2010 RAV4 -Exhaust Blowing

[Hollies64]

Hi

At last years MOT, my car failed due to the exhaust blowing.  Mechanic who serviced my car said he could weld the exhaust and it would be fine for MOT so that's what happened (or I was told happened).  I actually feel it wasnt welded as it still sounded the same, especially when going up a hill and you accelerate - you can hear it blowing.

 

The car went into another garage for some respray and I asked if they could have a look at the exhaust whilst they had it in.  I was told it was definitely blowing but they couldn't see where from.  They told me it was a big job to take the exhaust off just to find out where it was blowing.  Mechanic said a new exhaust is about 1000 plus labour.  Is this correct?

Should a garage be able to tell where the Exhaust is leaking/blowing?  Do I have to replace the whole system or just part of the exhaust?  Going by the age of my car and that I've done over 120k miles, should I replace the whole exhaust?  

Is there anyway I can reduce the costs of replacing the exhaust?  I guess I'm really out of touch with costs of replacing exhausts, I thought it was just a case of booking into kwik fit and it would be a few £100 so I was shocked when mechanic said about £1000 plus labour.

[philip42h]

I can't help much but it would help others if you could specify which engine you have?

A "few hundred" would sound about right if you were simply replacing pipes and silencer boxes. The cost rises more alarmingly if you are replacing catalytic converters and particulate filters ...

[Hollies64]

1 hour ago, philip42h said:

I can't help much but it would help others if you could specify which engine you have?

A "few hundred" would sound about right if you were simply replacing pipes and silencer boxes. The cost rises more alarmingly if you are replacing catalytic converters and particulate filters ...

Apologies, my car has a 2.0 Petrol engine and is automatic.

RAV 4  - 2.0 V-matic XT-R 5dr

[Ant-Rav]

If that car is up on a lift it would be easy to see and hear where the noise is coming from a leaking exhaust, take it to another garage or even kwik-fit, you need to find exactly where the hole is to know whether it can be repaired or what bit needs replaced, and then i probably would be looking on eBay if it was very expensive to replace, which i am sure it will be, nothing is cheap nowadays. I would only be replacing exactly what is needed and no more, definitly not an entire exhaust, 

[Hollies64]

On 7/11/2023 at 6:59 PM, Ant-Rav said:

If that car is up on a lift it would be easy to see and hear where the noise is coming from a leaking exhaust, take it to another garage or even kwik-fit, you need to find exactly where the hole is to know whether it can be repaired or what bit needs replaced, and then i probably would be looking on Ebay if it was very expensive to replace, which i am sure it will be, nothing is cheap nowadays. I would only be replacing exactly what is needed and no more, definitly not an entire exhaust, 

Thank you so much.  I really appreciate this advice.  

[Ravirules]

I had my exhaust give up on my 2004 XT3 petrol a few years ago, and the whole lot needed to be replaced..back box, silencer etc.

I can tell you now…a full system from Toyota will be nearer £2000…I was quoted £1700 back then.

Unfortunately, you live a long way from Sheffield where I found a superb garage, who replaced the whole lot for £500. I’ve had three MOTS’s since (different garage), and no problems with the exhaust or CAT emissions. 
 

The replacement system was supplied and fitted by Hawleys in Hillsborough. This might be of some use to RAV4 owners a little further north hopefully.