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What should I expect to pay to replace an exhaust pipe and muffler?
John Paul, AAA Northeast's Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader needing work done on a nearly 20-year-old car.
Q. I am looking to replace the exhaust pipe and muffler on my 2005 four-door Chevy Cobalt. The exhaust pipe has a pretty big slash through it or perhaps rusted out. I was wondering how much I should expect to pay to get it replaced.
A. The prices can vary dramatically depending on where you go, and the quality of the parts used. The factory parts, which admittedly lasted a very long time, are the most expensive. The muffler is $600 and the exhaust pipe, which also has a type of muffler made into it, is $800. Using aftermarket parts reduces those prices by 50 percent or more. The labor to remove the old exhaust and install the new system would be about two hours. Today we are seeing labor rates running from $120 to $265 per hour.
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Q. I am driving a 2019 Honda Accord, which we purchased used about two years ago. The windshield has what I call crystals within the glass. We had one other car years ago with the same problem that eventually had to be replaced. Any thoughts on the cause? Any solution other than replacing it? I hesitate to do so through insurance because this would be the third replacement (one was another car years ago and the other was two years ago in a previous Honda due to an accident). I am afraid my insurance rates will go up if I go through them. I’m wondering if paying cash for a used windshield would be cheaper. I follow your column each week and have learned a lot from your advice.
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A. Most auto insurance policies include coverage for windshield damage, which means that the cost of repairing or replacing a cracked or chipped windshield may be covered, often without affecting your premium. The distortion in the glass may not be interpreted as a road hazard and may not be covered by your insurance. I have checked and do not see any mention of defects in the windshield on this model and year. Perhaps the first step is to stop at a windshield shop and have them evaluate the windshield and make a recommendation. Then they or you can contact your insurance company and see if your concern is covered. If it is not covered by insurance, talk with a glass installer. A used or quality aftermarket windshield may be a cheaper alternative than the Honda factory glass.
Q. I just purchased a 2020 Chevy Equinox from Hertz. This car has the smaller turbo-charged 1.5-liter engine. Are there any known issues with the engine or turbo charger?
A. There have been quite a few issues with these engines if they were not maintained regularly. The problems range from sludge build up and even cracked engine blocks. Chevrolet also put out a bulletin advising against using aftermarket reusable oiled air filters. These filters can cause the transmission to shift weirdly because the mass air flow sensor becomes contaminated. In really wintry weather the turbo-charger wastegate can freeze due to moisture, but in general the turbos seem to be holding up. At this point make sure all of the maintenance is up to date, follow the maintenance recommendations, and enjoy the vehicle.
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Q. In a recent column, I liked the way you addressed the electric car situation, but in my opinion, you kind of skirted one issue – the cost of repair. Recently I watched the repair of a hybrid. The problem was that the sensor that monitors the battery when it is charging, was bad. To replace a $50 part, they had to take down the battery, and after a fair amount of disassembly, replace the part, and reassemble the car. It looked like at least three hours of labor for a highly skilled person to do the work. Based on that video alone I think I will stay well away from these cars.
A. It is not just hybrids but many cars today can be a challenge to repair. Or if not a challenge, certainly expensive. As an example, some GM trucks require the intake manifold to be removed to replace the engine thermostat. This turns what was once a $100 repair into a $1,200 repair. Another example is with some Ford Explorers. The timing chain runs the water pump. To fix the leaking water pump, you end up replacing the timing chain, gears, guides, and then the water pump. If you own one of these Explorer models, the cost could be $3,000 or more. The issue is not just newer vehicles. Years back, Cadillac had the starter under the intake manifold. This is also the location of the starter in some Toyota vehicles. My wife has a 15-year-old VW Beetle convertible that needed a cooling fan. To replace the cooling fan, it was necessary to remove the bumper cover and front fenders. This added work and complication certainly took the fun out of a weekend DIY car repair.
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John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.
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