David,

Your comment about hard mounting the exhaust and muffler to the engine "so it
can't vibrate" runs completely counter to my experience. The first three
muffler systems my muffler shop put on were hard mounted at their insistence.
Each cracked and broke at one or more weld joints. I'm now on my fourth
muffler system and upgraded lower level rubber hangers to thick double sided
truck versions to damp vibrations. I paid for one and a half of these exhaust
systems and have more than 1.5 years on the current system with no problems.
BTW this is a very professional shop with extensive VW racing experience - in
other words, the vibration broke the joint at the carbon denuded side (edge
of pipe at the weld).

Frank Grunthaner