawback of stainless steel is the higher cost of the manufacturing process. Of course, with exhaust tips, you get what you pay for. And, you won’t find a better material than stainless steel for high-quality, long-lasting exhaust tips.
Stainless steel exhaust tips are the only choice for those demanding the best.
