Is the local garage trying to pull my pants down

[Jon_R 0]

My 1.8 valver's exhaust is dead. The whole thing cannot be welded and it making a noise like god gargling which is very nice but it is time for a new one to be fitted. I wanted a quick job so I just took it round to my local garage and asked them to price up a new exhaust system.

 

The cheeky monkey tells me that he needs 4 separate parts to make up my exhaust and quotes me £717. I was incensed. Is this bloke pulling my plums or am I seriously looking at over the £200 I have budgeted?

[steve @ 0]

That is way ott. Might as well get an aftermarket system like magnex, supersprint or a complete custom system for about £350 fitted.

[mattnorgrove 0]

Sounds like he's bending you over and expecting thanks for it. You can get a custom job from Pipewerx (sp?) for about £400 IIRC, or an aftermarket for £350ish (as already said).

 

Tell the guy to take a long walk off a short pier if I were you...

[Dec 1]

A few years back I had to get the rear box and centre box changed on my valver...I got a pretty good discount from Kwik fit in the end, because they ordered the wrong parts three times in a row...but it still cost me £200+

 

Centre pipe section was replaced just after I bought the car in 2003 and cost about £35 + fitting + vat, along with a load of other work.

 

When Kwik fit were doing the back sections they showed me that the front silencer/downpipe was on its last legs...they said it was over £200 plus fitting costs!!! Luckily I bought a new one on Ebay for £50 and they agreed to fit it for free.

 

So that was all back in 2003/2004, so without any discount and assuming all the parts would cost a few quid more now.....I could well see it coming to what you were quoted!

[Jim 2]

I don't think he's ripping you off in that he's probably getting the prices for the sections from VW or GSF and it just costs that much to buy the whole system seperately.. but you're much better off getting a quality aftermarket system as others have said! Much cheaper!

[Dec 1]

Yeah, I ended up replacing all the new standard parts about a year after they were fitted with a stainless system, that amazingly cost a good deal less!

[blackcat 0]

We recently had a whole new VAG exhaust on the VR which cost us about £370. I thought that was a bit steep but £700???

[dinkus 10]

I thought the VAG exhaust is around £400 from the cat-back.

 

If you need the cat replacing as well, then that aint cheap and I can see how that'd add another couple of hundred quid to the price.

 

Then add labour on and it'll be £700.

 

But I doubt you'll need a new cat, so he is probably having a giraffe.

[Jon_R 0]

Cheers Gents. It seems rather obvious that I will be needing an after market system rather than going standard. Anyone got any suggestions as to what they would get?

[dinkus 10]

Well you don't need an aftermarket system - the genuine VAG exhaust is only £400, provided you only need from the cat back.

 

A stainless one will sound and look a bit sexier :norty: but cost about the same.

 

Personal preference would be a Magnex for around £350, but there's a huge discussion on that here

[vr6storm 0]

Well you don't need an aftermarket system - the genuine VAG exhaust is only £400, provided you only need from the cat back.

 

 

 

 

c'mon dinkus.......its a 1.8 16valver.............there's no cat there :wink: :lol:

[chrishill 0]

My 1.8 valver's exhaust is dead

 

If you need the cat replacing as well, then that aint cheap and I can see how that'd add another couple of hundred quid to the price.

 

I didn't think any 1.8 16v's had a cat? (damn, Rodders got in there first *shakes fist*)

 

Anyway, as others have said, go for an aftermarket system. when I had my valver I got one custom made by a couple of ex-rally mechanics and they charged less than that guys quoting you!

[dinkus 10]

Heh sorry, don't deal with the 2-pot short engines :lol:

 

But if you've got no cat then the VAG exhaust isn't gonna cost £700 and neither is an after market stainless one.

[chrishill 0]

unless the downpipe is buggered too? I doubt that though

[Jim 2]

Supersprint and Magnex systems are where i'd be spending my money if I was buying a new exhaust system Jon_R :)

[jamminvr6storm 0]

Get the VAS out..... yr about to be......

 

Cant you just a cat from GSF / euro's (if needed) then buy an aftermarket system that will sound better and prob give a couple of horses ??

 

Max that will cost including cat would be £500 ?? As for fitting i would really advise doing it yourself :)

[vr6storm 0]

there's no cat on a 1.8 16v

[Dec 1]

unless the downpipe is buggered too? I doubt that though

 

Downpipe and first silencer are all one part on the 1.8L. Silencer tends to be the first part to go on them.

[chubbybrown 0]

I tried removing a centre section last night,that was peppered around the join.

In the end as I had two new centre ones I had to remove that as well and refit,right bollox of a job matching old for new.

Its the very front section of a valver thats the most expensive around £130.

 

Pattern part wise you can buy a whole system for £270 delivered,still usnure if thats the front pipe though!

http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/produ ... tpos=&max=

 

at that price rather than buying a section a Magnex looks good value for stainless steel and getting the end you deserve!

check bosals website too,I compared a bosal to a vw last night and they both might fit but theres No comparison,no wonder the Vw one has lasted 18 years.

chubbz

[jonnyboyo 0]

I got quoted £450-£500 for a full system (excl front pipe) from Kwik-Fit and an independant garage for my 1.8 valver. They aren't cheap exhausts for what they are, but £700+ is a rip off. Go aftermarket stainless for half the price 8)

[Rob Heath 0]

I had a milltek on my old corrado 16v and couldnt fault that!