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I have noticed exhaust systems seem to rust much quicker if they are not driven frequently. Why is that?
I don't generally deal with snow/salt (once or twice a year) so things may be different in your region but I've never had rusting issues even on cars with 100k+ miles. The only reason I could see them rusting at a faster rate when not being driven is if moisture is building up inside the exhaust piping and sitting there. Water is a product of combustion so it wouldn't be unusual for some to be sitting there.
OP, you live quite close to the ocean in rust country. A lot of "not daily" driven cars get short trips or worst of all started up and let idle a few minutes but not driven.
My experience is that the only exhausts I have had trouble with were driven on short trips frequently (step daughter) and once that ended no further problems.
Go look at a taxi cab......exhaust is perfect despite hundreds of thousands of miles. Condensation doesn't have a chance to rust/car is always running.
That being said, I have only replaced one muffler in my life despite having cars that went 150K+ miles.
How are your systems failing? Is it just the muffler, muffler + tailpipe, or what?
Are they rusting out from inside?
At least around here, Toy exhaust systems seem to last a long time. Step daughter was driving the Toy and it did rust out a muffler, but I put on a new one and so far so good.
I vaguely recall that excessive idling... i.e. warming up the car for an extended period of time, can cause water build up on the exhaust system. Does anyone know if there is there any validity to this?
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