Im well and truely peed of now.....
After getting the exhaust done last thursday, i was using the car only for the second time for work last night, sitting in traffic..... she started to sound like a tractor. FFS.
Got it to work noisily on the way home got pulled by the plod, explained to them it had just happened, look at the exhaust its only a week old, they sympathised with me and let me go but told me to keep the engine revs down and window open (like i didnt already know this) phew at least i didnt get nicked for having a defective exhaust!.
just went out to find the cause of the noise, blooming hell the cat is hanging off and only being held in place with the surroundings, its completly sheared off at the manifold.
After having a closer look the exhaust is rigid, very very little movement - the flex joint is a lot smaller than the oem and dosnt compress like the original. It looks to me like its expanded as its got hot and broke of the weakest part thus the cat being sheared off.
i was hoping it was the joint they made but no my luck is never that bloody good.
Have you ever felt like your throwing money away, well i do atm,

The car hasnt logged any faults strangely enough?!?!?
Has anyone ever had any joy at welding the cat back in place?, or do you think its probo game over for it?.

the cheapest ive found so sar is £295 from here
Petrol Catalysts, Fiat, Stilo, 1.6 [BM91327] - £295.98 : Parts Junction UK - Car Parts and Accessories, Your One Stop Shop for car parts and accessories

sorry for the rant, i spent the time whilst my wife was on holiday getting her car ready for the year ahead (she works in a school) then the very first day she needs the car this happens.

Im chewing over going out and buying a mig welder and having a go myself, im rather rusty at welding but its better than thowing away a perfectly good cat.
i will be going down and having a go later, maybe they might pay for the work to be done (in my dreams).
aggghhhh
roy

sorry to here that Roy, is a JTD Cat any good to ya? i will be throwing money away at the end of the month, i have MOT, Tax & Insurance to pay for. :s:

thanks mate, its a 1.6 which is connected to the exhaust mainfold so i dont think it will fit, you seem to have no choice but to replace the lot.
ive rang them up and the govenor is going to ring me back, i have a feeling they will want me to remove the cat so they can weld it, i will keep ya posted, really not looking forward to that call tbh.
roy

Aww crap..these guys quite often dont get it right do they..I think i did say some where that stainless grows [expands] greater than mild steel.. I think this is down to them now Roy cos its their incompetence thats caused your problems..I take it by your post that the cat has sheared where the down pipe comes out at the bottom..? personally I think they owe you a new cat and a new improved flexy because the damage was caused by them..

Yeah, since I'm guessing you had a lifetime guarantee for the exhaust and it's literally been days since you got it fitted, it's them that should incur the cost as it's basically their fault from what I gather. Hope you get it sorted as soon as.

Originally Posted by roylovelock

thanks mate, its a 1.6 which is connected to the exhaust mainfold so i dont think it will fit, you seem to have no choice but to replace the lot.
ive rang them up and the govenor is going to ring me back, i have a feeling they will want me to remove the cat so they can weld it, i will keep ya posted, really not looking forward to that call tbh.
roy

Hi mate sorry yo've had troubles.
But can i recommend some action "VERY highly to you.

1.Evidence, Take lots of photos of the problem,

2.Record . note down everyone you speak too, when and how (Phone, Face, Email)

3. Retain. Keep every peice of paper work, invoices, Print off etc

4.Research. Got a video camera, or the movie camera facility on a mobile phone etc. Then film a similar car to yours that has a standard set up on it, and make note of the area where you;ve had the problem. For example you say you have shorter flexi pipe, then put a tape measure next to a standard one, and record it. Evidence.

I'm not saying they will shaft you, but lets be honest, Noone here would be falling of their seat in shock if they did, cause unfortunately it happens.

DONT ACCEPT A REPAIR, once you accept a repair, they are under no obligaiton to replace any parts, they will always adopt teh cheapest option, (Usually a repair)

If they offer you a repair, then get it in writing, because this would be a partial acceptance of liability.
Dont stand for the old "We're doing it out of good faith / good will gesture etc etc etc yadda yadda yadda, its rubbish, people often offer a repair due to the aforementioned reason,

Sorry if this is a little strong, but dont wanna see a fellow fs-oc bro get ripped!

great advice there Rob!

hi, sorry for not getting back, been really busy here,
anyways, got the car repaired, i took both cars down to the garage and showed him the errors of his ways. he was actually very deacent about it and offered to put the car into a garage.
because of this i accepted to do the work if he replaced the cat - he agreed.
anyways to get the car back on the road i removed the old cat and he welded it back on, there was also a stress fracture on the manifold on number 1. he had a go at welding that but being cast its a pig.

it was clear as daylight what had happpend when the manifold was off, there are two bolt holding the cat in place, these were bent and sheared off because of the cranking movement of the engine, when he looked at my car he could see the amount of movement there should be and admitted that the flex joint was too small.

i now have a BRAND new cat sitting here to be fitted at my lesiure, but cant be bothered unless the car fails the mot on emmisions. the welds he done on the cat and manifold seem to be holding well - actually they are probo better than the original welds on there. and the cat looks in good nick.

well since i done that, the wife has managed to get three punctures, 2 of them on the same wheel. she ran over a lump of wood the first time and got a couple of screws in both fronts, but drove the car home!!!! aggghhhh both tires (one brand new) written off.
then monday, she takes the littleun to school, gets to school (only a 10min walk from here) and realises one of the brand new tires is flat again - drove it home, yet another 45notes down the drain. she has the 17"blades on the car, she is now loosing them to 16 fait standards and im having the blades.
no matter how many times i tell her to NOT drive on flat tires does she listen.
laters
roy

Hello Roy this is Phil's wife ..I will pass on the information you have given in your post to him ..he is unable to post at the moment due to an eye operation he had last Monday..he WAS wondering how you had got on with this and whether or not you had this resolved..clearly you came out OK in the end and I know he will be pleased that you did..now regarding the situation with the tyres and your wife ..please understand you just would not manage without us and we are not called your better half for no reason..

glad to hear you got sorted out Roy, seems like a decent bloke this exhaust fella. remember you can trade in your old CAT for "scrap" and get £40 for it.