When I look at the rear of my 2012 XF I notice you can see the exhuast pipes hanging fairly low underneath the vehicle. The colour of the pipes look rusty and the Jaguar service mechanic said it is normal rust and mounted okay.

I feel that it looks bad and ruins the look of the car. Have any of you guys done any cosmetic work on the pipes?

Here are some examples I am talking about:

These pipes look good - metalic and clean
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...l-img_0900.jpg

These pipes look rusty coloured
http://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/site...?itok=5Q-sx0zX

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...R-rear-end.jpg

Anyone know what I can do about this? I feel it makes the car look old and rusty...

Thanks

 

The first ones are after-market (Mina Gallery I think) and brand new, so of course they are clean and shiny.
The second one looks OK.
The third set simply looks dirty to me.
Are you talking only about the tips or the mufflers/pipes as well?
A pic of yours would also help.
But in any case, the tips are pretty much all either chrome plated or polished stainless steel, and will clean up nicely with any brand name chrome or metal polish (I use Autosol).
The stock mufflers and pipes on all XFs are stainless steel, so while not polished they clean up quite well. I use mineral turps to clean off all the dirt and crud, then metal polish. But only when I'm feeling particularly **** about the cleanliness of the car!
The stock quad pipes on the SC and XFR on many cars hang a bit low, and for some unknown reason especially the LHS.
I've adjusted mine both in and up by removing the whole set up, bending the rear mounting post (on the back of each muffler) up a little (in a vice), then when re-installing them pushing/hammering them as far back as they will go onto the connecting pipes, and adjusting the mounting bracket/flange at the front end of each muffler to it''s highest point.

 

The first picture you quoted is my car. These are not the Mina Gallery exhaust, it's a custom setup with the Varex muffler. Here is the build thread:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...nstall-158196/

As OzXFR stated, they were brand new in that picture and they do not look like that anymore after 2 months of being on the car. The stock exhaust that came of the car and the new exhaust look rusty, the tips are still shiny as long as you clean them often.

 

I think what you are describing is the exhaust getting a more brown/gold color from the heat cycles (I believe it's called tempering). That's going to happen unless you spend an inordinate time under the car polishing it constantly.

 

Thank you for the responses. Please see pictures below.

I feel I have to do something about this. Gives the car impression of it being old / rusty.

 

I understand better now. I haven't ever lived in that climate, but I'm assuming much of that is from the road salt. Anyone from a more northern climate care to comment?

 

Owners of late model Mustangs take their stainless pipes
off and polish them to a mirror finish. It's a winter project.

Are you ready for that level of effort?

 

Go to the auto parts store and get some high temp spray paint (like caliper or engine paint) and spray it black or silver if you don't like the natural look.

 

It's going to need a lot of prep before paint is applied.

 

Yep.
Much easier if you remove the whole end sections of the exhaust, a fairy easy DIY job, I've done it so many times now I've lost count. The only hard part is getting the hooks to release from the rubber hangers, my advice is to use plenty of lube (WD40 works for me) and a pry bar. The rest is dead easy, just a couple of clamp bolts (on mine 15 mm but you need a long shank or pass through socket) and hanger bolts to undo.
Then work on those rusty pipes and mufflers to remove all the crud and rust (maybe use a rust converter), coat with rust-proof primer, then spray paint.
I've used black caliper paint in a rattle can many times for this, works well, looks good and road crud cleans off easily.

 

a trip to your local canadian tire store get yourself a can of aerosol heat paint from the automotive shelves, & spray the visualised areas that are annoying you. comes in an array of colours. My choice is flat black, but gloss is an option too.