Hey guys today all of a sudden the car started making noises and I thought exhaust gone bad. I looked under the car and noticed that catalytic converter is detached from the flex pipe (image attached).

I wonder how did it even detached like this as I see no rust and nothing. I also could not find any image online that will show me how these two were connected to begin with. Am I missing any part here?

I am worried if it is going to cost me an arm or a leg to have this repaired?

 

Find an exhaust shop and have it rewelded back together. Those flex joints are very common to fail although I don’t know why yours came apart.

 

how much a repair like this should cost?

 

Depends on where you live but here in NJ I would be ready to pay $100-200.

 

Got it repaired today from my mechanic. Looks like he changed the mesh piece. New piece looks much smaller than the one that was there before. I wonder if size of these things matter? I didn’t look under until I got home or else I would have asked my mechanic about it right there. See picture.

 

Hard to tell since you took the last picture from a different angle. There's some kind of flange that partially covers the flex pipe so could be obscuring it more in your last shot.

 

yeah could be. I am not too worried. It drives well and drives quiet. Hey that's what I wanted.