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Two days ago a replacement exhaust was fitted to my wifes car. As I paid the bill the receptionist happened to mention that it was a \"corse sounding exhaust\". This was because it only had the cat and one box at the back. I couldn,t be bothered to mention that it was fine until it needed replaceing . I now wish to complain but before I have to listen to the \"it,ll quieten down with use story\" I really do not know how to complain. The exhaust has been fitted perfectly but the back box is very loud do I have to accept these replacements are louder than standard?
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What car do you have Carl?
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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It is a Citroen Saxo East Coast 1.1 1999 {Added to subject header. DD}. Although you could mistake it for a Westfield if you heard it coming down the road. I must admit the fact that the receptionist commented on it made me suspicious. I t was fitted by a well known exhaust and tyre centre.
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Most new exhausts(original or pattern)will be noisier when first fitted.This is because,in the manufacturing process,the filling of the mufflers-usually basalt wool-is put into the mufflers in thin plastic bags to keep them the correct shape and to assist the production process and it's environment.These bags should melt on the first hard drive and the muffler can achieve it's full effect.
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I will give it a couple of weeks then if no improvement I,ll pop back. Thanks for this advice I had no idea this was the case.
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I had a Saxo a few years ago that required a new exhaust - it rotted through where the backbox joins the pipe after 3 1/2 years which is a common occurence on these cars.
I took it to a local el-cheapo tyre and exhaust centre who changed the back box and pipe section - they are 2 piece exhaust on the Saxo, ie pipe-cat-pipe one piece and backbox the other, so as the pipe had rotted it had to have a new section of pipe sleeved over the old one.
When I picked it up it sounded like it had been fitted with a straight through exhaust - it was incredibly boomy under power. I took it back, they checked it over and said it would quieten down in a 1000 miles. It didn't, so I took it back and they fitted another box which was much the same. They said if I wasn't happy to take it somewhere else and bring the bits back and they'd give me a refund, which I thought was pretty fair of them. I took it to an independant garage who ordered a Walker branded backbox up and fitted it and it was as good as new. The box cost me £55 as opposed to £35 but it was well worth the difference and the fast fit place refunded my money on the noisy box.
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I am afraid you get what you pay for.
I have just taken off an old Walker system and replaced it with a cheap and cheerful on made by another supplier. The difference in weight and quality was apparent when I compared the two. I now wish I had taken it to a local fitter (not a chain) who would have fitted a Walker one for an extra £10 (and I wouldn't have got dirty!)
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Crinkly Dave is correct - you do get what you pay for. I've had cheap replacement exhausts that have sounded quite different (usually noisier) than the original equipment. I suppose they use thinner gauge steel and have a poorly arranged system of baffles in the silencer.
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Thanks to Quinny100. I now have a Walker system fitted in place of the bosal system no extra charge. Changed by Hi Q in a most helpful manner ( expected the usual hassle but was pleasantly supprised). In future if a Walker system is not available are there any other well known brands of the same quality?
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"In future if a Walker system is not available are there any other well known brands of the same quality?"
I had a replacement back box fitted to my Polo as the cheap old one rotted out in no time. The volkswagen specialist fitted a Ernst (OEM) part which is great. It is braced at the rear of the back box, which stops them bending with age. (Common problem with non -genuine parts on these Polos)
Its a heavy part, so the metal is considerably thick, and after a few months and 2500 miles, it stills hasn't began to rust like the old one did. Also, it is fitted with an 'anti-condensation' inner structure which is supposed to prolong its service life. Time will tell....
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"It is braced at the rear of the back box"
I used to have a Mark 2 Polo. The only thing that didn't rot was the exhaust, until about 3years old. After the first replacement failed after a year. Then I used to brace the last section by welding on a bracket to stop the tailpipe cracking at the weld. Then they lasted 2 years.
Sadly the rest of the car carried on rusting, and the cylinder head gaskets failing.
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