How long should an exhaust last?

angrycrow

I wonder if the op is referring to the flexi section of the pipe. This tends to be the weakest part of the exhaust. Most but not all manufacturers build it into the centre pipe.

If the flexi is part of the cat and the engine mounts are bad it could break up very quickly due to excess flexing. We would have a better idea if we knew what the car was but op refuses to say.

George_Michael

tsb wrote: »

I've specifically not mentioned make,model, age,mileage because that wasn't my query. My query was to try and quantify reasonable length of time with ref. to the sale of goods act. I'm getting the feeling 2 years is the consensus

The make and model might not make too much difference but the annual mileage driven can well do.
There will always be water vapour in the air that is burnt inside of your engine and this vapour goes out along with the exhaust gasses.
If you drive a reasonable distance each time you start the car, the exhaust will get fairly hot and any condensation will soon evaporate.
On short journeys however, this water will condense on the inside of the exhaust and if it doesn't get hot enough to evaporate, it will simply start building up inside which will eventually lead to rusting. (unless you have a good quality stainless exhaust).

markudman

tsb wrote: »

I've specifically not mentioned make,model, age,mileage because that wasn't my query. My query was to try and quantify reasonable length of time with ref. to the sale of goods act. I'm getting the feeling 2 years is the consensus

We are trying to help you, it's important to know these detail, as A top of the range BMW and a Perodua Kelisa, will be make of different materials, so the life expectancy will be different,
its also important to how old the car is, and do you live near the sea, what sort of driving you do, IE short or all motorway driving.

Also when you had it replaced, where did you get it replaced? how long was the warranty on it?
if it was replaced at the dealer, then they would have used genuine parts, and will last longer, if you used a fast fit, or local garage than will most likely used after market parts, you are lucky if these last 2 years if you only use it to go to shops etc.

scaredofdebt

tsb wrote: »

I've specifically not mentioned make,model, age,mileage because that wasn't my query. My query was to try and quantify reasonable length of time with ref. to the sale of goods act. I'm getting the feeling 2 years is the consensus

The SOGA specifically mentions the type of use the item is subjected to, so your mileage is very relevant. ie if you're doing 10k a year the exhaust should last longer than if you're doing 50k etc.

tsb

scaredofdebt wrote: »

The SOGA specifically mentions the type of use the item is subjected to, so your mileage is very relevant. ie if you're doing 10k a year the exhaust should last longer than if you're doing 50k etc.

Please could you link me to the information?

tsb

I am not withholding details on purpose. Simply wanted a general opinion, in average circumstances, nothing extreme as to the length of time you would expect an exhaust to last.

To clarify, I did say this was a replacement exhaust part. It contains the catalytic converter complete within the pipe (cannot be separated). It is the pipe itself that has corroded.

ciderboy2009

If it's a pattern part it's been replaced with then life expectancy is very difficult (if not impossible) to predict - there are good pattern parts & bad pattern parts.

tsb

ciderboy2009 wrote: »

If it's a pattern part it's been replaced with then life expectancy is very difficult (if not impossible) to predict - there are good pattern parts & bad pattern parts.

You cannot tell when you purchase it whether it is a good or bad pattern part. So shouldn't the Sale of Goods Act or from October 2015 the Consumer Rights Act cover you?

System

CRA covers you but it also depends on what you pay to how long it is expected to last. So assuming that it was the CAT section replaced (OP's post is quite poor at describing what exactly was replaced) then if you only paid under a couple of hundred quid for a cheap !!! third party replacement you'd expect it to last nowhere near as long as one which was several hundred quid from the main dealer.

almillar

Taking into account the vagueness we're being subjected to, I would be very disappointed if any NEW exhaust part fitted to a car lasted less than 2 years, on any average kind of mileage or usage. If a part has failed within that *I* would *reasonably expect* it to have lasted longer.
Even if it's a cheap part, you can still have expectations - who wants to replace car parts every year?