Just wondering what you guys think about this situation.

I got a new exhaust system in January at Midas. My regular garage was in semi-shutdown as the owner/operator was out for surgery. The discussion at Midas was for changing everything from the manifolds back. I was billed for two converters, a tailpipe, a muffler, and three gaskets.

Because of weather I had never really inspected it up close during the winter. It looked a bit rusty a bit too quickly around the joints, but winter in the Maritimes is a salt bath, so whatever I thought.

I pinpointed a terrible vibration I've been getting to a nice leak coming out at one of the joints when I had a really good look over of it today. Wherever two components meet there appears to be no gasket, just exhaust putty. As well, the joiners/joints are just my old ones, cut off, with new pipe welded to them.

This really gives me the weakest parts of the junked system Frankensteined together with new pricy components. Welds, rusty joiners and exhaust putty are sure fail parts of an exhaust system.

Not sure what to ask for tomorrow and how angry to be (if at all any of this is uncommon).

Yeah, they need to fix it. Bending tube really isn't that hard.

They managed to bend the tubing for the tail pipe. The bolt together component end pieces (the oval-shaped match-up from where the front cat would join the manifold, or where the rear cat would join the muffler), well, those were cut off the old system and welded to pipe and components.

I mean, I can understand putting together an exhaust system from selected aftermarket parts, but his just seems half-assed, especially since it seems to be lacking gaskets and is just putty and bolts sealing these connectors.

I guess they assume people don't get under the vehicle and go over everything with a fine-toothed comb. Well, if it had been built right I'd have no exhaust leak after a mere three months and an attractive system.

The parts for this came to $1500.03 and the labour is 455.40. I'm tempted to ask for a total fix and replacement.

I mean cutting those flanges off it they aren't totally rusted is whatever. I had to buy some of those gaskets from Toyota for $10 a piece. Really not that hard and I am guessing they could get them way way cheaper.

Thinking about it, I think the flanges are probably not openable (rusted shut), and the putty was meant to seal them. In any event, welds and deteriorated hardware were the reason the old system failed and I was tired of temp fixes, so I shelled out for "new".

For $1500 they could have at LEAST ordered you a Walker brand exhaust and you would have had all new pieces. The quality wouldn't the same as stock by any means, but it would have your old rusted crap hacked on it either. Personally I would expect them to start over again and make clean new system.

Maybe try installing the JBA exhaust system to replace that hack job? They're not insanely priced and stainless steel.

After looking on the internet for the pieces, it appears they are legit, just ugly.

Amazon.com: Walker Exhaust 53616 Ultra Import Converter - Non-CARB Compliant: Automotive

Amazon.com: Walker Exhaust 52399 Ultra Import Converter - Non-CARB Compliant: Automotive

After going to the shop and blowing up at them they denied the re-used flanges (rightly so, I'll have to eat my words).

They blamed the leak on me, and accused me of hitting the exhaust hard off-road, and showed me where the shields were bent because of that, hence breaking the seal. That's bull****, and was just lazy install with them. I went to have my mechanic look at it and he put new gaskets that are thicker and bent the flange ears back, etc., so it won't do what it did again. If Midas had spent more time at first I wouldn't have had a problem.

So, they wanted me to pay for labour to replace the gasket as it had been over 90 days even though it was under exhaust parts warranty for one year with labour. Their thin gasket (listed to fit however) and an improper seal were the reason.

I'll call it a day, I guess, and never go back there. It would've been fine if they just admitted a crappy job and did it again at no charge. However, despite my anger, making up **** just to blame me is not the way to win customers.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Meineke/Midas/Monroe all do an awful job. They use horrible welds and exhaust components made of mild steel which are guaranteed to rust out in 2 years where salt is used on the roads.

Hindsight is 20/20 (had another vehicle that had awful work done on it by Midas and learned my lesson).

Next time, source direct fit components yourself and have a shop install. This is what I had to do on my T4R. 2 new cats, muffler, tailpipe, primary O2 sensor. All that plus labor cost me $926 and most importantly NO HACKJOB WELDING involved. Could have probably saved another $100 bucks off that price if I had more time to price shop, but oh well, can't win 'em all.

I've mostly come to peace with this already. The thing that annoys me the most is that the crappy mechanic who did the work was the guy who during the winter said body mounts would solve a vibration issue I was having. And then he does a half-assed job putting the components together, allowing for a broken seal to develop, and the converter shields caused vibration anyway.

I should've been less of a jerk when I went in there this morning, though.

This is why I never go to midas or any "do it all" chain shops.

THIS ---> Find an independent Toyota or Everything-Asian mechanic. <--- THIS

Holy crap 1,500.00 for the exhaust? My mechanic ordered entire stock replacement exhaust for my 97 and it was like $700.00. Way overcharged. Have them fix it to your satisfaction.

Quite sad the money for parts up this way. Thankfully next time around I'll be able to do this myself as the process doesn't seem so hard after watching my trusted mechanic put new gaskets in for me. Too bad he wasn't working much in the winter after surgery when my exhaust totally crapped out.

This is getting ridiculous. I had a reliable mechanic fix the heat shields and the gaskets so that there's no leak or vibration, and Midas is still insisting that the cats were banged, causing all those problems.

INSISTING BIG TIME. The flange bolts were probably too tight, allowing for a cupping of the flanges and a slow broken seal on at least two of them. The vibration is from the cheapness of the heat shields and the crappy way they are manufactured. MIDAS will not budge from an absurd claim everything is the result of road debris impact or off-road impact. Conveniently this makes the warranty on the cats void as well.

Dealing with corporate now. Thinking of asking for a refund on labour, and maybe a partial on the cats since they feel they can unilaterally declare problems to void a warranty. Not counting on anything at all, though. Considering just saying **** it.