Your exhaust system keeps your car running smoothly, quietly and legally by controlling emissions output and reducing engine noise – so any problem with it can lead to a very stressful situation, such as an MOT failure or an expensive breakdown.
But when so many parts make up your car’s exhaust, how can you be expected to know what needs fixing?
With BookMyGarage.com, you don’t have to. We’re not going to make you tell us whether your car’s muffler is cracked or the silencer is corroded, we’re just going to help you find the right garage to fix your problem and make sure you get the work done at the right price.
Complicated exhaust repairs are best left to the professionals. Enter your reg and postcode to find and book the best deal near you in seconds – without having to know exactly what’s wrong with your car.
Choosing ‘exhaust repair’ from our product dropdown will allow you to book an inspection at a local garage so they can find what’s wrong with your exhaust and then give you a quote for the repair.
As exhaust repairs can range from fixing a leak or crack in one of the pipes all the way to replacing your catalytic converter, determining exactly what you need can be tricky – but if you want to help the technician get ahead with their diagnosis, here are some symptoms of specific exhaust issues:
Your exhaust should work quietly to keep you moving – so if you notice a sudden hissing, vibrating or rattling, or a general increase in noise, there may be an issue with one or more of the following:
Any sort of rumbling, rattling, hissing or vibration coming from your exhaust needs looking at as soon as possible as it may be that another part is to blame.
If you can smell exhaust fumes in the cabin, you should pull over immediately and avoid driving your car until the issue is fixed. A leaking system can allow carbon monoxide to filter into the cabin which is a serious health risk.
If your ECU (engine control unit) is detecting an emissions related issue, you’ll likely see the check engine light come on.
This will cause an MOT failure, so it’s even more important to get the issue fixed as soon as possible.
A heavily smoking exhaust is usually a good sign that something is wrong. However, the smoke can be caused by a range of issues, including:
Your exhaust may produce steam on a cold day while it warms up, but it should only ever be white and dissipate after a few minutes of driving. If you notice any sort of smoke coming out of your exhaust at any other time, you should book an inspection at a local garage as soon as possible.
A catalytic converter change takes about 1-2 hours on average, a muffler and midpipe around 1 hour each and a downpipe, the deepest part of the exhaust, 2-3 hours.
This means that a full exhaust system replacement can take anywhere between 2 and 8 hours on average, which can increase further depending on your vehicle and whether your chosen garage needs to order extra parts.
Other exhaust repairs vary depending on what’s needed, but you should always expect to be without your car for at least half a day. You’ll be able to get a more accurate estimate from the technician working on your car once they’ve inspected the damage.
Even if we haven’t mentioned your symptom above, it doesn’t mean that your exhaust isn’t to blame. The average exhaust system includes 6-10 parts as standard with others, such as resonators, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, actuators and secondary air injection systems, optional on certain models. Diesel cars also include a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to better manage their emissions.
All in all, that means there’s a lot that can go wrong!
Our exhaust repairs make solving a complex issue as simple as possible. When you don’t know what’s wrong, all you need is a trustworthy garage to tell you what the problem is and how much it’s going to cost.
And as we’ve shown 23.5 million instant prices to date as part of our mission to connect every UK driver with their perfect local garage, that’s something we can help with.
Here are just some of the ways we keep you in control of finding the right garage to get your car moving again.
When you choose a garage through our platform, you don’t need to enter any payment details upfront to secure your booking*. There are no booking fees either, so you always pay the garage directly after all the work is complete – and as every garage sets and updates their own prices, what you see is always what you pay (unless you agree to additional work with them directly).
And with Payment Assist and Klarna monthly repayment options available at many garages on our platform, it’s a lot easier to deal with an unexpected repair bill when you book your appointment through BookMyGarage.com.
When you book an exhaust repair through our comparison site, there’s no waiting around or sitting on hold during your lunch break. You can book an appointment 24/7, 365 days a year – even while garages are closed.
And because you want to get your exhaust fixed as soon as possible, we make it easy to find a local garage offering same- or next-day repair slots. Just select ‘Availability’ from the Sort By dropdown in the top right corner or choose a specific date from the calendar on the left-hand sidebar to filter your search results accordingly and find a garage that can fit you in at short notice.
With a growing number of mobile mechanics listed on our platform, it’s easier than ever to book a convenient exhaust repair near you. They’ll come and complete your repair on your driveway, so you don’t have to worry about finding the time to take your car to a local garage.
And a mobile exhaust repair is especially useful if your car’s not safe to drive.
You can filter our search results to see ‘Only Mobile Mechanics’ using the left-hand sidebar.
When you’re looking for a local garage you can trust, there’s nothing better than finding one that’s highly recommended by dozens of local drivers. That’s why we always show as many verified reviews as possible for each garage.
Many are also backed by industry accreditations, and we reward the best garages near you with one of our Tier badges. These highlight their commitment to exceptional customer service and car care and every garage must meet and maintain strict criteria to be eligible for Silver, Gold or Top Tier status.
All this means that when you choose a Top Tier garage with dozens of 5* reviews for your exhaust repair, you’ll always drive away satisfied and have a trusted garage for all your car’s future maintenance needs.
Whether your car is much louder or less fuel efficient because of a faulty exhaust, you’re going to be stressed out. The last thing you need is a poor-quality repair that doesn’t fix your problem and adds another stressful breakdown on top.
When you compare local garages through BookMyGarage.com, that won’t happen.
Our transparent comparison keeps you in control and helps you book the best deal at your perfect garage, whatever you need and no matter how much you know about car maintenance.
Enter your reg and postcode now to book your exhaust repair in seconds.
*some mobile mechanics may ask for payment details upfront