Very disappointed with Borla build quality

P

purebrad

Registered
I asked Santa for a pair of Borla mufflers for Christmas, and he delivered. I want to ask for opinions from anyone else who has Borla's, because I am very disappointed in what I received. For $100 each, I expected high build quality, and thats not what I got. For starters, the welds are horrible. Where the in/out tubes meet the case, the welds are bumpy and un-even. The tubes dont appear to be welded on perpendicularlly either. If I stand the mufflers up on the inlet tube and lay a level on them, I get two different readings. The inlet tube angle should be straight (90 degrees) and neither comes back at 90 degrees. Where the side panels meet the main body...the welds are so un-smooth, that the edge looks like a hacksaw blade in certain spots. There are also dark spots where it looks like the builder left the torch in one spot too long. Additionally, the seam which runs the length of the muffler is arced at both ends on both mufflers.
They were purchased from Jegs. When I opened the large box that they were delivered in, one muffler was in an original, unopened (stapeled) Borla box. They other one was clearly a returned item. It was in an unusually large unmarked box, sealed with tape. The muffler inside that box was wrapped in about 5 layers of bubble wrap. The muffler in the un-original box does not appear to have been installed.

I would like some input from anyone who has experience with Borla's. Is this typical build quality? Or did I get a bad batch? The fact that one of the mufflers were returned once already makes me wonder if someone else had purchased it, and was as disappointed as I am so they returned it. Thanks.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

Well, I understand your disapointment, but I dont think anyone is going to be under your car with a level and a straight edge.
BUT on the other hand if it makes YOU unhappy then you should send them back.Borla has a lillion mile warrenty for a reason, they build a quility muffler.I personally dont like the way they sound though.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

You're right, no one's gonna be under my car. And to that point, I really dont care what they look like. I'm just wondering if the shabby workmanship is indicative that they'll fall apart or rot sooner than they should. Million mile warranty or not, replacing them sometime down the road will be a pain.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

If it makes you feel any better, I have NEVER heard of one falling apart.
Occasionally I have seen mufflers fall apart on the inside from rust.I believe they were caramic coated MACs.I dont think the macs were stainless because they coat them.But the coating doesn't always coat the inside as well as the outside.

You should be okay since yours are made of stainess.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

I had a set of Borla Turbos on my '95 Mark VIII LSC for three years before I went with a different type system from LMS. I kept the Borlas and put them on my son's '91 Mark VII LSC SE for the last three years. Still sound and look good.



** Bill **
1995 LSC-R'ed w/Recaro's and Cobra R's
Veteran of Carlisle 2000/01/02/03
[a href=//cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=258112]For Pic's and Mods click here[/a]

...If you can read this, thank a teacher...If it's in English, thank a veteran....
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

haha. I had borla's on my 68 fastback, and they were an excellant piece of workmanship. That was about 5 years ago though. They were pretty loud though with the small block and big block.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

I put a Borla Stinger system on my 2003 Cobra. The quality, fit and installation was top notch.

This is the second vehicle I've installed a Borla system on. Both have been high quality.

Geno's Mark sounds awesome.

Here's an MP3 I made couple of weeks ago. Particulars; 2003 Cobra, stock cats and H-pipe and stock airbox. This was made in motion with the traction control turned off. It was raining and I had to peddle a bit.
http://www.mark8.org/users/duner/COBRA2/03_Cobra_Stinger_Wheel Hop-Peddling.mp3

Wonder what a Mark with an H-pipe and free flowing mufflers would sound like?

Keith
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

Wonder what a Mark with an H-pipe and free flowing mufflers would sound like?

Keith
Click to expand...


RASPY and "Glass-Pack" like, or cheap?

That's the first setup I used on my Mark years ago.

Interior resonence was more pronounced as well.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

The read car has a H pipe on it, and NO CATS. ALso has dynomax ultraflows. IT was very raspy like GEno described it.
Eli's car has the same setup with the X pipe and is still very raspy. Once you take the cats out it gets raspy. But the H pipe and straight through mufflers make it a lot worse.
 
RE: Very disappointed with Borla build quality

Thanks for the info guys. I stopped doing much with the Mark once I got my Cobra.

The exhaust is something I'd like to change. Geno, the vids of you roasting the tires are cool. I like the sound. Too bad you guys don't make a kit. Too hard to find a good shop that doesn't charge a freakin’ fortune and will delete the third cat.
 
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