My 2002 Octavia I has just failed its MOT. The tester showed me, the rear of the cat where it narrows back down to a standard diameter pipe has all corroded through and is barely connected at all.

Nationwide Autocentres / Halfrauds who did the test have quoted £407.

I popped into national, I couldnt remember the engine number but some of them were £100 plus and I thought mine was an ALH engine which he tapped in and came up at £600!!!

I have had a bit of the patter now about them having to be type approved after 2001 but £600!!!

I have websearched and I'm sure this is the right part and its only £110 but I dont fancy fitting it myself.

http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/Products.aspx?ProductID=105949&VehicleID=144056

Why are the quickfit places showing such a variation in price?

Diesels don't need a cat, so you could just have a straight section cut into the pipe to replace the cat..... Much cheaper, and the exhaust system remains legal.

Mbames speaks the truth!

You could probably get a full stainless system for 400 quid!

Plus a straight section is increase flow through the exhaust by a little bit, so may give you an extra hp or two

Fortunately my 2001 110TDI with 187k on the clock is still going strong with its original pipe work

Thanks guys. What would I do to cut a straight bit in, just get some pipe slightly larger diameter and then clamp it either side with them U clamps ??

Would I just try and beg a bit of pipe from a kwik fit type place?

i looked this afternoon and the bolts to get the old bit off look in a very awkward place at the back of the engine.

Extra bhp sounds cool too - although I only do 10 miles a day in a 30 zone now !

Look around where you live, A longlife dealer near me (Oxford) cut out my cat, welded in stainless steel pipe in it's place and charged me £50 cash for everything. Just recently gone straight through an MOT also. I have a 110TDi.

Would you need to take the cat section off the car to weld a piece in or could it be done in situ?

I would imagine it would make for a better weld (and be safer) to remove the pipe and do the work off the car, but I don't have any practical experience of this.

The garage that did mine did it in situ on a car lift. Seemed to make a good job of it. Although they did use alot of equipment that I had never even seen before. Oddly shaped tools to access the tight areas and such.

Like I said it just went through an MOT without problem or even mention. It certainly isn't blowing either. But when accelerating hard the turbo noise is a bit more prominent. Most noticeably when you accelerate hard and then promptly throttle off it makes a sort of vaccum noise.