Horrible Experience with MagnaFlow

Ok im chiming in.... I am a victim of shitty ****in magnaflow. .. I got the xl 18" on my 99 4runner, it only last me a 3 weeks and the damn internals fell apart. ..

What do you guys recommend for a alternative?

I was thinkinkin borla but I hear talk about thrush, any comments?

You can get the Borla 40665 Turbo XL on Amazon right now for $93 with free shipping.

It is the one I ended up with and works great for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Borla-40665-Universal-Performance-Muffler/dp/B000CIK9L0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmf0heg4-cU
 
I watched your clip. How loud is that under a load (IE Highway driving)? Time to ditch the Magnaflow muffler on the MR2 for one of these. Tired of it being too loud and too raspy.

At idle its about the same as stock, little throatier but quiet. When I start my truck from inside the house which is about 150' or so away to either warm it up in the winter or cool down the cab in the summer before I walk out to get into it, I can hear that nice "VaRooom" as the remote start gives it that initial shot of gas then can barely hear it if at all.
If you get on it you can hear that Borla growl, but still not loud.
On highway its just a nice smooth sound, doesn't really drone, I prefer it over stock.
You can always tune the sound a bit with resonators and tips etc.
 
Wow. Just came across this thread. I've never owned a Magnaflow product, but I never really thought anything poorly about them. I'm a huge proponent of dumping companies if they start to show neglect towards consumers. Just let your wallet do the talking, and be sure to let them know. It already seems you're doing a good job of bringing this problem out to the open, but sometimes I really wish there was a way that these companies could gage just how badly they are screwing themselves. Maybe you can set up some sort of online petition, but I am not sure how the forum would feel about that. I'm sure someone would complain that you're spamming or some such nonsense ... you'll post a petition to boycott MagnaFlow, then someone is petitioning to bring back solid axles and diesels with manuals, and before you know it there will be anarchy on the forums ... you know how it goes.

Anywho, thanks for the info you posted here. You've done a great job documenting everything and providing it in a format that is well organized :), cheers
 
I just got my first 4runner less then a month ago and i got the dreaded P0420 CEU so i figured might as well look for for a muffler to replace the stock, now i know defiantly not to go with Magnaflow. Thank you so much for all of the information COB, but I'm sorry that you had to gain that information through experience
 
I just got my first 4runner less then a month ago and i got the dreaded P0420 CEU so i figured might as well look for for a muffler to replace the stock, now i know defiantly not to go with Magnaflow. Thank you so much for all of the information COB, but I'm sorry that you had to gain that information through experience

Why exactly won't you go with Magnaflow?

I've been running mine for a over a year now with ZERO issues. While some have problems, others don't! The same can be said about anything these days.
 
I've had my 18" Magnaflow on my 98 for almost 2 years now and I love it, held up to lots of offroad trips and no rust or anything
 
I know that some people have have had good experiences and others, the people earlier on this page though seemed to be having more trouble and i rather not risk it and getting a bad one and after looking around I'm leaning more towards a Borla exhaust
 
This has been discussed many times since COB started this thread back in 2011. Basically the problem is the longer case (22" and longer in my own observations) Magnaflow mufflers use a two-piece tube, poorly welded together in the middle of the muffler.

Eventually that weak weld breaks, and then the two tubes rattle against each other.

In my own particular circumstance, I was looking at mufflers, and because of this thread closely inspected many different Magnaflow mufflers. What I found was that 18" (and shorter) case Magnaflow mufflers, use a much more durable one-piece tube that runs through the muffler.

I ended up with an 18" case model #11255 muffler. No issues.
 
This has been discussed many times since COB started this thread back in 2011. Basically the problem is the longer case (22" and longer in my own observations) Magnaflow mufflers use a two-piece tube, poorly welded together in the middle of the muffler.

Eventually that weak weld breaks, and then the two tubes rattle against each other.

In my own particular circumstance, I was looking at mufflers, and because of this thread closely inspected many different Magnaflow mufflers. What I found was that 18" (and shorter) case Magnaflow mufflers, use a much more durable one-piece tube that runs through the muffler.

I ended up with an 18" case model #11255 muffler. No issues.

Well thank you for the information. I don't know if I ever buy one, but it maybe put back in the consideration when I am about to buy one
 
Same here. I've had an 18" going on two years now and not a single problem. Plus it has a lifetime warranty through the shop I had install it. Guy told me if
It ever breaks bring it in and they'll replace it.
 
Yep, as O2SE stated, the problem is ONLY with the 22-24" case size.
for whatever ignorant reason Magnaflow decided to use two perforated tubes and have a monkey weld them together in the center.
This size of Magnaflow is literally designed to fail and they ALL will.
Mine did not last 1000 miles on open highway (two days) before it started sounding like a coffee can full of bolts being dragged behind my truck.

This is clearly a blatant an unnecessary design failure on their part because the Borla I replaced it with has a very nice one piece tube in the center/offset 24" case size Borla.
If you don't mind the louder 18" Magnaflow then it should be just fine.
 
I know that some people have have had good experiences and others, the people earlier on this page though seemed to be having more trouble and i rather not risk it and getting a bad one and after looking around I'm leaning more towards a Borla exhaust
Yep, these shitty customer service cases should be the rare exception, not a common problem. I'll be taking Magnaflow off my list of possible exhausts for any of my vehicles. Sounds like they left this guy and other customers out to dry. Will stick with TRD, Borla, URD/JBA, or Flowmaster. Or whichever ones still make them for 3rd gens.
 
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I'm glad I checked this thread, I need a new exhaust system on my Runner(230,000mikes, original exhaust/muffler). I looks like buying a genuine Toy or TRD exuadt is the best bet?
 
I fully support the OP even though this was many years ago. I personally have used magnaflow and never had a problem / all small mufflers to note.

However, I have many other choices and since I also am looking into exhaust, magnaflow will not be one of them due to their seriously piss poor customer service to our fellow 4gunner owners as one thing I hate - is poor customer service.


Upon two properly installed muffler failures, they should have:

- Had an engineering team on the issue immediately for failure analysis
- Thanked the OP for his time, patience and product loyalty
- Given the OP a rental car OR repair his vehicle on the spot. At minimum, paid to have it repaired
- Refund ALL expenses including the original purchase to make the headache right with the OP


Appreciate the post even though it is old. Some sales managers really do not "get it" when it comes to customer service, loyalty and retention. They are just to busy working numbers, driving sales and pocketing bonuses to give a damn about things like this. No company should ever be to big to take care of the little issues and details as they are what makes or breaks business in the long run.

Without much effort at all from magnaflow, this post could be about pure WIN and how magnaflow went above and beyond. Despite the issues - magnaflow would have been praised for taking care of the customer and resolving a common failure. Instead of having a giant poo stain on their faces.
 
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Well then! I was about to make my first MagnaFlow purchase. Looks like I'll be going with Borla. I hope the MagnaFlow higher ups keep tabs on this thread and your situation and see that by not making the "punk kid" whole they turned away can cost them quite a bit of business.
 
Give JBA stainless steel a good hard look, I have been running one for two weeks and it replaced a TRD stainless cat back that lasted about 14 years. The JBA was a perfect fit for my 1997 T4R and the fit, thickness, weight & quality of steel was a total surprise for the price....it exhausts from the side which was important to me since I launch a bass boat. Only negative that can be easily rectified are the U clamps which are not stainless.
 

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