Larini Sports Cats split in half! What next?

[Sommi]

Hi All

As above. I was driving at about 30 mph in second gear Thursday eve and the sound suddenly changed from "normal" to a Ducatti de-catted motorbike like. No driving issue though.
Had it up on a ramp today and found out the off=side sports cats is split in half. The garage who are exhaust specialists say they cannot mend it as it is steel and they do not do steel welding.

They also advised to get in touch with Larini as these things have lifetime warranty and they should be able to assist.
The recommended I do not drive the car at all to save from further damage.

I am going to contact Larini people in UK to see what they can do. If anyone has any ideas of there whereabouts please let me know.

What would the general advise be from the exhaust fanatics here to do next? Is there an option for better cats from larini or anyone else which "enhance" the sound / performance any further?
Personally I love the sound as it is and would consider any louder only if its still pleasurable like the MCShift GTs.

Please recommend / advise / help.
Thank you.

 

[Panicracing]

Admin@larinisystems.com David Clark is who I deal with. Always helpful. Office in London but based in Devon I believe

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[StuartW]

Sorry to hear that Sommi, you can see their address on this link. Whilst they do have a lifetime guarantee, it is only valid for the first owner and not subsequent owners which seems odd but they should certainly be able to replace yours. Was your car not a Larini demo car before you bought it?


https://www.larinisystems.com/information/contacts

 

[mjheathcote]

I would be shocked if Larini did not repair/replace, first owner or not!
They would rather have good publicity doing the right thing, than walking away, being in the specialist niche market they work in.

 

[CatmanV2]

I would be shocked if Larini did not repair/replace, first owner or not!
They would rather have good publicity doing the right thing, than walking away, being in the specialist niche market they work in.

Indeed. Would be good to see a photo as well?


C

 

[Sommi]

Thanks a bunch for the details and advice.

This was indeed the demo car for the Larini systems.
I will send them an email and contact them on Monday to see what they can do or offer.

I have not taken a photo yet but will crawl down there and get some.

I might be biased but lifetime warranty should really be implied on the car and the system, irrespective of the owner.
Hopefully, Larini will see it this way as well.
I am sure they would like to know what may have caused this failure.

 

[StuartW]

I agree that it should be on the product but I'm sure they'll look after you.
No Brooklands for you this year then I guess?

 

[Sommi]

I have used a selfie stick for the first time today and it saved me crawling under the car where I would be stuck given the car's ground clearance is some what less than my middle circular width!
The split is very clearly visible!

 

[Sommi]

I agree that it should be on the product but I'm sure they'll look after you.
No Brooklands for you this year then I guess?

Hi Stuart
I had no plans for attending this year. a few friends have arranged a sl*t fest in Poland to mark my 40th! So I will be... err occupied.

 

[midlifecrisis]

First of all, what's so special about steel welding?
However it's a larini quality issue and it's a **** shame that you won't be at Brooklands. Enjoy the Pole dancers

 

[CatmanV2]

First of all, what's so special about steel welding?
However it's a larini quality issue and it's a **** shame that you won't be at Brooklands. Enjoy the Pole dancers

This. Nothing hard about steel. Stainless, perhaps but that doesn't look much like stainless.

To me, that looks un-acceptable, but hey.....

C

 

[Contigo]

They look like Maserati steel not Stainless used by Larini! It's that brown colour common on our cars! You sure they are Larini's?

 

[redsonnylee]

I hope you manage to get Larini to fix this, when I bought my rears and checked the lifetime guarantee they told me it was not transferable to another owner. So don't understand what lifetime actually means!

 

[Panicracing]

They look OE to me ???

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[Sommi]

Thats a concern. I have always gone by the documented forum posts here and the stuff mentioned by the last owner.
I indeed do not have any invoices in the paperwork for the car relating to the Larini purchase or fitment.

This may mean that at some point some components may have been swapped out!

I will send the pictures to David@Larini and see what he has to say.

Phil, you do have an exhaust expert you use for the x and aitch pipe fitments. Will he be able to help repair / replace with something suitable? Just in case, no assistance is forthcoming from Larini.

I am sure Autofficina can help but the earliest they can get me in is 15th May.

If these are non larini cats then what are my better options? I have been very happy with the current sound I get but if a chance is presented to "improve" I might take it up .

 

[mjheathcote]

Not having a QP nothing to reference with, apart that the general appearance does look OEM as other have said, so most probably the larini system has long been gone!

 

[RobinL]

Certainly doesn't look SSteel but in any case any half decent fab shop could weld repair that one. It's a fracture in the weld toe, doesn't look like corrosion.

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[Sommi]

The QP had an anti-rust treatment spray at Autofficina last year. I am sure they will be able to assist with the welding as well.
Its just they are tied up till mid may.
I was hoping a garage somewhere nearer to Guildford would be able to take this up as don't want to drive it far in such state.

 

[Mr.Cambio]

This looks like oem cats. I have larinis for seven years on and the SS is still to be seen.
Or maybe you have got other make's cats that go welded just where the cat starts.
Good luck with fixing it, no matter what it is.

 

[Sommi]

Update: Fianllys the car is on it's way to Autofficina to get the split welded.
I briefly spoke to Dave at Larini and even sent him a video of the damage and exhaust.
Dave was not able to ascertain weather the Cats are definitely Larini. It may be due to an anti-rust dark coating was applied to whole of underneath of the car about a year and half ago that things appear browner rather than shiny.

The video is here if someone can see any tell tale signs of what it might be: https://youtu.be/1apW8HrWyFA

Took a couple more photos as car was pulled up the low loader! I hope to have it back soonest. Its all very dull without it!