Exhausted all my options?

[the Teuton]

I'm a little upset right now.

As I was driving back to Pittsburgh tonight (a 120-mile trek), my exhaust fell off somewhere near the catalytic converter. For those of you keeping score at home, I just paid $400 for a new exhaust system almost two months ago to the day. When I asked about it then, the mechanic said, "Your catalytic converter is kinda worn out, but we were able to reuse it." Cool, I thought.

Now, I am 120 miles away from where I got it fixed. I have a car that sounds louder than a semi at WOT. I have a mechanic here who could probably fix it, but I've already spent a ton of money on it, and I think I deserve better. I'm not even sure it is a rusty catalytic converter since it just happened at about 12:30 as I was crossing the Ohio border.

Fortunately, I am only driving the car once a week right now to pick up groceries and whatnot. I am taking the bus system to and from work. For anyone who has ever dealt with a mechanic/quality assurance in a mechanic's shop, what in the hell should I do? It's not like I can go back to Ohio every week right now (I am working 20 hours right now on top of going to school full-time, and this shop isn't open on weekends)?

[Laconian]

Swap cars with a parent or Ohio-resident broheim until it gets fixed, then swap back?

[The Pirate]

Swap cars with a parent or Ohio-resident broheim until it gets fixed, then swap back?

This.

How close to the cat did the pipe break?  And was it the same spot where the new exhaust was mated, or is it a new spot?  If there's enough material aft of the cat to make purchase, I'd find a ghetto ass exhaust shop to just reattach everything, knowing that it's not going to last forever.

If you need to get back to Pittsburgh ASAP, bale up the exhaust with some wire, buy some earplugs and make the drive. 

This happened to me once (in a much newer car).  Was 100 miles into a 300 mile drive home, and the back end of the exhaust parted ways at 70 mph.  Bailed it up, finished the drive home, and it was two weeks before I had it fixed.  Hit a raccoon on that trip too.  Made a thread, as I recall.

[the Teuton]

I'll check it out tomorrow. It's cold outside, and I wasn't too eager to shine my cell phone underneath my car to check.

I'mma see whether or not I can get the Subaru out here, I guess.

[the Teuton]

Just checked it out. It separated right at the header. Either their welds were shoddy or the quality of parts were shoddy.

And the shop owner is a douche.

[the Teuton]

To weld or to replace? That is the question.

[hounddog]

Just checked it out. It separated right at the header. Either their welds were shoddy or the quality of parts were shoddy.

And the shop owner is a douche.

That is NOT a header, it is an "Exhaust Manifold."    

I would say to ask what your local mechanic suggests, but it does not look like it broke (at least not in that photo), it looks like the just did not put a flang on the end after putting on the flange clamp.

You are probably looking at an hour and a half worth of work, maybe $100 to fix it by adding a flange.  Might need to get a new pipe if it is not long enough for them to bend in a flange.

[hounddog]

So, whats the news on this?

[the Teuton]

So, whats the news on this?

It's getting towed back to Ohio in the near future.

[the Teuton]

Evidenced by a non-rusty pipe in the pic, is this receipt enough to say that they did, in fact, replace said part that just went? The mechanic doesn't seem to think so. I think he's full of crap.

[2o6]

Front flex pipe, resonator pipe and adapter plate sound like everything after the cat.


Are you sure the exhaust came off from the headers the first time?

[the Teuton]

Front flex pipe, resonator pipe and adapter plate sound like everything after the cat.


Are you sure the exhaust came off from the headers the first time?

I thought so, yes.

[2o6]

This may simply be a second leak.

[the Teuton]

This may simply be a second leak.

Then I'm going to scrounge up $100 and get it done here, I think. Or should I just call up my shade tree mechanic and have him do it?

I guess here's the big question: Is it worth shipping back to Ohio?

[2o6]

Cut-rate muffler in Akron (Romig Rd) is the place that I got my exhaust work done.

[The Pirate]

Then I'm going to scrounge up $100 and get it done here, I think. Or should I just call up my shade tree mechanic and have him do it?

I guess here's the big question: Is it worth shipping back to Ohio?

I thought you shipped it back to Ohio already?  If not, and you have a guy that will do the job for $100 locally, then that's the way to go.  You don't have to get the car to OH, hope they cover the repair, get the car back to you - meanwhile you're without a car for a few days.  One hundred ducats is well worth avoiding that situation, IMO.

[the Teuton]

I thought you shipped it back to Ohio already?  If not, and you have a guy that will do the job for $100 locally, then that's the way to go.  You don't have to get the car to OH, hope they cover the repair, get the car back to you - meanwhile you're without a car for a few days.  One hundred ducats is well worth avoiding that situation, IMO.

I should be able to get it done for less than that, but we'll see.

I like my under the table mechanic.

[2o6]

The place I went to wasn't under the table.

[the Teuton]

The place I went to wasn't under the table.

You know this, but even as cheap of a place to live as Pittsburgh is, it's still a lot more expensive than Ohio.

[280Z Turbo]

You know this, but even as cheap of a place to live as Pittsburgh is, it's still a lot more expensive than Ohio.

Two tons o' fun: What year is plasticar?

[280Z Turbo]

It looks like that downpipe is not original. It's crimp bent, and OEM stuff usually isn't. Also, the flex pipe is sold like this:



so, it appears that the part that they put on was defective. Not the mechanics fault, unless they improperly mounted the exhaust causing too much stress at the weld. It may have a 1 year warranty on the part, but autozone only shows a 3 month warranty on it.

[the Teuton]

Fancy that, it happened within 2 months!

You sure, Sean? That'd be awesome if so.

[the Teuton]

Two tons o' fun: What year is plasticar?

'95.

[280Z Turbo]

Fancy that, it happened within 2 months!

You sure, Sean? That'd be awesome if so.

It looks like it. The pipe still looks shiny, no way it's original. You can buy just a universal flex section by itself, but I think they bought the entire downpipe.

If you tell them the header broke they will say "GTFO", but if you tell them the new flexpipe broke at the weld, they would have to admit they put the part on.

[2o6]

I didn't even realize the thread had pictures.

[the Teuton]

The shop owner told my dad from the printout he showed him that the pipe looked old, and his mechanic didn't replace it. Bull.

[the Teuton]

I wouldn't normally do this, but I am going to take my car to a chain and ask them for a professional opinion. Then, next week, I'll either have it fixed here or call up the guy in Ohio depending on what I find out.

And if the guy in Ohio still rejects doing the work, I don't know what I'm going to do if that's the case -- lawyer up?

[the Teuton]

I have in my possession a copy of my receipt signed by the manager at a Monroe Muffler saying that the part that broke was, indeed, brand new. He said if there's any problem, the mechanic in Ohio should call him.

He also said there's no way on earth is couldn't be a new part.

[Laconian]

I wouldn't normally do this, but I am going to take my car to a chain and ask them for a professional opinion. Then, next week, I'll either have it fixed here or call up the guy in Ohio depending on what I find out.

And if the guy in Ohio still rejects doing the work, I don't know what I'm going to do if that's the case -- lawyer up?

What!? A lawyer, over $400? If you want to take him to court, take him to small claims court.

[the Teuton]

What!? A lawyer, over $400? If you want to take him to court, take him to small claims court.

I've never had to take someone to court before, and I hope I don't have to do so now.