Hi folks 

My 08 fabia 1.4 16v petrol with the bxw engine has a deteriorating flexi joint on the exhaust. It's due to go in for its mot soon. The flexi and the middle silencer were listed as advisories last mot, the car has hardly been used over the last year due to I'll health however I'm pretty sure the flexi and silencer will need sorting to get it through the not. Is it possible to cut the old flexi off and replace it with a like like  size flexi repair pipe. Or do I need to replace the whole front section of the exhaust. Some of the prices I've been quoted by places like kwik fit and ats for the front section replacement have come in at over £500. Please can someone give me some advice or point me in the direction of a sensible priced front section 

Thanks in advance 

You might be better posting in the Fabia 2 specific forum here

How many miles has the car done Tony?

The original cats will be bigger and contain far more catalytic materials compared with an aftermarket replacement, which are probably capable of scraping through 2 or 3 MOTs only, and I think will universally omit the precat at the start of the section,

 

So a grafting in of a flexi is a good option, but not entirely straightforward. I believe you may find 'kinks' in the 3D shape of the front section, close to the flexible part on at least one end, which will need careful planning and marking to ensure a viable fit if welding it in.

 

I think the front section part number is 6Q0254502RX, still available from Skoda if you have a grand or so to spare.

Aftermarket versions can be found at around a tenth of that cost on ebay, if you search that number.

I can be more confident of that being the correct part number for your car if you supply reg or VIN.

Edited 5 February, 20251 yr by Breezy_Pete

Ignore my mention of the precat bit.

Whilst the ETKA illustration depicts one, real photos of genuine sections suggest it's not present on your part number.

Makes life a bit easier.

 

Edited 5 February, 20251 yr by Breezy_Pete

Hi, Tony welcome.

 

The following may sound at strange idea but it can work.  If you have any custom exhaust places near you, the ones where those with modified cars go for huge blink noisy, then they might be able to do the work for a fraction of what the "high street" names, like ATS and Kwik Fit, charge and being specialist they are often very highly skilled in their work and used to using better quality materials to higher standards, that doesn't always mean high prices and simple fit in work is often appreciated for a change, training and pauing overheads.

 

Same for if you have a sports specialist, or perhaps modified/ sports place that specialises in VW / VAG brands.

 

If you get somewhere decent they might even tell you if your car might again pass with just advisories for this.

 

I know good places and people are hard to find, no, really believe me, I really know, but some do still exist.

 

Good luck.