exhaust question

[rob777]

hi all..................1998 legacy outback with 186,000 miles.

 

just got a quote for exhaust work..............390.00

 

for everything back from the converter.

 

sound about right? its from my local mechanic.

[Suzam]

Yeah, that sounds about right for cat-back installation. I had a 98 Outback done and as I remember it was below $400

[rob777]

must be more of you out there that have had exhaust work done?

 

after all............subies last so long.........any more stories or prices on exhuast work?

 

ps.............just called meinike........they quoted over 600.00:-\

[Bmm001]

One question I have:

 

Is everything actually bad from the converter back or do you just have a leak? With 186K and given your location, I guess its possible the whole thing is rusted out..

 

I ask because the exhaust shop I go to has welded in a new flex pipe for me for $55 (the old one completely rusted out right where it connects to the second cat). The first opinion I got from a different garage (just a regular local mechanic) was $1000 for the whole y-pipe and 2nd converter they claimed had to be replaced to fix it.

 

A year later the same exhaust shop welded in a 2" section of pipe just in front my muffler for $25 to replace the leak that occurred there.

 

If all the stuff from cat back needs replaced, then I guess $390 isn't too bad.

 

Brian M.

[msmithmmx]

If You need from the cat back replaced then they are replacing the mid-pipe and the muffler. I replaced my mid-pipe and it cost me around 140.00 and multiple hours with the sawzaw (what a PETA). 400 sounds about right.

[McDave]

Rockauto.com sells the 'center silencer' and 'rear silencer' for about $250 plus shipping, so your quote of $390 w/labor included sounds about right.

[mdjdc]

The first thing I would want to know is, whether or not they are using weld in pipe or bolt on. I get so pissed when I see a bolt together system all welded so that a simple pipe replacement becomes a full exhaust replacement. Go to your local autoparts store and price out the pipe and muffler and see if you can do the replacement yourself. Bolt together is the way to go, but the muffler shops use universal pipe and weld it in because it is cheaper and quicker for them. Also look closely yourself and see if you need the whole thing replaced. If they are using weld together pipes they will want to do the whole thing because now your muffler won't match up.

 

You can save a ton if you do a little inspecting on your own.

[idosubaru]

if they're replacing your converter too - make sure you keep it. they go for about $120 at the scrap yards.

 

i wonder how many shops are keeping old converters and selling them to yards. they could make serious bank doing that.