[Garage Question] Am I being quoted right?

[coldfused]

I'm a n00b when it comes to cars and dealing with garages so I thought I'd post it on here. I have a 1994 Mark2F Polo and recently the bracket holding my exhaust up broke, leaving the tail pipe dragging along the tarmac.

The bracket is welded to the exhaust and a quote from a mechanic says the exhaust needs replacing. Everything, parts and labour comes to £138. Is that OK?

To be honest I was expecting it to be less than a £100 - am I wrong?

 

[howler]

Doesn't sound outrageous

Most garages probably charge between £40 - £50 an hour for labour so that makes your exhaust £80, I've no idea if that is right or not for a Polo

Might be worth phoning a few places and getting prices on an exhaust

 

[dalin80]

Presuming the metal is of to poor quality to reweld or repair then it doesn't look too bad.

Although you are about to get a load of replies saying you can buy a complete exhaust system and fit it yourself for 21p.

 

[ubersonic]

I had a mate in college with the same car as you, when this happened we used wire from a nearby fence and a keychain to hang the exhaust from the rear wiper. Obviously this wasn't a proper fix so he started using plastic carrier bags to tie the exhaust to the underside of the car, at one point he was carrying multiple bags in the boot ready to change them when they melted (as they did every few miles but he only did short trips) eventually he replaced the bag idea with a coaxial Ariel lead from a SNES, this held up for a few months until the car was scrapped.

This of course doesn't really answer your question, but meh it still makes me chuckle

I would say your getting a good deal, parts+labour of £138 sounds fine to me but I doubt the entire exhaust is being replaced for that price.

 

[Maz]

a 1994 Polo so the exhaust if it hasn't been replaced lately will be rotten, so unlikely that the bracket can be welded back on.

And £138 all in doesn't sound too bad for an exhaust fitted, I would imagine it's probably not too easy to get the exhaust given the age of the car.

 

[Zero Pope]

Although you are about to get a load of replies saying you can buy a complete exhaust system and fit it yourself for 21p.

A quick google shows about £30 for an exhaust, which would mean about £100 labour and maybe some ancillaries for the £8. I'd call a couple more garages as the price difference may make it worth going slightly farther afield.

 

[jaybee]

You could fix this yourself for free or pay £138. Difficult one.

 

[dalin80]

A quick google shows about £30 for an exhaust, which would mean about £100 labour and maybe some ancillaries for the £8. I'd call a couple more garages as the price difference may make it worth going slightly farther afield.

Its unlikely the garage is ordering via google, garages pay for a brand with which they are happy with the quality, the warranty and the delivery service, not just what's cheapest on the net.

Labour is probably less then an hour and don't forget the VAT.

 

[zipp0r]

you can buy a complete system off ebay for maybe £60 and fit yourself ?

 

[Maccapacca]

Same thing happened to my Volvo the bracket rusted away from the pipe, ATS fitted some strapping and bolted it back to the original rubber mount all for £10, it was Christmas and he wanted cash so I gave him £20.

 

[Maccapacca]

Also those saying fit it yourself

Have you a ramp?
Have you two trolley jacks?
Have you some sleepers or something to stop the car falling on you?
If any of the bolts are rusty do you have a oxy acetylene torch?
Do you have a hand grinder?

A complete exhaust is something I would pay someone to do, they can turn into a nightmare if you don't have the right tools.

 

[rodenal]

Completely agree with the above - the op also admits to knowing very little about cars so it's a non starter really, imagine trying to change a 20 year old exhaust for your first diy car job, you'd never do anything again.

The price sounds fine for a new, fitted exhaust but I do wonder if it's really required? Could be that your exhaust is in as much of a state as the hanger was I guess

 

[jaybee]

Also those saying fit it yourself

Have you a ramp?
Have you two trolley jacks?
Have you some sleepers or something to stop the car falling on you?
If any of the bolts are rusty do you have a oxy acetylene torch?
Do you have a hand grinder?

A complete exhaust is something I would pay someone to do, they can turn into a nightmare if you don't have the right tools.

Yes
Yes
Axle stands yes
My mate does
My mate does



But to be fair there are some jobs I won't do as it's more money efficient for me to not do it myself and let a garage do it, rather than take a day off work doing it myself. Yes there are weekends, but these are busy and valuable to me already.

 

[coldfused]

Thank you everybody for a quick and awesome response! I had a closer inspection of the exhaust and without the proper tools and safety precautions there is absolutely no way I can do it. I phoned a automotive parts supplier and they've quoted me £70 + VAT just for the exhaust. I guess I just have to phone around for a slightly better deal.

I've taken some pictures:

I'm not sure why they're yellow cable ties...

Just noticed the corrosion:

 

[Maz]

That's fixable......

Looks like someone cable tied it together instead of using a proper rubber mount

That corrosion isn't too bad, do you not have any friends or family members who are mechanics?

They'll be able to sort easily!

 

[Fuzz]

That's fixable......

Looks like someone cable tied it together instead of using a proper rubber mount

That corrosion isn't too bad, do you not have any friends or family members who are mechanics?

They'll be able to sort easily!

Are you seriously suggesting spending time and effort on something the guy hasn't much of a clue about only for it to fall apart again in a month or so because the back box is all but rotted through.
Let alone the fact it is no where near the mounts any more so yanking it back into position is likely to snap it off anyway.
Even the skin flint that I am knows that exhaust has had its day!


Shop around a bit, Get yourself a new exhaust, have it fitted. (will need some new rubbers as well.) and relax.

 

[rodenal]

I'm guessing the cable ties are from a quick bodge to keep it up? If youre struggling for cash I'd be tempted to get hold of some metal cable ties and bodge it just like they've done, it will probably knock but I'm guessing you don't do moon miles in the car anyway and it would keep until you can afford the new exhaust

 

[Maz]

Are you seriously suggesting spending time and effort on something the guy hasn't much of a clue about only for it to fall apart again in a month or so because the back box is all but rotted through.
Let alone the fact it is no where near the mounts any more so yanking it back into position is likely to snap it off anyway.
Even the skin flint that I am knows that exhaust has had its day!


Shop around a bit, Get yourself a new exhaust, have it fitted. (will need some new rubbers as well.) and relax.

The car isn't worth £138.

The bracket hasn't snapped off all the way, and it's only the first skin of the back box that has rotted through.

Looks like someone CBA'd last time and cable tied it to a perished rubber mount.

Do you know anything about cars?

It's in a lower position than the mounts because the OP has tied it to his tailgate, and not held on by the actual mount.... it will sit in it's correct place when held there by the correct mount and it won't snap going back up.

 

[Gaijin]

Also those saying fit it yourself

Have you a ramp?
Have you two trolley jacks?
Have you some sleepers or something to stop the car falling on you?
If any of the bolts are rusty do you have a oxy acetylene torch?
Do you have a hand grinder?

A complete exhaust is something I would pay someone to do, they can turn into a nightmare if you don't have the right tools.

I have ramps, a high lift trolley jack, axle stands, and a grinder.

Jack it up, bash the bolts with a club hammer. If it doesn't work - what have you lost? Half hour?

Come on, this is a an exhaust change, not an engine swap.

 

[Fuzz]

The car isn't worth £138.

Don't talk out of your exhaust pipe.

The bracket hasn't snapped off all the way, and it's only the first skin of the back box that has rotted through.

So you are suggesting bodging it?

Looks like someone CBA'd last time and cable tied it to a perished rubber mount.

That's because it was bodged last time as well

Do you know anything about cars?

LOL, do your homework.

It's in a lower position than the mounts because the OP has tied it to his tailgate, and not held on by the actual mount.... it will sit in it's correct place when held there by the correct mount and it won't snap going back up.

You of course know this because you've been under there and tried to re hang it..
No? Exactly.. The bloke said it fell off and was scraping on the ground, now to me that says in all likely hood it's at least a little bit bent or twisted, it's also notably rotten. WHY in gods name do you want to bodge it YET AGAIN. You can clearly see the results of where bodging it gets you.
Just fix the damn thing properly and be done with it.