Does this auto repair cost (exhaust system) sound reasonable?

[Rick]

@Machine_Elf

If you’re at the dealer, and they’re talking about cat replacement along with that Y-pipe, that’s a reasonable price. Aftermarket price for a converter for your vehicle is anywhere from $360-$520; cost from a dealer will be even higher. Add that to the cost of the Y-pipe and the labor to put it all in.

Gotta to love your link

SIENNA WITH 3.0L CALIF EMISSIONS AND WITH PRE CONVERTERS EXCEPT VEHICLES REGISTERED IN CALIFORNIA

Wait, what? If you have a California spec emissions car, this is the part, but they won’t sell it to you if you live in California?
:dubious:
makes me wonder about the quality. It might fit, but obviously there is an issue with this unit. Might just be paperwork, but still something is not totally kosher here.

[Gary_T]

@Rick

Just an FYI, but often times those inexpensive cats turn out to only last for a year or so before they deteriorate to the point where the car won’t pass an emission test.
they are sometimes referred to as a one shot cat. As in your car fails smog due to a bad cat, so you put in a one shot cat. Passes smog this time. Two years from now? Good luck.

Yes, agreed, and that’s one (but not the only) reason many shops don’t search the internet for cheap parts.

ETA: Of course I realize you know that, Rick. We’re deignorantizing our fellow dopers who might be curious about it.

[I_Know_Nothing]

Most regular repair shops don’t do welding do they? Should she make sure she takes it specifically to a muffler shop that welds? Its possible a mechanic may not even consider the cheaper welding option(if possible to solve the problem) because they wouldn’t have the option to do it anyway.

[TriPolar]

All muffler shops weld.

[MsWhatsit]

Just a little update on this situation. It took us a while to get it in for the second opinion, due to having to work around my husband’s work schedule.

Dropped it off at the new place Sunday night. Monday morning they called me at 8:15 to give me their estimate: $106. I had the guy repeat it twice to make sure I heard him right. Without my even suggesting it, they went straight to the cheaper fix involving cutting away the bad pipe and welding in new. They had it done 45 minutes later. We picked up the car today and it sounds like the day I bought it.

So basically they just saved us $1100. I’m quite pleased.

[wormdrink]

Just to add to this thread, I just dug into this issue with my regal. I needed a complete system. I was looking at around 700 dollars. I said what? and took out the exhaust myself just two bolts at the manifold and a bunch of rubber pieces plugged into hangers. very easy take out. I ordered the parts on the web after doing some price comparisons and it cost me 410 for the parts. Not only will the shop kill you with labor they also choose the parts and some times do a bad job.

[Asimovian]

Since the thread has been revived, and I read through the entire thing before realizing it was a zombie, I’ll ask: MsWhatsit, did the repair hold?

[MsWhatsit]

@Asimovian

Since the thread has been revived, and I read through the entire thing before realizing it was a zombie, I’ll ask: MsWhatsit, did the repair hold?

Yep. Still driving the same '99 Sienna and haven’t had any further exhaust problems since this thread.