I'm looking into getting a DC Sports 4-1 header. I remember hearing comments that the coating or polish wears off, but can't remember if it was on the ceramic coated or the stainless steel. I'm wondering which one is it that wears, the ceramic, or stainless steel?

 

the ceramis one. mine seems to be very discolored
oh yea with the 4 into 1 and a lowered integra watch out for the pot holes cus
you will be denting it up down there

 

I've got a CC and mine doesnt look bad. its still silver. you've got to think, your exhaust is flaming and its going to turn just about any metal. the polished/chromed ones turn purple over time. atleast the cc if worse comes to worse you can paint it back silver with some hi-temp paint.

 

my dc ceramic rusted out in 6 months of use. Rust all around the collector and there was a small leak where the flange was welded on. If you live in the snowbelt where there is salt on the roads buy a stainless header. Of course you prolly dont have to worry about that in arizona

 

The stainless steel won't wear off or rust. My brother-in-law had a s.s. DC Sports header on his '98 GSR and put it on the dyno and lost horsepower. He had adjustable cam gears and had his valve cover cut and he was adjusting cams all day and did about 13 runs and kept losing horsepower. So I guess that is not a good choice for the '98 + GSR's. Anyway....

 

The SS headers change color. The heat coming from your engine causes them to turn kind of purple. The ceramic headers don't last as long as SS but have the same hp gain. Decide if you want to go with looks or reliabilty. I haven't had any problems with my ceramic headers and they were less expensive than the SS.

 

i would say go ss

 

Don't go with the USDM header, get a good JDM 2.5" collector header and be happy that you waited.....