Upgrading from Single to dual exhaust & head/rearlight question.

Cass

Hey all.


Hoping to pick your brains. I've enough know how to do servicing, mechanical repairs (to a certain extent), upgrade, and other work on my own cars. However i'm not even close to a mechanic so i need to ask those that are in the know.


In the last few weeks i've done a good bit of work on my car. It's a 04 Vectra.



Now i'm 37, and my "boy racer" days are well and truly behind me. That is not intended as nasty or derogatory, so please don't take offence to the terminology. However the work has rekindled my desire to upgrade. Which leads e to my reason for this thread.

I've already done (twice) the headlight clean up on the car. I had an SRI years ago and it suffered the same thing. Really, i mean bad, yellowing especially on the top section of the headlights. I bought the Meguiars headlight restoration kit, and a few sheets of the appropriate grit sandpaper. It done a good job in that they loook far better than the old ones, but they is "snoting" still on them and i'm not sure how effective a third attempt will be. Was browsing some car sites and found a set of new headlight units, and rear light units. They come standard (like in the picture) which is clear or slightly smoked. The smoked ones look nice, but i'm concerned about NCT issues. So:

• Is there a limit (like tinting your windows) that must be adhered to?
• Are they simply not allowed?
• Do they effect light transmission? (my headlights are excellent particularly on high beam and i'd like to keep them that way)

Second thing i want to change, but don't know enough about, is the exhaust. During the work i checked the exhaust for blowing, holes, rust, damage, and noticed the underside of the car has the same chassis/frame and space as an SRI. Meaning the hangers and space for a second rear box/silencer is there. All i need to do is take the centre box out and the existing rear box/silencer. I have sourced a new system with the centre box, two silencers, and a defuser to allow for the two pipes.

Here is where i need help.

• What are the Pros & Cons of such an exhaust?
• Will it effect MPG positively or negatively?
• Will i need to address the air intake?
• If so in what manner?
• Will it effect noise or is this something i need to take up with the manufacturer? (I don't mind a "growl", but not a loud roar/bark)
• Anything else i should consider?

I realise it'll be mostly cosmetic, but any advantages would be a bonus. Also that some of the work (exhaust) will be unseen, but it's in my head and i'm struggling for a reason NOT to do it. I'm also painfully aware that any upgrades will not come back to me when i'm selling, and that between the cost of what i've done so far, and what i intend to do i'll have put the price of the car into it again. However the car is a dream. Two owners from new and the last one for the last 8 years. IOW i'll never sell it. When i get tired of it my nephew will inherit it.


Thanks in advance for any help.

colm_mcm

I'd stick woth the rear lights you have. The smoked lexus lights thing went out of fashion a long time ago so I wouldn't bother buying those.

Does your car have the black front headlights or silver?

The exhaust depends on the model you choose. Most are bolt-on and go from the cat back. You may need to cut your bumper a bit.
You could get a dual exit exhaust custom made, you could specify a quiet system

Cass

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd stick woth the rear lights you have. The smoked lexus lights thing went out of fashion a long time ago so I wouldn't bother buying those.

The reason for thinking of changing is, as said above, the "wear" on the lenses. After two attempts to clean they are much better, but not 100% clean. As for the smoked ones they were the same price as the clear hence the reason for asking.

Does your car have the black front headlights or silver?

Not sure what the difference is between the two. They are the standard lights that came with the car. Never changed.

Here:

The exhaust depends on the model you choose. Most are bolt-on and go from the cat back. You may need to cut your bumper a bit.
You could get a dual exit exhaust custom made, you could specify a quiet system

I've found a crowd in England that can make custom ones or pre-made ones for specific models. The Vectra is one of those.

Here it is:



The bumper doesn't need touched. The diffuser/trim on the rear of the car comes off and gives the exhaust all the room it needs. You simply need to replce it with a new diffuser that has the shape of the second exhaust on it. Like this one:

colm_mcm

That exhaust looks the bizz.

For the lights, I'd just get spurious new versions of the ones you already have. Aftermarket ones won't look any better.
Those lights really transform the vectra.



http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?fffDepartment=Tail%20Lamps&fffMake=opel&fffBasemodel=opel%20vectra&fffModelDescription=vectra%20c%20gts%202002%20to%202008

colm_mcm

The headlights are a bit more expensive
http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?fffDepartment=Headlamps&fffMake=opel&fffBasemodel=opel%20vectra&fffModelDescription=vectra%20c%202002%20to%202008

Maybe amazon/ebay would throw something up

Cass

Never seen those. Probably because i never thought to check.

The rear lights are far cheaper than Amazon, ebay, but as you said the headlights are dearer. I found a UK site thaty'll do them slightly cheaper (when you take into account the postage).

Thanks for the links.

colm_mcm

How much foes that exhaust and splitter cost?

Cass

From the crowd in the UK you're looking at £460 for the exhaust system and (cringe) £130 for the diffuser.

I rang a mate of mine this morning and he said leave it with him. He can buy the exhaust, he reckons, for half the price. So instead of €640 i'm looking at around €360. He says there are serious mark up on exhaust systems. Roughly it'll be €90 for each silencer, and €110 for the centre box and pipe. Add on the vodka and tonic and it's roughly €360. Even if it's €400 it's still a lot cheaper and no getting destroyed on postage/delivery.

The diffuser though may be a case of buying from the supplier above, but if i can save€250+ then the diffuser added on still comes in cheaper than the exhaust on it's own formt he UK supplier.

Fingers crossed i get some good news next week from him.

colm_mcm

I'd be just cutting the original splitter up tbh.

Cass

Was out today looking at it for that exact reason.

The design of the rear trim allows me to just cut it to shape. Me being me my OCD would kick in and if the two sides were not identical i'd freak. I also though of cutting it a little "deeper" and then adding a flat piece to give it the same design as the left side. I have the tools to do a neat and tidy job, it's just one of those things you measure not just twice but 10 times because as soon as the saw hits the plastic you're committed to that course of action.

I don't shy away from buying the necessary parts, but it seems a terrible waste to spend over €160 on a piece of plastic just for the extra piece cut out.


Decisions, decisions.

colm_mcm

Use a hole saw.