I highly doubt thjat all the piping needs to be replaced....we have mandrel bent stainless pipes FYI

Just a warning not all SE'* are 2.25.....some are 2.25 and some are 2.5, there is no rhyme or reason what size they put on what car

All L36-powered SE'* are 2.25" at least up through 99. No exceptions.

Our exhaust CAN rust out. I've seen it in the past, although it sounds a bit odd for a car as new as 98.

My 95 was stock and lived in New England..wasn't too bad. maybe a little starting.

I'd have trouble thinking the rust was bad if it started on this car.

my car has surface rust on all the exhaust componets, it happens, not enough to replce the whole system

yes..but yours is not a typical example for the year.

Yours was basically vacuum sealed every winter.

correct but seeing surface rust is nothing to be scared about....

Right..big difference between surface and what the thread origiator may have. Randman was concerned about the donor car exhaust and it looked surface to me.

(Pat..how come you are worried about that surface rust...lol)

<--------- no worries here

My '97 spent only its' 1st 5 yrs in Michigan, but has pe-lenty of rust everywhere. The exhaust looks pretty rough, despite being stainless.

I'm still torn between just putting in a hi-flow cat and muffler and trying to find a shop that can get mandrel-bent pipe and redo the whole thing.
My wife is anxious to get a "performance" exhaust 'cause she likes the sound of my Gibson cat-back on my truck.

Regardless of the outside appearance, most will find their exhaust is just fine on the inside and cross-section when cut.

In the event a replacement exhaust is needed, your best bet is a donor car at a wrecker.