Exhaust hard to get and expensive

[Mike Percival]

My 2004 Impreza GX Wagon has blown the front section of the exhaust - the bit with the cat in. Talk about hard to get hold of and damn expensive when you do find it. A previous owner had replaced the rear and mid sections, but not the front, though someone had done a bodge job on blanking off a hole. £375 later and the cat section is on order (hopefully the correct part). I'm not sure why it is so expensive, or why the cat is so necessary when I'm only doing short trips and it never gets hot enough to operate properly. However, re-mapping the engine is yet another un-needed expense so I'll just go with the cat.

[Tidgy]

Basicly supply and demand, not many GX's are still on the road, or ever were in truth. Its a different shape to a turbo fitment which were much more common.

Also cats arnt cheap in general either, your looking best part of £500 for one for any car.

 

One option is to just decat it, as long as you can find a friendly mot place that will pass the emissions test for you 😉

[Mike Percival]

Managed to get the front pipe (with cat) for £365, fitted. The rear section of the exhaust was new - why the previous owner replace that but not the front section -? The section had several holes, an old tin can wrapped around it held in place by a jubilee clip.

Have to admit it did sound great with the holes - vroom vroom!