I recently had a 2011 fabia serviced at a skoda garage and they advised the following:

 

excessive free play on both front track rods and offside ball joint - need replacing - £500

hole/leak in exhaust / separated from bracket / catalytic converter needs replacing - £1950

 

In the video they sent (which I will attach screenshots from), the hole in the exhaust is on a mesh tube (flex hose?) near the front of the exhaust system. I asked if it would be possible just to replace this part but they claimed they would have to replace the whole exhaust. 

 

Obviously hesitant to spend that much money replacing the whole exhaust on a car this old, and not inclined to get the track rods / ball joint replaced if the exhaust issue isn't fixed, so might be looking to replace the car, particularly as it's diesel. But this fabia has done me well, and generally I much prefer to fix things than replace them, so I was wondering if there are any other options? A local mechanic here in glasgow recommended a custom exhaust place who might be able to help - just spoke to them and they can do it for £444 - £144 for the part and £300 to get it in and out (which they said is a mission on these). They said it was the most common issue with these exhausts. Any opinions on this as a solution? wondered if it might be worth doing even if replacing / trading in the car...

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Insane prices, absolutely barking mad.

 

Get away from that dealer right now, don't walk, RUN!

 

Take your car to an independent VW specialist for a second opinion, there's bound to be one nearby.

I had that issue back in 2007ish, with a 2002 VW Polo 1.4 16V - a petrol engine, I took it to an exhaust specialist in Falkirk, Stainless Creations is the name, they messed up the first replacing of that flexi, but got it right second time when I supplied the exact correct flexi repair section, that repair was still "like new" when we moved that car on in 2015 at 105K miles.

 

These what must be dealership prices will probably be correct - but I'd hope very few people end up getting them to sort it out, there will be must cheaper full exhaust replacement parts available as aftermarket parts.

 

I think that the original repair to my wife's Polo was just under £100 which sounded very attractive when compared with my only option at that time for a replacement front section - which was VW Group dealership!

 

Edit:- correct the name of the firm I used, and they still exist and have a website.

 

Another Edit:- that was not Arnold Clarke that you used was it? 

Edited 25 January, 20224 yr by rum4mo

I have just replaced the flex pipe on my daughter's Fabia.

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/499477-flex-pipe-exhaust-repair/

 

I cannot tell you anything about trackrods and ball joints.

Exhaust pipe repair sleeve stainlesssteel with clamps around £40 to buy, track rod ends arond £90 for decent make a pair but can get them a lot cheaper, bottom ball joint, I would change both anyway around £100 for the pair good quality, but again seen them cheaper, a decent garage should only charge around £200 labour for this work , you could save a bit by doing ball joints yourself and just paying someone to fit the exhaust part or have a go yourself you will have to cut old bit out and measure up but it is possable

Ball joints and Track rod ends are cheap and relatively easy to do so a dealer would have it done in no time. When I did mine I think the ball joints could have been 30 a side and the Track rod ends 20 ish.

I've replaced the whole exhaust on mine, midpipe and backbox was 80 euro shipped off fleabay. 

My downpipe is a used darkside one I got with a "sporty" backbox for 140 for the 2 of them. New downpipe would be expensive as it has the cat and the dpf on it, hence why I jumped at the darkside one when it was up.

Edited 26 January, 20224 yr by DieselMonte

I

Hi guys we just had to do the better half car  .same place as you're around the bracket where the weld had made the pipe thin .But I just got the heat rap from tool station ! £7.50 there abouts and as long as you keep the wrap tight when wrapping and cover the holes in the pipe between the exhaust brackets worked brilliantly .just clean pipe with wire brush first and (watch eyes ) 

Not sure where you are based to point you to nearest custom exhaust place but any of them worth their salt will remove the old flexi and replace without any problem and for a fraction of the price you've been quoted. 

 

Ours went back in October, flexi was gone but not the cat. National tyres confirmed flexi was problem but they told me to go to custom place as back box also badly corroded. To replace system from Skoda was going to be over £1500.

 

We went to Caltek systems in Ayr, half day job replaced flexi, centre section delete and new back box with staggered tail pipes, all stainless, for £640 all in. I know that's more expensive than some other places can do for. Sound is spot on. 

 

Short answer is to find reputable custom exhaust place in your area and have them do it. 

On 25/01/2022 at 10:48, monekh said:

I recently had a 2011 fabia serviced at a skoda garage and they advised the following:

 

excessive free play on both front track rods and offside ball joint - need replacing - £500

hole/leak in exhaust / separated from bracket / catalytic converter needs replacing - £1950

 

In the video they sent (which I will attach screenshots from), the hole in the exhaust is on a mesh tube (flex hose?) near the front of the exhaust system. I asked if it would be possible just to replace this part but they claimed they would have to replace the whole exhaust. 

 

Obviously hesitant to spend that much money replacing the whole exhaust on a car this old, and not inclined to get the track rods / ball joint replaced if the exhaust issue isn't fixed, so might be looking to replace the car, particularly as it's diesel. But this fabia has done me well, and generally I much prefer to fix things than replace them, so I was wondering if there are any other options? A local mechanic here in glasgow recommended a custom exhaust place who might be able to help - just spoke to them and they can do it for £444 - £144 for the part and £300 to get it in and out (which they said is a mission on these). They said it was the most common issue with these exhausts. Any opinions on this as a solution? wondered if it might be worth doing even if replacing / trading in the car...

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Just noticed you're in the Glasgow area, Simon Custom Exhausts in EK would do this for you, but you would be looking at a wait time as he's usually booked for months ahead, we didn't have that time to wait so followed another recommendation and went to Caltek in Ayr. Simons was I think 440 for custom system flexi back. 

On 28/01/2022 at 07:51, Sittingbull said:

We went to Caltek systems in Ayr, half day job replaced flexi, centre section delete and new back box with staggered tail pipes, all stainless, for £640 all in. I know that's more expensive than some other places can do for. Sound is spot on. 

 

Forgot about Cal-Tek in Ayr. Will need to keep them in mind.