How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Quality Exhaust and A Cheap One?
At Manta Performance, we pride ourselves on designing and producing the highest quality exhaust systems for your street and off-road vehicles. We have often been asked about what it takes to make a high-performing and long-lasting exhaust system. After nearly 50 years, we have a pretty good idea!
As you shop for an aftermarket exhaust system for your car, truck, ute, or 4WD, you may come across other systems that cost much less. You may wonder, “What’s the difference between these cheap imported systems and the systems made by Manta?” Well, we’re glad you asked!
Let’s start with the materials
The pipes are the heart of any exhaust system – the better the quality of the tube used to make it, the longer it will last, all things considered. Manta Performance gives you a choice of two top-quality pipe materials: aluminised steel or stainless steel. Aluminised steel is simply regular mild steel, coated inside and out with an aluminium coating to protect it from corrosion. It lasts a lot longer than plain mild steel. We typically use a 409 automotive grade of stainless steel for our pipes, and 304 stainless for the mufflers for maximum longevity. Our stainless steel systems come with a ten-year warranty, so you can drive into the future with confidence. Our aluminised steel systems have a two-year warranty and is a great choice for those on a budget, or who don’t plan on keeping their vehicles for a decade!
Now let’s talk about pipe thickness. At Manta Performance, we use nothing but 1.6mm thick pipe. This is much thicker pipe than you will find on the cheaper systems out there. What it means for you is greatly improved durability, especially if you plan to use it off-road. Manta’s thicker pipe will stand up much better to the pounding and impacts with obstacles that are a part of off-roading, as well as the rigors of street use.
Another big difference (and one that’s easy to spot) can be found in the mounting brackets. Cheap systems will cut corners, using flimsy brackets that won’t hold up to serious use. Some will even leave out some or all of the brackets, making you figure out how to fabricate them from scratch. Manta Performance exhaust systems always come with sturdy, securely-attached brackets that match up with the factory mounts and hold it firmly in place.
Our systems are designed to bolt on as easily as the factory system
It takes time and talent to design and engineer an exhaust system that fits as well as the factory system. This is something that the makers of cheaper systems are not very concerned with. You’ll find this out when it’s time to install one and it doesn’t quite fit! That’s when you’ll understand that there’s a big difference between how a cheap system looks on the floor and how it fits into your vehicle!
Manta Performance exhaust systems are always developed right on the vehicle. Our systems use the same mounting points and rubber hangers wherever possible. They follow the same path. We build our jigs around the factory system, and then make sure that our larger 3-inch pipe will fit perfectly in the space available. That’s how we can give you a 100% fitment guarantee.
Most importantly, every piece of every Manta Performance exhaust system is built with the highest levels of craftsmanship in rural West Australia.
How do our systems fit if you plan to add aftermarket fuel tanks or other accessories?
Not a problem! This is one more benefit of Manta’s complete compatibility with the factory system, which lets us make this promise to you:
If you don’t have to modify the factory exhaust to accommodate accessories, you won’t have to modify your Manta exhaust!
Because of this, we can guarantee that your Manta system will fit around most aftermarket fuel tanks, spare tire carriers, and other accessories located near the exhaust system.
What if you need to customize your exhaust system, beyond the standard version?
Unlike cheap, no-name exhaust systems that only come one way, Manta Performance exhaust systems are designed from the ground up to give you exactly what you need. You can choose from:
- · Different materials (aluminised or stainless steel)
- · Different mufflers
- · Different pipe sizes (2.25”, 2.5”, 3”, and 4”)
- · High-flow catalytic converters
- · “Hotdog” resonators
- · Exhaust tips
- · Full systems or cat-back systems
Best of all, we stock or can manufacture to order whatever you need, so you can get it fast from one of our over 500 resellers. Try doing that with a cheap imported system!
Manta Performance is a brand you can trust
Manta has been making quality exhausts for over forty years. From its humble beginnings as Perth’s first exhaust shop in 1974, the Manta brand has grown to become a reputable and proven manufacturer of world-class exhaust systems to fit popular vehicle makes and models.
Manta ships its exhaust systems to more than 50 countries worldwide and boasts a network of over 500 resellers in Australia alone. This means that if you reside in Australia, there is very likely to be a Manta dealer close to you.