Some standards I'd like to see the industry adopt

[Camino LS6]

- make all steel brake lines stainless

- make all steel fuel lines stainless

- make all steel exhaust parts stainless

These three alone would make great strides toward safety and be money well-spent.

[FAPTurbo]

No. The industry can take of these things themselves. There's no need for a government organization to mandate such pointless rules to justify their bureaucracy's largesse.

[Robert Hall]

Aren't exhaust systems stainless already...the days of exhaust rust out seems largely gone (my '00 Jeep still has the original exhaust system). I haven't gone to a muffler shop since 1998..

Edited December 11, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

No. The industry can take of these things themselves. There's no need for a government organization to mandate such pointless rules to justify their bureaucracy's largesse.

You obviously didn't read the title.

Aren't exhaust systems stainless already...the days of exhaust rust out seems largely gone (my '00 Jeep still has the original exhaust system). I haven't gone to a muffler shop since 1998..

Some are, some are not.

[FAPTurbo]

Well they're doing a good job at adopting them. Stainless steel was invented, what, in like the 1920's? If it were so common sense, then why isn't it being applied?

I thought that companies were self-regulating and made practical decisions in the interests of consumers on their own.

[Camino LS6]

Well they're doing a good job at adopting them. Stainless steel was invented, what, in like the 1920's? If it were so common sense, then why isn't it being applied?

I thought that companies were self-regulating and made practical decisions in the interests of consumers on their own.

Now you know I never said any such thing.

Use of SS has been adopted, just not universally - which it should be in such critical systems.

So where has NHTSA been on this one?

I know it isn't as sexy as back-up cameras and standardized stop/start buttons - but aren't these things just a bit more critical to the safety of every car?

[Drew Dowdell]

well I'm not sure how a stainless steel exhaust is critical to the safety of the car. I agree on the fuel lines though, it would make all cars most of the way to being ethanol compatible.

[balthazar]

When I got my '94 F-150, one of the things I planned on doing, once the exhaust rotted out, was replacing the muffler with a performance one. 15 yrs & 146K miles later, and the factory system was still 100%.

I would agree on the brake & fuel lines.

[67impss]

Exhaust is normally SS up to the Cat then galvanized Cat back. As for brake & fuel lines I wholeheartedly agreeSS on every car SAE sponsored.

[Z-06]

What exhaust parts do you want to be SS? The C5 Z-06 titanium exhaust is light and corrosion resistant, albeit expensive. I think industry should move towards titanium as much as it can.

[Camino LS6]

What exhaust parts do you want to be SS? The C5 Z-06 titanium exhaust is light and corrosion resistant, albeit expensive. I think industry should move towards titanium as much as it can.

Titanium is a fine thing on a Vette, but short of that I'd want to see the entire exhaust system of more everyday cars be made of stainless.

I admit that part of the reason I included the exhaust system in my list is because I despise working on/replacing a rusty exhaust system. However, it is a safety issue as exhaust entering the cabin is a hazard with a rotted exhaust.

[SAmadei]

A little carbon monoxide never hurt anybody. A lot put them to sleep permanently, but a little was reasonably harmless.

[PurdueGuy]

Of course stainless doesn't mean it can't rot, there are different grades of stainless.

[Robert Hall]

Rustable exhaust systems help keep Midas and other muffler shops in business...you don't want to put them out of work, do you? That would be bad for the economy...

[67impss]

That kinda sounds like "You don't want to cure Diabetes, Cancer, COPD... you'll put the drug company's out of work that's bad for the economy"

If they go out of business then the market has determined its course. If the EPA/NHTSA edicts it then Gov. has determined the markets course, there's a big difference there.

Edited December 12, 2011 by 67impss