Hi all,

Now I have used the search function but type anything exhaust or spring related and all you get back are sports exhausts and coilovers...

Basically, my offside rear spring snapped 2 weeks ago leading to it to rub against the wheel arch lining. A very helpful local garage provided a quick fix as i had to drive down to France the next day. Whilst it was up on the ramp, he observed that the middle and rear boxes were completely shot as i had been dreading - got an observation on the last MOT in May 2012.

So, the car is a Y reg 1.4 16v. I am unfortunately rather short on money at the moment.

I have been quoted £170 all in to get both rear springs replaced (should be done in pairs etc)

and £210 all in for the middle and rear sections of the exhaust to be replaced.

I am currently down south (Surrey) but go to uni in Leicester where labour per hour is a fair bit cheaper so will call a couple of places there soon.

That is the background. I welcome your thoughts on:

Is the original exhaust a one piece jobby so essentially the whole thing rather than the middle and rear has to be replaced?

I didn't get a break down on price of parts + labour but as i really am short on cash, would it be worth buying these parts from a written off car?

Judging by how meaty rear springs are, if a car has been written off in, say, a frontal impact, surely they would be find?

I welcome your thoughts on keeping the cost down :(

I can help you with the spring, or 2, if necessary, they will cost you a fiver each. The job is easy. When are you coming back up 'cos I'm only 20 miles down the A6. If you want some help with the job that may be possible (I don't like getting wet any more unless absolutely necessary). Exhaust I can't help with but I'll give you an unbiased opinion on it.

Thanks Peter, I appreciate that. Before i send you a PM, did you purchase the springs brand new or second hand off a scrapped car as I've suggested? I cannot find any new for a fiver:

http://www.monroeshop.co.uk/rear-monroe-coil-spring--fits-skoda-fabia-6y2-14-16v-pn-sp3344-single_p22298682.htm?gclid=CPH-0dr71rQCFYXLtAodCAMAVg

that's the cheapest new.

They are S/H, off my estate when I fitted heavy duty springs 5 years ago. I've checked that they are the same as the H/B. They have done about 58k miles.

Fantastic. sorry I was having a blonde moment. I will drop you a PM.

Well, thanks to Peter, the springs issue will be solved.

However the exhaust... Someone must know whether these are one-piece from new or fitted in sections from new?

And further to this, What about buying an exhaust second hand...?

The original exhaust will be one piece as it gets fitted early on in the build, but, all other exhausts will come in two or three sections - which is not a problem as you just cut out all the sections that need replaced and buy jointing pieces to clamp them together. BTW, you could never fit a replacement one piece exhaust unless you stripped down a lot of the running gear.

Its easy to work out where it needs cut when you get the new parts - so don't go cutting anything until you have the new sections.

Edited 7 January, 201313 yr by rum4mo

I priced up an exhaust for my mpi a while back, a new back box is only £50 delivered. To give you a comparison the last time I replaced a back box I paid £10 from a scrap yard, it was virtually new but the car in question left the factory with an exhaust in sections, you'd need to cut/join on the fabia.

Thanks for that.

ok so the garage said i need the back box and the middle section which implies these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-Hatchback-1-4-16v-1999-2006-Exhaust-Rear-Back-Silencer-Box-/290810904642?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43b5ae4042

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-Hatchback-1-4-16v-1999-2005-Exhaust-Centre-Silencer-Pipe-/290810930309?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AFabia%7CCars+Type%3A1.4&hash=item43b5aea485

so that's £29 + £24.50

So, I assume these two parts connect with ease and i only need to purchase one connector for the middle section > front part that will still be original.

OR

do i need one to connect the new back box with new middle section too?

Unfortunately I searched exhaust connectors (i have no idea what to search on ebay) and nothing comes up. May anyone point me in the right direction of what to search for?

I think that they get called jointing sections or pieces, they come in different diameters and have a clamp at each end, but, the outlines of these two sections of exhaust look very "old school" so maybe you just need to buy a couple of normal clamps and jointing gunge when you come to fit them. VAG original and replacement exhausts do not have a split bell'd out end like "plug" and "socket" so that is why normally their exhausts need jointing pieces of the correct diameter.

That's great, thanks. Well, after a lot of searching I could find the parts that are simply described as "clamps".

However, I notice that there are also parts that connect the silencer and back box to the car which seem impossible to find on their own.

Apologies for all the questions as i am very much a novice to stuff on the under side of my car but... is it likely that i would need these parts that connect the back box and silencer to the underside of the car?

If my description is poor, i mean part numbers ONR312, ONR313 and ONR265 from the following links:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-1-4-00-03-CENTRE-EXHAUST-SILENCER-x1-Exhausts-/321020122345?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AFabia%7CCars+Type%3A1.4&hash=item4abe4a54e9

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-1-4-00-03-REAR-EXHAUST-SILENCER-BOX-x1-Exhausts-/321019734820?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AFabia%7CCars+Type%3A1.4&hash=item4abe446b24

I may in fact go for the above two parts anyway as they come supplied complete with clamps unlike the parts i sent in the links 2-3 posts up.

Thanks.

Original exhaust is in three sections

Section one is the exhuast manifold including the first cat and first labda sensor.

Bolted flange joint between these sections

Section two is the downpipe then the "flex" section and the second cat, and the second lambda sensor.

Split tube section which slides over the join and has two clamps to tighten it closed between these sections

Section three is the itemediate box then the piping which goes over the rear beam axle, then the back box

If fitting a new back box there is a point on the pipework that goes across the car from the centre tunnel to the passenger side when you cut the the pipe to remove the factory backbox. Then you need a clamping join section like the one on the second join!

EDIT

My Remus back box has a larger pipe dia so it slides over the OEM pipe section and is then clamped tight!

Edited 8 January, 201313 yr by fabdavrav