Frustration - Exhausted!
Discussion
Am I just unlucky? Is it 'modern times'........ Years ago if I had an exhaust needed replacing I'd take it to someone local and they'd at least make some effort, weld on a new part or whatever is required. Now I find they just say "can't get it", "you'll need the whole lot replacing" or similar, they just don't want to put in the least effort.
Yesterday the exhaust flexi on my wife's 5 year old car (we've had it from new)broke. Today I spent a good bit of time taking it for "quotes" to be told "we can't weld in a flexi repair section (basically a flexi with 40mm of pipe each end) because we can't guarantee our welding" WHAT! or "we could fit a new front section, but you need a new rear one because that sleeves over it". My question "can't you just put a 42mm ID sleeve over the ends and clamp it" received the reply "we don't had any pipe to sleeve it with". The other one "we can't give a price because we don't know how long it will take to get the securing nuts off". I gave up and went to the local factor, who had both the front and rear mating parts, also some sleeving (if I just wanted to fit a new front part and sleeve to existing rear), and also a bolt-on flexi section which would have possibly done the job, but certainly not as good as welding. As the price of both parts was c£70, and I wouldn't have saved a fortune by sleeving the front onto the existing rear I bought the pair. After 15 mins I'd got the front securings off with a power file, so probably a large part of the job done. If I'd not wasted time going to the 'professionals' I'd have had it finished before dark.
So are most exhaust places just a pain, or have I been unlucky?
Yesterday the exhaust flexi on my wife's 5 year old car (we've had it from new)broke. Today I spent a good bit of time taking it for "quotes" to be told "we can't weld in a flexi repair section (basically a flexi with 40mm of pipe each end) because we can't guarantee our welding" WHAT! or "we could fit a new front section, but you need a new rear one because that sleeves over it". My question "can't you just put a 42mm ID sleeve over the ends and clamp it" received the reply "we don't had any pipe to sleeve it with". The other one "we can't give a price because we don't know how long it will take to get the securing nuts off". I gave up and went to the local factor, who had both the front and rear mating parts, also some sleeving (if I just wanted to fit a new front part and sleeve to existing rear), and also a bolt-on flexi section which would have possibly done the job, but certainly not as good as welding. As the price of both parts was c£70, and I wouldn't have saved a fortune by sleeving the front onto the existing rear I bought the pair. After 15 mins I'd got the front securings off with a power file, so probably a large part of the job done. If I'd not wasted time going to the 'professionals' I'd have had it finished before dark.
So are most exhaust places just a pain, or have I been unlucky?
Don't want the hassle of making up a new section(s)when they can just unbolt & fit a new section. For them its quick, usually straightforward & frees up the ramp for the next ASAP.
Even though I can weld & have the kit, sometimes its easier to just fit a new bit - although being trade I'm not paying lots for the parts.
Last time we had an exhaust welded was a few years ago on my wife's 306. Small general garage in Cornwall I've used for fuel for years when on holiday. Welded the broken pipe on the cat & IIRC charged me £20.
Even though I can weld & have the kit, sometimes its easier to just fit a new bit - although being trade I'm not paying lots for the parts.
Last time we had an exhaust welded was a few years ago on my wife's 306. Small general garage in Cornwall I've used for fuel for years when on holiday. Welded the broken pipe on the cat & IIRC charged me £20.
Welding modern cheap exhausts is a pain in the cock.
Apart from BMW and Merc stuff, all the other makes are just junk after a year or two and will just blow through if you tried welding them.
Welding brackets on I will do, most of the time. Depends on the state of the exhaust obviously (normally it is only the aforementioned BMW/merc exhausts that have anything left to weld too!)
The problem with expecting people to sleeve this and patch that is that there is such a wide range of sizes etc that it just isn't feasible to keep it all available quickly, particularly when aftermarket replacement sections are so cheap.
Apart from BMW and Merc stuff, all the other makes are just junk after a year or two and will just blow through if you tried welding them.
Welding brackets on I will do, most of the time. Depends on the state of the exhaust obviously (normally it is only the aforementioned BMW/merc exhausts that have anything left to weld too!)
The problem with expecting people to sleeve this and patch that is that there is such a wide range of sizes etc that it just isn't feasible to keep it all available quickly, particularly when aftermarket replacement sections are so cheap.
Fastpedeller said:
Am I just unlucky? Is it 'modern times'........ Years ago if I had an exhaust needed replacing I'd take it to someone local and they'd at least make some effort, weld on a new part or whatever is required. Now I find they just say "can't get it", "you'll need the whole lot replacing" or similar, they just don't want to put in the least effort.
Yesterday the exhaust flexi on my wife's 5 year old car (we've had it from new)broke. Today I spent a good bit of time taking it for "quotes" to be told "we can't weld in a flexi repair section (basically a flexi with 40mm of pipe each end) because we can't guarantee our welding" WHAT! or "we could fit a new front section, but you need a new rear one because that sleeves over it". My question "can't you just put a 42mm ID sleeve over the ends and clamp it" received the reply "we don't had any pipe to sleeve it with". The other one "we can't give a price because we don't know how long it will take to get the securing nuts off". I gave up and went to the local factor, who had both the front and rear mating parts, also some sleeving (if I just wanted to fit a new front part and sleeve to existing rear), and also a bolt-on flexi section which would have possibly done the job, but certainly not as good as welding. As the price of both parts was c£70, and I wouldn't have saved a fortune by sleeving the front onto the existing rear I bought the pair. After 15 mins I'd got the front securings off with a power file, so probably a large part of the job done. If I'd not wasted time going to the 'professionals' I'd have had it finished before dark.
So are most exhaust places just a pain, or have I been unlucky?
You've just explained why they didnt want to repair...Yesterday the exhaust flexi on my wife's 5 year old car (we've had it from new)broke. Today I spent a good bit of time taking it for "quotes" to be told "we can't weld in a flexi repair section (basically a flexi with 40mm of pipe each end) because we can't guarantee our welding" WHAT! or "we could fit a new front section, but you need a new rear one because that sleeves over it". My question "can't you just put a 42mm ID sleeve over the ends and clamp it" received the reply "we don't had any pipe to sleeve it with". The other one "we can't give a price because we don't know how long it will take to get the securing nuts off". I gave up and went to the local factor, who had both the front and rear mating parts, also some sleeving (if I just wanted to fit a new front part and sleeve to existing rear), and also a bolt-on flexi section which would have possibly done the job, but certainly not as good as welding. As the price of both parts was c£70, and I wouldn't have saved a fortune by sleeving the front onto the existing rear I bought the pair. After 15 mins I'd got the front securings off with a power file, so probably a large part of the job done. If I'd not wasted time going to the 'professionals' I'd have had it finished before dark.
So are most exhaust places just a pain, or have I been unlucky?
It's simple, when replacement parts are so cheap...why on earth would they bother trying to repair in the first place ?
It just makes no sense to waste time/effor/money repairing something that might last for a while...where the customer might not come back crying this broke, or this didnt last, or they want a warranty etc when for a few quid more or same price they can just replace with new. And have far less chance of the customer coming back.
Did you ask any of them a price for replacement...or just for an attempt at repair ?
stevieturbo said:
You've just explained why they didnt want to repair...
It's simple, when replacement parts are so cheap...why on earth would they bother trying to repair in the first place ?
It just makes no sense to waste time/effor/money repairing something that might last for a while...where the customer might not come back crying this broke, or this didnt last, or they want a warranty etc when for a few quid more or same price they can just replace with new. And have far less chance of the customer coming back.
Did you ask any of them a price for replacement...or just for an attempt at repair ?
They said they would give a price once they'd found out - that was 21 hours ago.It's simple, when replacement parts are so cheap...why on earth would they bother trying to repair in the first place ?
It just makes no sense to waste time/effor/money repairing something that might last for a while...where the customer might not come back crying this broke, or this didnt last, or they want a warranty etc when for a few quid more or same price they can just replace with new. And have far less chance of the customer coming back.
Did you ask any of them a price for replacement...or just for an attempt at repair ?
Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff