Flex pipe - why do shops say it's so expensive?

**ElSabio182** · 10-30-2009 11:26 AM

Hey guys, I know the flex pipe question has been asked to death...but i'm going to ask about it anyways....

Everyone on the forums says:
"You can get a cheap piece of flex-pipe for $50, bring it to any muffler shop, and they can just weld the thing on...$100-ish total cost"

Every indy Euro shop I talk to says:
"You need to take at least the Cat off the car to do a 360-degree weld on the pipe, and that's very labor-intensive. The Audi flex pipe doesn't come separate, I have to order an entire new Cat to get one. Either way, it will cost between $400-500 to do the job."

What gives??

**SupaSlowA4** · 10-30-2009 11:36 AM

your shop is screwin ya...

should honestly be like $50 for the flex section, and then like $25 to install...

**Seerlah** · 10-30-2009 11:38 AM

I don't know how the 2.8 is, but I think the shop is BSing you. They would just need the diameter of the piping, get the flex joint accordingly, remove the section of the exhaust system with the flex joint, cut old one out (accordingly with length of new flex joint), weld new one in. Done. The biggest issue may be the stock piping being some random number.

http://vibrantperformance.com/catalo...1035_1064_1113

**dowsett6** · 10-30-2009 11:46 AM

They are giving you the price if you went with the OEM flex pipe. You could even buy a clamp on style flex pipe and do it yourself if you have something to cut the old flex off with.

**ElSabio182** · 10-30-2009 11:50 AM

Yeah...the last guy I talked to, I asked him about supplying a non-OEM flex piece. He gave me the line about still needing take the Cat off the car to weld all the way around the joint, and that's the high labor. That made sense to me, so I didn't push him on it...

**urban96** · 10-30-2009 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by ElSabio182

Yeah...the last guy I talked to, I asked him about supplying a non-OEM flex piece. He gave me the line about still needing take the Cat off the car to weld all the way around the joint, and that's the high labor. That made sense to me, so I didn't push him on it...

they cant get the welder into the area above the pipe because of the trans tunnel

**This Is Epic** · 10-30-2009 12:07 PM

I need to get this done also, as I have a small exhaust leak.

Everywhere I called said I have to bring the car in before pricing, are you calling local guys or places like Meineke?

**A4-Achtung** · 10-30-2009 12:35 PM

You need to find a nice little Latino muffler shop that will charge you a six pack of Corona, they can make anything work LOL.

**Coopa** · 10-30-2009 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by A4-Achtung

You need to find a nice little Latino muffler shop that will charge you a six pack of Corona, they can make anything work LOL.

....nooooooooooo! My baby was "latino" owned before myself. They had a "system" in it before I bought it. They sure "made it work". I soon discovered most of the wiring in the car was f^cked. Surprised it didn't have altezza tails. Anyone got a link to the clamp on style flexpipes?

**andyrew** · 10-30-2009 12:55 PM

Seriously find a cheap muffler shop looking for work. Get them to tack it in and if they'll let you undo the cat while its on the lift, YOU do the wrenchin they do the welding, you bolt it back in and call it a day... There is NO sense in going to euro shops for welding..

**zjerunk** · 10-22-2016 05:47 PM

Does anyone know:
Are the O.E. exhaust flex pipes on a '02 A6 3.0L Quattro 1) Stainless braid both inside and outside, OR 2) Stainless braid outside & Interlock (looks like corrugated pipe) inside?
Give the choices above, which would be the better, most durable for replacement?

**Seerlah** · 10-22-2016 10:12 PM

Why not research a better quality than OEM? Google something like "Most durable and long lasting flex joint". And...going to follow my own advice because my sh*t is leaking bad. Ha!

**Believer** · 10-23-2016 06:43 AM

My fab guy swears by Vibrant stuff. Summit or Jegs has their flex sections for a decent price. I think the 3" one is like 50 or 60 bucks

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

**mfdk** · 10-23-2016 09:14 AM

I ran into similar situation with most shops asking for $600 for both flex pipes, so then i went ahead and ordered the correct ones from eBay for $28 a piece, found a Latino shop that actually have been working on vw/audis and he charged me $80 for both sides, it took him about an hour and half and me watching them whils doing it. The only hard part if i may say was cutting the old ones out, after that everything was straightforward.

01 a4 2.8 v6

**zjerunk** · 10-23-2016 10:27 AM

@ Seerlah & Believer, thank you for your input. The Vibrant (all stainless) is a stock item at my local Summit Racing store, and the construction appears to be good.

**3 bar** · 10-27-2016 07:23 AM

Anybody know the diameter on a 1.8t downpipe. Mine are broke on both my cars

**ElSabio182** · 10-27-2016 08:01 AM

Woah...my post from 2009 is back on the front page.

It's like one of those Facebook Memories things.

**DoesntCare** · 10-27-2016 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by ElSabio182

Woah...my post from 2009 is back on the front page.

It's like one of those Facebook Memories things.

If only he had waited 3 more days :(

**gtsingh91** · 03-20-2017 03:42 PM

Bumping an old thread but I developed this exhaust leak coming from this flex part. Can any automotive store's generic flex part work here?

**walky_talky20** · 03-20-2017 08:57 PM

Looks like yours has already been replaced with an "automotive store generic" piece. I would recommend you pay for a good quality one, like Vibrant.

Yes, it may cost twice as much. And it may take 3 days to get. But you won't have to replace it again in 2 years.