Best header material/coating

[m_owing]

Bought a set of used MAC shorties for my fox. After 1 season they're full of holes around the collector. I have 2.5 bbk catted midpipe for shorties

I was about to order bbk ceramic but checked some message boards, some say they start to peel and rust after a few months, others said the still look new after years. Anyone have personal experience with bbk chrome or ceramic?

Here's some materials and brands I've found:
-ceramic (bbk around $450)
-409 Stainless steel (Flowtech $500)
-304 Stainless steel (Flowtech $592)
-Pacesetter "Armor" coat $530
-Or another brand/material/coating.

What lasts the longest?

[ZR]

Seeing reasonable fit and life out of most sets of BBK shorty / unequal length headers.
Long tubes from them have been a complete hit or miss fit n durability wise, same for matching mid pipe.

[m_owing]

Seeing reasonable fit and life out of most sets of BBK shorty / unequal length headers.
Long tubes from them have been a complete hit or miss fit n durability wise, same for matching mid pipe.

The bbk midpipes are aluminized steel, their headers are mild steel either chrome or ceramic. It’s those other materials I’d be willing to pay if they will last.

ZR, you suggested a smaller diameter “socket” on the down pipe to better seal to the ball at the end of the header, I did that on one side and got a tapered flange gasket for the other side, both worked with success. It was the holes I couldn’t see that were the problem.

I used “jb weld extreme heat paste” on the holes and it actually worked, but I missed one. Not sure I want to spend more time on these garbage headers!

[ZR]

Yes ceramic version is worth the cost.
Good to hear the slide in flange worked for you but damm on the cracks n splits.