I have bought a pair of straight-through pipes to replace the rear section of the OE exhaust (basically to get more noise!). I had a quick look under the car yesterday and managed to loosen the appropriate nuts and bolts, but access is not easy (car is on axle stands, wheels removed).

Is there a how-to on swapping these pipes over? TIA

 

I assume the wheels are off. You have to get the rear WAY UP in the air to create space for the rear exhaust section to clear the axel and suspension. It takes some fiddeling but it can be done. The option is to cut the exhaust.

 

Hmm, presumably I'll have the same problem putting on the new pipes, which I can't cut... I see a visit to the local exhaust shop coming along Thanks for your input.

 

Not that hard, I did it yesterday! Once you have loosened the clamp nut/bolt, give it a sharp tap with a hammer to release it, pull the exhaust of it's front mount, as you have a 2005 you might find it easier to undo the bolts holding the mount in place.
Once it is off the mount twist the exhaust downwards, as long as the tube has released on the clamp it should pivot quite easy, then keep twisting back and forth until the exhaust comes off the slip joint.

Easy

 

Thanks for the input. TBH, I can't see/access the mounts at the very back of the car inside the rear valance. The pipes seem to be held on with a weird combination of rubber blocks, bolts and hooks...