I have a 2001 Dodge diesel 2500 4 wheel drive PU with only 48.000 miles. I just recently noticed that the tail pipe had completely rusted away, upon further inspection I noticed this had occured only at the top of the system, is this normal for a diesel or did Dodge use shoddy materials on this system. I can understand if the bottom was rusted away, water in the system from not heating up to dey out. All my trips are at least 50 miles, so theres plenty of time for things to warm up.

 

so it is the top of the pip that is rusting. . .interesing, I would say it would be from the calcium-chloronate that is put on the roads to dissolve the ice that are the metal

 

I also have a 2001 2500 4x4 deisel and at 38000 my muffler and tailpipe also rusted off. so did my stepbrothers 99. I went to summit racing and bought there 4in exhaust system.

 

The rear flange of the stock muffler rusted out on my 99 24v at 108,000 miles. The rest of the exhaust was rock solid. The stealer (dealer) wanted $280.00 just for the stock muffler with the hanger. The front clamp with hanger and a rear plain clamp was another $30.00. The generic Napa & Advance Auto Parts mufflers didn't come with the rear hanger, you had to buy a tailpipe to get the rear hanger.
For about $430.00 I got a full 4" MBRP exhaust system, delivered. It even came with the turbo bolts! It is louder, especially at the tailpipe, but boy she breathes now. Torque and throttle response is way up. I cut the old system off and had the new one on in about 2 hours, without a lift.

 

well on the exhuast systems my 01 factory sysem stile looked almost new at 105k when i got my new system my dads 99 with 110k is still going strong i live in the south so i would have to agree with drew sounds like the salt and calcium that is put on the roads but havin 40k on it sounmds like it should last u a couple of decades if u can keep the canser stoped would love to find 1 that low milaged for sell