Is this reasonable price exchaust, pads

Poppycat

Finally got some money set aside for repairs to Ford Focus

I went in today to book to have fitted some front pads for brakes. They had a look and said I needed some discs

Also exhaust was rattling and I suspected some noise blowing. Anyhow my first thought it was a cheap job turns out I need a new exhaust and there some silver metal underneath the car that needs fixed as its working loose hence that was causing the noise problem I suspected the other week in a previous post

I also priced up two tyres one is on the limit the other isn't far off

This is not cheap repair

anyhow here goes

Front pads/disks £130.46 in VAT
2 Tyres medium price range £44.95 each

I have asked for the above work but I may just get the whole blooming lot done

Full exhaust not sure if its Cat also they just said I need the whole lot from back end to the engine £269.86

Also went into Halfords for some paint as its Pacific green metallic. I got some rust particularly on drivers right wing, it has some rust coming where wing joins and also a bubble that is seeping water. Halfords said I need the number for the colour but cant find it

They dont seem to have metallic paint but they do have the colour and a chip thing that comes in 3 bottles including primer, paint and lacquer

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/219843/halfords_stone_chip_and_scratch_repair_system.html

maniac886

I had the same problem with my Focus, there was a rattling sound coming from the exhaust. It was just the metal heatshield that needed bending back into place, my local indie did this and replaced a few rusty bolts on the heatshield free of charge.

If the sound is coming from the heatshield then you will not need the whole exhaust replacing. Maybe get the heatshield fixed first, then see if the sound goes before you get the exhaust replaced.

If the rust covers a large area then those touch up pens will be useless.

Poppycat

Hi thanks yes thats it the heat shield he said it had been patched up before but also said that there's a hole in exhaust in the big square metal thing at the back

I can sometime hear a noise besides the clanging I get going over a bump where its blowing but cant actually see the hole he said its at the top of the box where you can see it under the car

terryw

Poppycat wrote: »

Hi thanks yes thats it the heat shield he said it had been patched up before but also said that there's a hole in exhaust in the big square metal thing at the back

I can sometime hear a noise besides the clanging I get going over a bump where its blowing but cant actually see the hole he said its at the top of the box where you can see it under the car

Poppy, I love your posts but thank goodness for MSE. Going to a garage and asking about the "big square metal thing at the back" will provide amusement for the artisans but leave you wide open for over-pricing and work that does not really need to be done!.

Prices quoted don't look too bad ( a touch over the top) but try your local indie before going ahead. Do you really need new discs?

best wishes

terryw

maniac886

The backbox may have corroded. Id say £200 was a better price including fitting for a standard exhaust. Have you tried a few other garages?

Poppycat

Hi know I havent I did expect it to cost that much. I get quaotes last week for brake pads only which was around £60-£80

As for paint its only small area size of 10p bubble I just lke car looking good spend a lot fo time every week cleaning it

southernscouser

My Focus had heatshield problems. Luckily under warranty when it happened to me. Clearly another common fault! :rolleyes:

How old is the car as it comes with a 6 year anti corrosion warranty? :think:

Do the discs definately need replacing, not just the pads? Are the pads fully worn? If that price is for discs (and they actually need doing) then it seems a reasonable price.

As for tyres, you can try shopping around. Don't know if your car came with the Pirelli P6000 I think they are but you can normally get them for about £50 each fitted, balanced etc and Kwik Fit will price match if you don't like smaller dealers.

Poppycat

Hi it was registered in 2k

The pads were picked up at MOT in Jan as about 75% worn and 50% for back

Discs they pointed out that they were pitted on the ramp and need replacing although didnt say it was urgent

anewman

On the exhaust, if you're looking at £270, I would consider finding out the cost of a full stainless steel system that will never rust or need replacing again, and should come with a lifetime guarantee. Here's one such place http://www.powerflowexhausts.net/home.cfm

You can only get a quote anyway and compare the benefits. If you go to one of these custom stainless steel exhaust places they will probably ask all about size of pipes, how loud you want it to be. All you really want is a set-up similar to what you have already, but made of stainless steel.

Other than that I found a place in Leeds that cannot be beaten on exhausts. To get my entire exhaust fitted new cat-back would be under £80 and my car is an estate. Using non-genuine parts of course, but the bit I got fitted last year for £40 has survived a year, and they even repaired it for free this year for MOT (renewed clamp and a hanger) - no questions asked and didn't have to show the receipt (they remembered fitting it surprisingly), would never get that sort of service from kwikfit or a dealers. So as mentioned above, look in the phone book and call around the independent people on the exhaust.

It seems highly unlikely the whole exhaust would need replacing though from the engine to the back, all at the same time. With the engine running you should be able to feel the gasses escaping from the silencer if there is a hole, be careful to do this with when the exhaust is cold though.

I suspect ford would be able to give you the paint code from your registration number or vin plate number, and should even be able to sell you the paint at a similar price to halford's I'd imagine.

Tucker

I've not had an exhaust done for a while, but to me it sounds expensive, as does the disc / pads. Sounds a bit like a Kwikfit quote!! If it is, run a mile.

In the past, I've made a few calls and then got them to undercut each other. Most will do this, particualrly if you are having a few things done. I've phoned the same place back 3 times after lower quotes and had them reduce the price each time, so half an hour ringing around and ringing a few back to tell them they've been beaten on price will probably well worth the effort.

At the minute you are looking at spending about £500 for it all. I reckon you could beat that down by £100 maybe more.

Poppycat

Thansk for your help

Had a quick look for stainless steel exchaust

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/category_results.mhtml?category=exhau&car=fordfocus&manufacturer=magne