The rear silencer on my Fabia 1.4 (AQW) 8v's exhaust is on the verge of rusting through and starting to blow and I'm keen to either replace by or have the parts for its MOT in March. It's still on its factory exhaust so looks like it'll need cutting to replace the silencer. I'm not after replacing it with anything fancy, just a genuine part.

This is the first exhaust I've even looked at so I was after some pointers and/or murmurs of encouragement! From vagcat, it looks like I'll need the new rear silencer (6Q9253609AB) and a clamp with bolts (1H0253141B). From reading on the internet and the haynes manual, I'll also need some exhaust assembly paste and a file and wire brush to tidy up the pipe end.

Haynes talks about looking for "3 pairs of punch marks" which mark the point at which to cut the exhaust. I've had a look but am not entirely sure where I need to be looking so was hoping that the new part would help me find it.

I suppose my questions are ..

Are those all of the parts that I'll need? I don't have a power saw so will be doing the cutting with a hacksaw .. is this worth it or should I just accept defeat, hand the parts to a garage to fit for me and have another go next time around when I won't need to cut anything? And finally, can anyone give me a vague price for those parts?

Thanks in advance for any help.

If you have access to an angle grinder with a metal cutting blade, it will do the job nicely. Just stick a block of wood between the heat-shield and the pipe at the cutting point. Whatever your cutting method, wear eye-protection, gloves and a mask.

Is the end of the new exhaust "belled" or will you need an insert to join the old and new to-gether? Will you need new rubber mounts / hangers?

Sorry, but I cant help you with the location of the punch-marks.

Thanks for your input mathepac.

If you have access to an angle grinder with a metal cutting blade, it will do the job nicely. Just stick a block of wood between the heat-shield and the pipe at the cutting point. Whatever your cutting method, wear eye-protection, gloves and a mask.

I don't have an angle grinder myself but I'll see if I can get my hands on one.

Is the end of the new exhaust "belled" or will you need an insert to join the old and new to-gether?

I haven't got the new part yet but I assumed (from looking at the diagram on vagcat) that the tube coming out of the rear silencer will be the same diameter as the tube from the central silencer and the two are joined with a clamp, the same as the one joining the rear exhaust section to the front section (inc the catalytic converter).

Will you need new rubber mounts / hangers?

The mounts looked fine when I had a quick look but I may get some new ones anyway. vagcat seems to have 3 different types so I'll have to get under the car and find out exactly which ones I need.