Exhaust downpipe replaced - but was it done correctly?

its common practice to replace gaskets as they are normally included in the price, you shouldn't have to use any sort of sealing compond if the gaskets are new & the mating surfaces are clean, you sure they didnt put the copper grease on the studs to aid fittment ?

I think here it doesn't matter if they reused the gaskets or used the finest rubber and licked the surfaces clean first. The point is you took it there to be fixed, it's blowing so take it back!

No, that would have made too much sense. The guy painted copper grease onto the faces of the old gasket (I watched him do it from a couple of feet away)!

Is it too much to ask for a garage to do something properly? I'll probably end up redoing it, cleaning that grease off and using new gaskets, as I suspect his method of 'fixing' it will be to be torque the fixing bolts up a bit more...

Yes which is why I was pleasantly surprised with my recent engine change.

Were you bound and gagged? What else was preventing you asking them?

I did. Let me see, if they shouldn't have been doing it, the conversation might have gone:

Me: "Hang on, are you sure you are meant to be doing that?" Him: "No mate, I'm just lazy and can't be arsed to get another gasket out. Oh and I'd watch out, by this time next week this grease will have screwed your cat."

I can really see that happening.

Perhaps you should have tried it.

At the exhaust shop I use, I _know_ that the fitters are a bunch of monkeys. Fortunately, they know that I know this - as I used to teach four of them! So they daren't do me a bad job as they know I'll be back.

Whatever the situation, never let yourself be walked upon - if you know the job's not right, so so. It's called consumer rights.