Hi Stan, I haven't yet managed to write my full report of events to my dealer. He is waiting for it to contact Malvern.
But I guess it's not a problem if aI make here a short version of it ... so here's my "Brooklands Exhausts Story", told mainly in pictures, some say they speak louder than words.
1ST SET OF EXHAUSTSAUGUST 15TH 2014 - Got the car from the factory.
AUGUST 17TH 2014 - 48 hours and about 500 kms later, somewhere in Ireland (Laragh) ...
AUGUST 19TH 2014 - Another 48 hours and with more (very loud) 500 kms made, they got replaced at Williams Morgans
VERDICT. THE EXHAUSTS LASTED ONLY 500 KMS BECAUSE THEY WERE MK 1 EXHAUSTS, KNOWN AS FAULTY BUT FITTED BY MISTAKE. SECOND SET WAS Mk 2 AND THICKER, I SHOULD BE OK.2ND SET OF EXHAUSTSSeptember 7th 2014 - Two weeks later, back in Portugal, car has now about 2500 kms, that means these exhausts covered about 1500 kms. I was at Caramulo, racing the Plus 4 and between climbs taking lovely guests up the hill in the M3W. Here the loveliest of them all, Mrs. Gambalunga (Alis)
Then I noticed this:
On a closer inspection:
The car was kept at Caramulo, where the museum mechanic performed a basic welding job. Nothing too fancy, but it worked well enough.
All this was reported to Malvern. That after a while informed I was going to be sent a 3rd set.
VERDICT. THE WELDING HAD BEEN POLISHED TOO MUCH. THE NEW EXHAUSTS WOULD HAVE VERY STRONG WELDING.3RD SET OF EXHAUSTSDECEMBER 2014 - after the exhausts arrived (maybe during October) and after I had the chance to go and retrieve the car from the Caramulo Museum and back to Lisbon, these were fitted. The car had, in December and upon its return to Lisbon to have these fitted, about 3000 kms:
It is clear the welding has not been polished, but the exhausts look nice and strong ... being cautious I askl my dealer to keep the "caramulo welded" exhausts stored somewhere if possible, because you know, if you fool me once, shame on you, but if you fool me twice, then shame on me.
So ... during 2015 I get to use this car very little (at least compared to what I do with the Plus 4), I did a few weekend trips with it and had it participating in two regularity events. Comes the end of August, with the Caramulo Motorfestival approaching and this car is now clocking about 5000 kms. And here's what, a few days before the event, I noticed:
(UP) FRONT VIEW
INBOARD SIDE VIEW
OUTBOARD SIDE VIEW
I had committed myself to the Motorfestival organization that I'd take again the M3W up there to be displayed and run up the hill with guests, and I didn't want to fail, although obviously I would shame Morgan if this ONE YEAR OLD CAR was shown to the public with broken exhausts. So I called the dealer and asked if he still had the 2ND SET. His reply was YES, so I came back to Lisbon to get them, and had them re-fitted to the car on the eve of the Event.
Funny thing is that they ALSO started to crack on the second (and last) day of the Motorfestival. And the museum mechanic was ashamed that his work had lasted so little (I tried to tell him it was the car's fault, not his), so he asked me to, once again and one year later, leave the car with the Museum, so he could perform another welding job. And that's where the car is now. At Caramulo.
So, what to do? The way I see it, the short version of it all is this:
Set 1 - (from 0 to 1000 kms)
500 kms until failure. Then they did 500 kms cracked.
Set 2 - (from 1000 to 3000 kms)
1500 kms until failure. After welded they did 500 kms more.
Set 3 - (from 3000 kms to 5000 kms)
2000 kms until failure. Returned to dealer, to claim a new set from Malvern
Set 2 (second life) - (from 5000 to 5100)
In total, these managed 600 kms before giving up a second time. They've also been welded for a second time, and are now the ones fitted to the car.
What's next? Well, obviously the ...
4TH SET OF EXHAUSTSWith my promise that I will use and use and use the M3W this year. If need be, I will ask new exhausts much more frequently until the warranty period expires. And after that I will keep on asking them too, because with every new set you have a new warranty period (for the replaced parts only, obviously).
But I do hope MMC realizes something is fundamentally wrong (apparently they're the only ones not noticing this because everyone I speak to looks at the exhausts and says "obviously the mounts must be replaced and the exhausts need a bigger, or a second, flexible section".
This hasn't been good for me, but it also can't be good for MMC, so here's to hoping they solve it.
