flexi exhaust broken after work done by garage

daddy65

Hi
I gave my 2010 reg 3 series for clutch replacement as it showing signs of early slipping to a local garage.
They said they will contact me if they find DMF needs replacing as it would be difficult to say at first.
The garage guys called me at 5pm same day to say the DMF is also on its way out and to replace.I agreed to it.It cost me £400 extra on top of what was agreed.
By 6pm they called me up to say whether I have noticed that my car is louder which I have never noticed.They said flexi bit of exhaust was found to have cracked nd may need to be looked into later.
But when I went to collect the car it was making odd rattling sound on starting and idling.I was told it all due to cracked flexi part o exhaust and to get it replaced asap.They could weld a new flexi bit to present exhaust system but they can't as it is impossible to weld stainless steel to stainless steel!!
The car sounded normal when I took it to garage.

I just don't know if the flexi was actually cracked and replacing the clutch and DMF may have made it worse!!

From £350 job it to start with it has already doubled and now looks at another £500 more or so!!

What are my options now? Is it possible that they could have broken or made it worse? Now I am left with a car which loud rattling sound when starting or idling.
Is there any solid grounds for complaining against them?

WellKnownSid

To be fair, it doesn't sound like a lot for a clutch, DMF and a new exhaust on a six year old car. Patching an exhaust on a three series? I wouldn't even do that on a Fiesta.

captainawsome

When removing the exhaust they may caused the flexi to split, but this may not be down to bad workmanship, it might have been on the way to splitting anyway and the required force to removed the system caused it to go earlier than it would in normal use.

BMW sell a repair kit for this fault to save replacing the whole DPF. As your garage said its a new piece that needs welding in and welding stainless is harder and more specialist, but can 100% be done I've seen it many times. Ring a main dealer for part price and see if your garage will remove and refit your DPF at a discounted rate for you to get repaired. Should be considerably less than £500, R+R time should be an hour max.

arcon5

Yes complain to Bmw for poor design

EdGasket

You can get stainless flexi exhaust sections on eBay. Get one of the right internal diameter, cut out the old one (hacksaw will do or reciprocating saw or angle-grinder if you are brave) and clamp the new section on. Done that twice now on two cars and both have been going for years since that repair with no problems.

daddy65

EdGasket wrote: »

You can get stainless flexi exhaust sections on eBay. Get one of the right internal diameter, cut out the old one (hacksaw will do or reciprocating saw or angle-grinder if you are brave) and clamp the new section on. Done that twice now on two cars and both have been going for years since that repair with no problems.

many thanks
the garage guys says they cant weld a stainless steel flexi section to a stainless steel exhaust with their MIG welder.
They say it can only be done with TIG welder which is not that commonly available.
Do you think it can be done by local garages?Ebay seller seems to say it should be possible.
How much should I be looking at labour charges?

daddy65

captainawsome wrote: »

When removing the exhaust they may caused the flexi to split, but this may not be down to bad workmanship, it might have been on the way to splitting anyway and the required force to removed the system caused it to go earlier than it would in normal use.

BMW sell a repair kit for this fault to save replacing the whole DPF. As your garage said its a new piece that needs welding in and welding stainless is harder and more specialist, but can 100% be done I've seen it many times. Ring a main dealer for part price and see if your garage will remove and refit your DPF at a discounted rate for you to get repaired. Should be considerably less than £500, R+R time should be an hour max.

many thanks
there are stainless steel flexi part of exhaust available online.but the garage guys says they cant weld a stainless steel flexi section to a stainless steel exhaust with their MIG welder.
They say it can only be done with TIG welder which is not that commonly available.
Do you think it can be done by local garages?Ebay seller seems to say it should be possible.
How much should I be looking at labour charges?

captainawsome

daddy65 wrote: »

many thanks
there are stainless steel flexi part of exhaust available online.but the garage guys says they cant weld a stainless steel flexi section to a stainless steel exhaust with their MIG welder.
They say it can only be done with TIG welder which is not that commonly available.
Do you think it can be done by local garages?Ebay seller seems to say it should be possible.
How much should I be looking at labour charges?

Personally I would have your garage R+R the whole DPF for you and ring around some local engineering companies or specailist welders if any are available, rather than asking garages who's welding skills and equipment will probably be limited to basic body and mechanical repairs.

Labour to Remove and refit should be about an hour most, welding probably an hour I would imagine. Worst case scenario I believe companies online will let you courier you DPF to them, have the repair done and send it back, obviously this adds a postage cost which won't be very cheap as they are not small items. I have also never used any of these companies so couldn't recommend any but I'm sure reviews will be available online

BeenThroughItAll

daddy65 wrote: »

many thanks
there are stainless steel flexi part of exhaust available online.but the garage guys says they cant weld a stainless steel flexi section to a stainless steel exhaust with their MIG welder.
They say it can only be done with TIG welder which is not that commonly available.
Do you think it can be done by local garages?Ebay seller seems to say it should be possible.
How much should I be looking at labour charges?

It is entirely possible to weld stainless with a MIG set, using stainless welding wire, although not all MIGs will work well if they do not have selectable polarity.


There are certain difficulties associated with the wide variation in stainless grades, as well as physical operating complexities related to the lower conductivity of stainless wire and varying current levels when welding as a result of it.

EdGasket

daddy65 wrote: »

many thanks
the garage guys says they cant weld a stainless steel flexi section to a stainless steel exhaust with their MIG welder.
They say it can only be done with TIG welder which is not that commonly available.
Do you think it can be done by local garages?Ebay seller seems to say it should be possible.
How much should I be looking at labour charges?

Just get a clamp on flexi section and get an exhaust place to fit it. probably only cost £25 for the flexi section and £20 to fit or see my post above and fit it yourself.