Exhaust life expectancy

[mikebore]

My wife's 2008 Mk1 with 51,000 miles has just had a free health check and rusty exhaust condition was flagged a warning. There is no audible leak, and surprise surprise, like any eight year old exhaust it's rusty!

So looking for a bit more info about expected life. I searched on this and found one person say their original exhaust was now 10 years old and OK, but mileage not mentioned so hoping for some more data points.

If it is time to replace it I really would like to do it before it blows or drops off at an inconvenient time.

[trebor1652]

I had a 56 reg mk1, 48500 miles sold it Oct '15 passed the MOT before I sold it with no advisories and was still on its original exhaust.
If it was me I would not worry about it.

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[guest5505]

My car is 10 years old and on original exhaust except for rear box which I replaced last year at a cost of £54 when it fell off. I'd wait until it starts blowing before replacing it.

[madasafish]

Our Yaris d4d exhaust is 13 and still is unrusted...(several coats of heatproof paint through teh years make it so)

[guest869]

My exhaust lasted over 100K miles and10 years.
Then I had to replace the middle and rear section.

Now on 120k miles.

[guest5168]

it has a rust colour on mine (2003) but it hasn't rusted through nor has any problems really.
Shame really that such a new car like the one in your example already has rust on it

[culzean]

It is counter-intuitive but the exhaust on low mileage car may well fail before a higher mileage one because they rust from inside due to condensed acidic exhaust vapour standing inside because exhaust never gets properly hot to boil it out.  8 to 12 years is normal life of OEM exhaust,  the original Honda exhaust is a lot thicker than most aftermarket ones,  which will last about 2 years (just over the guarantee period).  If you are planning to keep a car  and are willing to pay around £200 for a Bosal or similar quality aluminium plated one (aluminium more heat resistant than zinc-galvanised costing) it will last almost as long as OEM.

the exhausts on both mine and wifes 53 plate MK1 Jazzes looked horribly rusty on outside after 3 of 4 years,  but lasted about 9 years on my wifes (low annual mileage car) - never replaced on mine and sold car in 2014 with over 120K on the clock.

[RichardA]

Mine went last week at nine years old and 72k, it was still securely fixed on the car but made one hell of a racket! New mid section put on earlier this week at local independent garage for £78 inc labour & VAT, a lot cheaper than I was expecting.

It came up as an advisory on the MOT a week before, it was blowing but was barely noticeable and I didn't notice it when I check the car over a week prior to the MOT.

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[guest1372]

It's always the joins, good thing the MOT place didn't snap it during the test.
Just check that the back box flexible joint is still flexing rather than bolted up tight.
--
TG

[Ozzie]

2011 Hybrid, still on the original exhaust at 194,000 miles, but I guess thats because it is running all day, so the water in the exhaust has plenty of time to evaporate.

[longlegpete]

Our MK1 is now at 50,000 and is nearly 10 years old, still on original exhaust,  the last 4 mot's have advised rust but its stiil ok, as has been said miles dont matter, its the type of driving,  short stop start type journeys will always take more out of it

[madasafish]

Our 13 year old Toyota Yaris D4D has its original exhaust - which is like new.
  (I cheat and repaint every 4 years with aluminium heat proof paint)

[Jeffyjazz]

my 02 plate jazz lost everything from the manifold back (inc cat) at about 70k miles in 2012

put new cat, centre and rear box on in 2012

in 2015 I put a new centre and rear box on again and they aren't looking to good now so expecting to do it again next year

[mikebore]

my 02 plate jazz lost everything from the manifold back (inc cat) at about 70k miles in 2012

put new cat, centre and rear box on in 2012

in 2015 I put a new centre and rear box on again and they aren't looking to good now so expecting to do it again next year

Were the 2012 and 2015 replacements genuine Honda parts or third party?

If third party it supports what I have heard others say, that the genuine Honda exhausts, while more expensive are much higher quality. Ten years from original Honda, 2-3 years from third party.

[jonathan]

Hi there.

 I would add my tuppence.....

Question to the group.

I am currently teaching my wife to drive and therefore only drive around town... 45mins-1hr hour slots once a week.

Is it worth every two weeks going for a long fast journey - 30- 50miles  to reduce the problems that could arise as described as mentioned earlier in this post......or is the driving lessons enough to stop problems arising

Jonathan