As Frank is trying to hint at there are many different levels of
stainless steel.  In order for these guys to offer stainless mufflers
this cheap they are either having them made in China or being made out
of low grade stainless or probably both.  Low grade stainless will rust
over time.  And it is more brittle and therefore has a higher tendency
to crack.  It could actually wind up being worse than a normal steel
muffler because steel is more flexible and resists cracking better.
Just FYI.

Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com

Frank Condelli wrote:
> In a message dated 22/10/2009 1:55:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>         Sooooo, how do you think  ANYONE can make a muffler from good
> quality Stainless Steel and sell it for  $124.00 ?  BIG Question !
>
>
>
>
>>>>>>> as far as I remember, Walker changed their  whole line of quietflow
>>>>>>>
> mufflers
> over to stainless last november. They make  a vanagon specific one, so as
> long as you dont get old stock, this is going  to be one good deal on a
> stainless muffler. Or maybe they did not yet do  the new ones for Vanagons?
> Rockauto lists it at $124.
> Then again, if  this would be that great a deal, I am sure our list vendors
> would have  jumped on it by now?<<<<<<<
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html)  -
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/)  a VW Camper  camping event,
> Almonte, ON, June 11 ~ 14,  2009
>
>