Rubbish in the road knackers newish exhaust

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:36 am

Driving home from Brighton along the coast road, one of my favourite routes, setting off at 6.00am yesterday morning. As I was leaving Eastbourne at around 7.00, just leaving the lights of town and going onto the unlit A259, I suddenly saw something in the headlights, heard a bang from under the car, and saw something pirouetting away behind in the rear-view mirror, silhouetted in the lights of the town. I think it might have been the lid off a bin or recycling box, but it was too dark to be sure.

The car seemed OK except for an exhaust blow and as I have nowhere to work at the moment I just dropped it into the local MonkeyFit for a check. I'd hoped it would just need properly re-hanging.

I realised that this wouldn't be the case when I saw that the end section had actually disappeared as the fitter manoeuvred the car onto the ramp. It had snapped clean off behind the silencer.

A complete exhaust is only twenty quid more than the broken section so I decided to go for that, even though the old one doesn't look too bad. £151 total. Nuts.

M · Post by M » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:43 am

Sh1t happens - bad luck Stuart.

Similar thing happened to me once - only it was a tyre and rim that got written off on a brick hit at about 60 ish.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:56 am

Bugger! It was fairly new before I had it as I remember the previous owner saying! Hows she running stewart, is the heater working now mate.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:28 pm

It does indeed Marty. Twice now I've had to hit kerbs to avoid oncoming cars who were over the line on blind bends. The first time it burst a week-old tyre on my beloved Rover P6; the second time it bent a rim on Mum's Pug 106.

Just waiting for the heater part Tim, then I'll get it done! That exhaust did look new, it certainly would have had a while left on it

Ho hum.

tom · Post by **tom** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:16 pm

Count your blessings. Some years ago on the M27, a piece of debris was thrown up by a truck tyre. It missed the driver but went through his wife's head.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:11 pm

One assumes that "plink plink fizz" would not fix that.

I've also hit some fairly hefty debris on the motorway before. Flicked up a bit of wood with the nearside front wheel, and it jammed between the road and the floor of the car. Bent the floorpan up about 6-8" just where the rear passenger would have their feet. Fixed it with a clubhammer, but it really frightened me at the time.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:11 pm

Wow, Tom. Horrible.

A few years ago a plank of wood fell off a badly laden trailer and sliced the wing mirror off my grandparents' car - I still shudder to think what would have happened if it had been a bit further to one side.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:33 pm

Having seen first hand some of the items found inside lorry tyres I used to count my blessings on an almost daily basis. Sorry to hear about your exhaust but £20 more for a full system sounds fair and at least you know it`s right now for a while yet.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:33 am

Yes well. (Struggling hard to contain my language here)

It would have a complete new system if the [ahem] "mechanics" at kwikfit weren't so [ahem] bleedin' incompetent.

They didn't manage to fit the new exhaust because the rear hanger was bent by the impact so it's not strong enough.

"Can't you just weld it back on?"

"Oh no, we're not allowed to weld."

Hm. There's also a Hi-Q nearby so I went there and explained - they told me the same thing: "welding exhaust parts is Not Done."

"So you're telling me to scrap a perfectly good car because of one exhaust hanger?"

"Yes."

Oh did I swear when I got home.

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:42 am

Argh that makes me mad. Makes you want to tell them where to stick their exhaust pipe... Much sympathy Stuart. Take it to that nice friendly Citroen place with the collection of CXs et al.

I'm definitely getting my local Cit specialist to do my exhaust now.

Mark.

Cornishbx16v · Post by **Cornishbx16v** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:44 am

the sad reality is that for such a simple thing they wont bend the rules!
as it happens my exhaust hanger fell off years ago! (its in the boot with therubber still attatched to it) i have my back box held inplace by some good old string! (well rope actually!!)

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:46 am

what concerns me most is that some people might actually take heed of what they are told by a kwik-'n'-shit-fitter.

And not welding Exhaust components? what complete crap. There's a 309D in Bournemouth running round with a 405D back box welded on to it, with various exhaust hangers welded on where they touch!* Passed an MOT like that too!

*May have been welded by me

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:50 am

Trying to call him now Mark, but it's engaged - I'll keep trying.

The thought occurred to me that I could take it over to France to get the job done; I was really impressed by the work I had done over there on my P6 and on the CX.

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:56 am

They only have a bloke who did the one day brake course and some cavemen who fit exhausts, with a company vehicle they once refused to fit new pads because one side was worn more than the other??? but they were happy to watch me drive off with no bloody brakes, tiny brained morons, how bad is the exhaust hanger Stuart? you could get lateral and fit a universal tailpipe hanger (drill holes and bolt it on) until you find someone sane enough to undertake the mamoth task of tacking on the original hanger.
Stewart

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:11 am

Done! It's booked it an Hills Motors in Wainscott.

I've only used them before for replacement spheres (on my CX) but they have an excellent reputation in the club. It's about 25 miles away from here but they're willing to do it while I wait.