anewman

Hopefully all will be well soon (just spent an antagonising 2 hours driving around leeds trying to find somewhere called exhaust discounts but couldn't find it, argh), just had it 3 months and it's my first car.

Failed on

Brake pipe corrosion. Park brake lever no reserve travel (it was ok before the test so I am guessing the tester disturbed the cable somehow ending up slackening it). Centre exhaust system major leak exhaust gases. Rear exhaust clamp loose. And most worryingly for me - exhaust emissions lambda reading after second fast idle outside specified limits. Although the tester believed that the exhaust "blowing" could be causing this problem.

There is also an advisory notice about an oil leak. I cannot tell where this is coming from although I will ask when I go for a retest. Could it be as simple as the sump nut & washer or sump gasket needing replacing? If so how easy would this be to do myself (during an oil and filter change). Bearing in mind I have little experience of fiddling with cars.

Ouch. Oh well, suppose that's what you get with free cars with 108k miles on the clock Seems like a brilliant car aside from this, apart from the noise and rattles.

shytot

The jobs you describe should be well within the scope of a competent DIY mechanic with the right tools to hand. A brake pipe flaring tool is the most specialised piece of kit you're likely to need if you're going to DIY.
Unfortunately relatively minor MOT fails like yours can lead to quite expensive labour bills if it goes into a commercial garage for repairs.
A few months ago I picked up a rear exhaust section from Andrew Page in Morley for £20ish. It took about 10 minutes to fit. Quickfit and WilcoMotorsave wanted about £50 fitted. I would expect a middle section to be a similar price.
Don't worry about the oil leak for now. An 'advisory' is NOT a fail. Get the other stuff fixed first. It's gonna cost enough as it is...

Good luck,

Simon H

shytot

Forgot to mention. Exhaust Discounts are just off the Armley Gyratory. You'll need to approach Armley Gyratory from the Yorkshire Post building and Exhaust Discounts are on the left just before the Gyratory.
Exhaust Discounts ~ Home Page


Hope that helps

Simon H

anewman

Got a quote of £39.99 fitted from Exhaust Discounts. Wilco motosave said £50 and seemed pushy (and since found out they have a bit of a bad reputation for trying to sell things you don't need). Kwikfit £57.

Planning to take it to exhaust discounts (a place the mot tester recommended as it was cheap) and ask for a quote for the whole lot. Was thinking of trying to adjust the handbrake myself (as it's easy to get to the adjusters) but hopefully it will just be a 5 minute job for them, especially if they already have the car lifted up.

Thanks Simon. Is it where that van hire place is on the end? I went that direction and turned down Graingers Way shown near the circle here Map of LS12 1DR United Kingdom | Multimap.com and just found a wine shop and private car park. Also tried Gotts Rd which is a one way street, and just found a car park for some s****y appartments. (Lol, it doesn't like s w a n k y.) Couldn't find any sign of the place. Hopefully will have better luck tomorrow.

shytot

Agh! It looks like you're one step ahead of me! That's the same map I used to get their location... I've never actually been there! The picture on their website doesn't help much does it? However, there looks to be red brick 'tower block' on the extreme left of the pic and a railway banking on the right. Having had a look at the aerial photos on Google Earth I'd guess that they are exactly halfway between Garingers Way and Gotts road. Theres a long narrow building with a small forecourt which fronts onto Wellington Road. Looking from the Gyratory theres the round building (old railway engine shed IIRC), then a semi-circular building, then the long narrow building. Seems to be about the right location to have the 1A Wellington Road address.
Good luck, anyway!

Simon H

skudupnorth

Dare i say have you tried your local Skoda dealer for exhausts ??? You might be better off getting the genuine item as the prices you have been quoted seem very similar to the genuine items and you have the piece of mind knowing they will fit correctly unlike non-genuine parts.

anewman

Thanks for the tip skudupnorth. I'll give DM Keith in Leeds a buzz in the morning. I noticed an OE part only is listed as £28 at butts of bawtry in doncaster.

For anyone finding this thread also wondering where Discount Exhausts is, I took another look with a passenger now the traffic has died down and it is just before the wine place. It's a sharp left turn and has a small forecourt. It's difficult to see it. So basically it's where simon says (hehe - sorry - no pun intended honest).

anewman

DM Keith quoted about £80 for the exhaust. Biggest bulk of that was the fitting cost (£50). Can't really afford that at the moment and if the cheapie does the job at half the price I'll be happy Was pleasantly surprised at the cost of the part alone though.

KenONeill

Can't help with anything else, but I'd start checking for an oil leak by checking the tightness of the oil filter and cam/rocker cover bolts (any oil leak I've ever had other than from a porous sump came from one of those 2 sources).