Sorry to hear about your friend's bad experience. I don't know what would crack a muffler like that besides a really sick backfire. Dynomax is made by Walker, who makes most OEM domestic exhausts. All their stuff is basically OEM fit and quality. They made the original factory exhaust on my 5.0 Mustang, and the Dynomax 2 1/2 cat-back I have on there now has survived 2 years of serious salt and still looks almost new. I know what you are saying about the el-cheapo muffler sound and I haven't experienced it with the dynomax. My mustang sounds about stock, maybe a little throatier but quiet, and the CRX is quiet too. I don't have much of a baseline as it had NO muffler when I got it, but now I don't really hear the exhaust, just the engine revving. So I'm happy with it. If I have any problems, I'll report back but I don't expect any after my experience with the 5.0 kit.

As for fitment, the summit site is all confusing. The exhaust fits '88-'91 CRXs.