New exhaust/Trade-in question

Coat hanger.

Yep, that's kinda what I wuz figgerin'....

Coathanger.Much cheaper. cuhulin

The dealer will deduct the cost, (or part of the cost) of the new exhaust off the trade in. Look to get about $800...

If the car is otherwise good, why not just fix the exhaust and keep driving it.

check with a local muffler shop. Maybe they can weld/repair a section.

why not just take a Sawzall to the pipe and splice in a section of straight pipe from your FLAPS? or is that not an option?

I'm surprised that the exhaust on a '97 would already be in such bad shape. I figured it would have been all stainless on most cars by then. I just finally had to replace the exhaust on my '93 Ford pickup to pass inspection, and frankly, I have a feeling that the garage was making work for themselves (along with about $300) and that one *wasn't* stainless.

Had I any idea that my exhaust was in questionable shape, I would have replaced it myself with aftermarket stainless prior to taking it in for inspection, but this one will probably last longer than I care to keep the truck anyway, unless they used really cheap shitty pipes.

nate

Forgot to add, where are you? If the car is rust free (although I doubt it is based on your description of the exhaust) and a stickshift, and you are near me (DC-land) and you'd take the $1500 that you say it's worth for it, you might not have to trade it in. The girl needs a car and I think she'd like a Scooby.

Why would you need to replace the cat? Those always *are* stainless because they run so hot; any other material will rust too quickly. I've only ever seen one cat that the case failed, and that was a failed weld that I had repaired at a muffler shop. Or are the insides rattling around?

nate

I reckon in few weeks I will get both mufflers on my 1983 Dodge van.I phoned one of the muffler shops around here, the guy told me about fifty dollars per muffler.Any tail pipe sections couldn't cost very much money.I have replaced a muffler myself, a bunch of years ago, on my 1978 Dodge van.Heck, I might do the mufflers and tail pipe on my 1983 Dodge van too.Most muffler and tail pipe jobs are simple enough to do yourself.

The cats cost quite a bit of money, but I just can't see why a muffler and tail pipe job can cost $1,500. cuhulin

Sell it for $500.

If you trade it in at the dealer, you're getting a new car with problems you don't know about, in place of a car whose problems you probably do know about and which has been treated well.

Go to a different place, not one of the muffler chains. Tell them you want the pipe replaced but you want to keep the existing catalytic converter. It'll be some cutting and pasting work on their part, but it'll cost you a lot less than you think, and you'll be happy with the car you have.

That person would be very lucky. Why don't you make sure that person is you?

--scott

Coat hanger and a roll of metal (not fabric or plastic) duct tape. Wrap the bad spots with several layers of the tape.

Look on the web for, Tape for auto mufflers and tailpips.

Auto parts stores, hardware stores probally have it.J-B Weld works great for some things.

Well, it's one of things where it's getting to be one thing after another. I'm in the northeast, so things rust. The car *appears* decent, only a few rust spots on the body in the same places where all Subarus rust out. It's just that there are too many other things that are rusting out that I'd prefer not to deal with it any more. Fuel filler tube rusted out a few years ago. Then the gas tank rusted and needed to be replaced. This is the second exhaust system, and it needs it's third one. The parking brake cable is showing signs of need to be be replaced, it has occasional bouts of sticking. I'm starting to wonder about the fuel and brake lines. I suspect some exposed sections might be getting to the point of needing to be replaced. I could go on and on with stuff that works OK now, but I suspect will need attention. Overall, the car has gotten to the age (for the northeast) where stuff starts breaking with increased frequency. Basically, it's reached my level of tolerance for having to fix stuff.

Ken

ide quoted text -

I just jacked up the car this morning and coathangered up the end that broke off. Upon closer inspection, there may be enought meat left that welding it back together may be a viable option.

Ken

I'm in upstate NY with salty roads all winter. Nothing lasts as long in our climate. I'm always surprized about my in-law's cars out in California, they keep their cars for 20 years without thinking much about it.

Now that's something about stainless exhaust systems that I never understood. Stainless exhaust pipes that still rust?!? I know there are different kinds of stainless, why can't they use the kind tht doesn't actually rust?

Ken

Upstate NY, major salt zone.

I can't explain why, but it's the pipe with the cat that has rusted out at both ends. The cat itself appears OK. One end has already been welded, and now it's the other end that completetly rusted off. I thnk I'm going to see if the local shop can weld it.

Ken

After I jacked up the car and looked at the situation more closely this morning, first thing I'm going to check is if the local shop can weld it back together. We have a locally owned independent car shop just down the street, not one of the natioanl chains.

If welding back together isn't an option, I think next I'll check parts prices. Should be cheaper than the shop prices with their markup. I can see how this job wouldn't be so bad to do myself. I've done exhaust pipe sections in the past where the pipe wraps up and over the rear axle, a nasty job to do when the car is not on a lift. This car looks like a straight bolt together, slide under the car, and lift into place. I just may consider giving that a shot.

Ken

Yep, after jacking up the car this morning and looking more closely, I think it coulsd be welded. I don't have any welding equipment, so I'm at the mercy of the local shop, but I bet they could do it. The shop down the street has already welded a section with satisfactory results, so I vet they'd we willing to try again this time.

Well, as I replied in another post, things are breaking on this car with increasing frequency. The car is 13 years old now, which for the northeast is pretty old. I can deal with the little stuff, like the squeak that the cabin vent fan makes, or the plastic interior trim that's broken, or the seat springs that have sprung. But it's the important mechanical stuff like exhaust, struts, rusted gas tank, that I'm tired of paying to get the stuff fixed. I'm at the point now where the cost of the unavoidable maintenance is geting to be as much as if I was making a payment on a new car. If I was fixing everything myself, I'd save a lot of money, but I'm at the stage of my life where my time is worth a lot more to me. The kids are teenagers and I'd rather spend the weekends doing things with them than working on the car.

Ken