Part of being a responsible car owner is knowing when to replace its parts. And if you have little to no experience with car maintenance, choosing a replacement part can be tricky.
This guide focuses on replacing your car’s exhaust system and the mistakes you should avoid while doing it:
1. Not finding a good company
A company that specializes in performance exhaust in Sydney is not the same as others in the next city or in the next province. Thus, it’s imperative that you do your research before contacting an exhaust supplier in your area.
Check out their website, read reviews, and look for recommendations. As you would when choosing a car, start with at least three to five options first before narrowing down your choices.
2. Setting the budget too low
The cost of replacing a car’s exhaust has a wide range, from as low as $150 to as high as $1,500. The price depends on the type of car you have, the new exhaust, and whether you are replacing the whole system or just a few components. In any case, don’t set a budget that’s too low. If you lowball the price, you may not get the exhaust or quality of work you need.
3. Doing it yourself with little experience
Say you have some experience working on a car, and you’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to replace an exhaust system. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do things DIY, but if you have no hands-on experience changing an exhaust, it’s better to have a professional do it.
4. Repairing when it’s time to replace
Repairing an exhaust system may be cheaper than replacing it, but it doesn’t guarantee that your exhaust will last longer. In fact, repairing a faulty exhaust may just be a band-aid solution to a major car problem.
Thus, it’s important to know when to replace a car’s exhaust. In general, if the repair bill is going to cost more than half of the price of a new exhaust, it’s more economical to buy a new one.
To know if your car’s exhaust needs repair or replacing, these are the signs you need to look out for:
- Excessive noise in the engine
- Burning odor from the engine bay
- Decreased fuel efficiency
- The smell of gas in the car
- Decreased engine performance
- Excessive vibrations
- Exhaust leaks
- Unusual smoke colors (black, gray, blue, white)
5. Putting off the job for too long
Getting your car fixed is an inconvenience that many of us like to put off. However, if you put off replacing your car’s exhaust for too long, it can start to affect other parts of your car and consequently increase your repair bill. If you start noticing exhaust problems, take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible.
When your car starts showing signs of exhaust problems, avoid driving it as much as you can until you can get the issue checked and fixed. Once a mechanic confirms that you have exhaust problems, do your best to avoid the mistakes highlighted here.
