'09-'10 GT Owners Watch Your Back!

[vibenvy]

While detailing my mom's '09 GT about a week ago I made a disheartening discovery. While drying it, I bent down to dry off the factory muffler tip and it practically fell off in my hand. I always just assumed the factory muffler tip was welded on (I mean the factory muffler tips on my '02 Sunfire GT were welded on why wouldn't this one be as well?). Upon further inspection I realized the only thing holding the factory muffler tip onto the tailpipe was a sort of "sleeve" type thing. I also realized that the factory muffler tip is made up of one thin piece of metal. Wow, was I amazed at the cheap quality of it. I even took it inside to show my mom and she said, not knowing much about cars, that it seemed very cheap to her as well. If I hadn't of bent down to dry it off it probably would have went flying off the next time she hit a bump or something. I'm so glad I noticed it. I checked mine and it was nice and tight.Here's a picture looking down the backside of the muffler tip (the "sleeve" in the middle is the only thing that holds it on):Long story short, I stopped by my local exhaust shop last week to talk to the owner to see if there was anything he could do with it. He ended up bending the underside of it up a little bit and tach (sp?) welding it in place so it won't be going anywhere anymore. I also had him do mine. He charged me $10.00 per Vibe since it only took him a couple minutes to do.I just wanted to give all of you '09-'10 GT owners out there a heads up so you can keep an eye on your factory muffler tip or even have it welded like I did so you don't have to worry about it.