Motoring Discussion > First service - Exhaust flexy hose?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke	Replies: 27

New Fri 6 May 11 21:10   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

Had my first service done today, got it much cheaper than the price they quoted because I phoned around and got my local dealer to match the cheapest main dealer quote I got. Anyway service went fine but I mentioned the broken cat like rattle and they have found it needs a new exhaust flexy hose and I need to take my car in another time to get this work done. It will be done under warranty but what exactly is this part? I know it is the pipe which connects the manifold to the exhaust (well in this case, the cat) but what could cause them to rattle? Never known this part to fail before on any of the cars we have had. This will be the second warranty claim within 3300 miles, which worries me slightly but hopefully it is nothing more than an a manufacturing niggle. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 21:31   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Stuu

How much did you get it down to in the end chap? Tis a bit early for exhaust failure of any kind. Flexi pipe is just that, its a bit of the exhaust which is flexible, its usually only a short section. Get under the car and have a look where the exhaust comes down under the car from the downpipe. For the record my exhaust doesnt rattle and mines done 27k :-) Last edited by: FoR on Fri 6 May 11 at 21:32 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 21:47   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Number_Cruncher

For a piccie of one, see ebay item 320502335949 Typically, under the braided outer covering, there's a thin convoluted thin wall pipe. As you can see, it's a reasonably complicated fabricated part, and it's easy to see how it might make noise. The flexible section of exhaust allows the engine to move on its engine mounts without being constrained by the exhaust itself. Also, they are a noise vibration and harshness counter measure - the flexible section represents an abrupt change in impedance and most of the mechanical vibration in the exhaust pipe itself is effectively trapped on the engine side of the flexi. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:09   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

Could that also be causing unwanted engine vibrations then? It sometimes feels a little rough at idle but its only slight, it feels as if the there is an engine mount issue. Could explain it. Got the service down from £172 down to £125. I phoned a dealer in Cheshire and ask what the best price they could do was, they said well the book says £182 but we can do it for £125. I then phoned my local dealer (still 8 miles away) and said could they go any where near that close, after a few phone calls and messing about they agreed to do it for £125. The labour was still over £70 when the VAT is included but that is fair enough I would say. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 6 May 11 at 22:11 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:11   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Number_Cruncher

It's definitely worth asking the garage to double check the engine mounts - too much movement of the engine could cause problems for the flexy pipe. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:14   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

Thanks :). I did mention when it went in for the clutch pedal repair (under warranty) but they said said its a small car and you will get vibrations from the engine, I didn't really buy it because the one thing the Panda is well known for is being very refined for a small car. That said the mechanic did check that I am sure last time when I was there. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:12   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Stuu

>>Got the service down from £172 down to £125<< Good lad, we have trained you well :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:15   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

It is a shame it works like that though, will need to try the same next year as that is the major service and no doubt the RRP will be a lot higher. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:41   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Alastairw

Was it Lookers in Stockport, Rats? I was at a loose end at lunch time, so we could have met for a (non alcoholic) pint. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 22:49   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

Lets just say its the biggest rival to Arnold Clark and it is in Stockport :). Annoying even though I live 7-8 miles away from it is my nearest one. Not sure what is worse, not being able to work or having to spend all afternoon in Stockport! I met a friend who also had a loose day so it worked out well in the end. The Fiat Dealer at the Trafford Centre closed a few years back and DC Cook on Ahston Old Road is long gone. I wonder why there is no FIAT dealers in the central Manchester area? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 6 May 11 23:09   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - rtj70

Lookers having the FIAT franchise for Stockport area is the third named dealer to have the franchise. Technically it's still the second dealership group though. I think it was originally Reg Vardy on St Marys Way. Reg Vardy were swallowed up like so many by Pendragon. So Evans Halshaw at the end of St Marys Way became the FIAT dealer (alongside Citroen). Then more recently the Lookers one opened. Lookers were also nearly taken over by Pendragon. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 03:01   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Iffy

I'm surprised a new car is designed with a piece of flexi pipe in the exhaust. Most cars manage perfectly well with a rigid system on mounts with some flexibility - O-rings, straps, rubber chocks, etc. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 09:05   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - L'escargot

>> Had my first service done today, got it much cheaper than the price they quoted >> because I phoned around and got my local dealer to match the cheapest main dealer >> quote I got. Perhaps they gave a low price because they had cut corners with the work done and had omitted some items. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 09:10   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Bigtee

F fix I it A again T tomorrow. You will be back with this time and time again. :-) Should have got a new Corsa. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 09:39   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - DP

>> You will be back with this time and time again. :-) Should have got a >> new Corsa. :-) My sister has one. Nice little car, but Vauxhall dealers are just dreadful. They've turned the couple of minor faults she's had into major dramas. It took three visits to get a minor problem with the remote locking fixed, for example. The first two visits they simply didn't bother looking at the car, despite having it all day, then accused her of lying about the time of day she dropped it off! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 11:51   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

I should have got a head gasket blowing camshaft snapping Corsa :). The only Corsa in my budget was the 1.0, which is about 4 seconds slower to 60 than my Panda. That is quite scary. The engine is an early 80's design but is one reason I bought it, cambelt replacement is a very easy job (compared to modern engines) and if it snaps the pistons don't hit the valves. The two issues I've had are very minor and haven't affected the way the car drives at al. Touch wood I've had no problems what so ever with the electrics. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 12:47   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - -

>> The only Corsa in my budget was the 1.0, which is about 4 seconds slower >> to 60 than my Panda. That is quite scary. If it's that 3 cyl joke then well avoided, in the previous shape Corsa they didn't have the power to drive up on the truck top deck from a standing start no matter how many revs and clutch slipping.....mind you some modern automated manuals won't either, even the very expensive ones..;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 11:54   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

Which would be ilegal, they have ticked what they have done, which matches the Fiat service schedule. Maybe they omitted things like not topping up the screen wash which was on max when I dropped it off :). The have said the brakes are 10% warn (about right at 3300 miles), tyres down to 6mm etc. I have no reason to doubt the quality of their work. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 12:19   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Clk Sec

>> and had omitted some items. That may well be so. They have offered a considerable cost saving, and as it's a low mileage vehicle they may have felt that certain items did not need to be replaced. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 12:35   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - AnotherJohnH

exhausts on FIAT petrol cars are quite short lived IME. even ones which are regularly on long runs and get warmed up properly. i hear a few short journey pandas with exhausts which snort and rattle (for want of a better word). even if they fit it properly, you'll be back. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 13:10   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Stuu

The reason they can offer a cheaper price is because they usually quote on 'book time' ( which is often very generous ) whereas they will know how quickly they can actually do it and quote accordingly to get the business. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 14:13   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

And that was my argument, they said well the book says £172, to which I said well the other garage said they could do it for £125 and I've checked the service schedule and the only thing that needs changing at my mileage is the oil. There is no way following a list to check visual things like front brakes and doing an oil change can be more than £100 labour. They didn't even check the rear drums (which I would not expect them too on such a new low mileage car) Next year will be the big service where they change the plugs, air filter, etc etc. I can live with the rattle to be honest, its barely noticeable but since its costing me nothing to fix I am not going to turn it down. I've noticed to they have changed the oil to from 10/40 to 5/40. I wonder if that is because they have noticed the low mileage and assume I do lots of stop start journeys? Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sat 7 May 11 at 14:14 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 15:00   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Manatee

>> I've noticed to they have changed the oil to from 10/40 to 5/40. I wonder >> if that is because they have noticed the low mileage and assume I do lots >> of stop start journeys? >> Almost certainly not. With luck, it's what they have in the big tank that meets the spec (if you check you manual, it is probably within the range allowed). If there are cars in the range that specify 5W40 then that might be what they'll use to cover all options. Many cars (like Honda diesels) now specify expensive synthetic 5W30 and I do wonder how many dealers always use the proper spec. One told me that 5 or so years ago that they used semi-synthetic for everything, so I went elsewhere. It's not certain your exhaust will be short-lived. Out Panda is a Sept 2005, and has had no faults at all that I can remember - and definitely not the exhaust (mileage about 7,000 p.a.) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 15:02   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - AnotherJohnH

The annual service should include the oil filter, regardless of mileage. What the oil grade they used is, and what the receipt/bill says, may not be the same thing: you only know for sure if you stand over them when they do it, or do it your self. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 15:18   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

I was billed £24 + VAT for Shell 5/40. It is within spec I have checked the manual, but I check exactly what it is they have put in now. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 15:29   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - RattleandSmoke

shell helix 5/40 Doesn't say if its semi or mineral etc. However surely they have to make sure it meets spec otherwise FIAT would strip of them of their franchise? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 7 May 11 15:50   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - AnotherJohnH

Relax. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Sat 7 May 11 16:13   First service - Exhaust flexy hose? - Manatee

Shell Helix is semi-synthetic. Reply to this message | Report message