Hi everyone!

I would like to begin by introducing myself since I am new to this forum. My name is Paul and I am from Canada. I own a 2004 Lexus RX 330 AWD.

Last night when I was driving home, I drove over a metal object that fell off a vehicle that was in front of me. I was not able to stop or maneuver around it because it happened so quick and there were vehicles around me. As I drove over the object, I heard a loud bang and then all of a sudden my car sounded like a fart canon. I pulled over into a parking lot immediately to inspect my vehicle. There was no "physical" damage to my vehicle (i.e. front bumper, radiator, plastic cover under the engine) so I assume that the front of my vehicle cleared the object. Next, I inspected underneath my vehicle and discovered that my muffler was damaged. It seems that the object that I drove over bent my muffler and created a hole in it (please see attached photo).

I need some insight from the awesome people on this forum!


Which option should I choose for the repair?
1) Replace through Lexus dealer using OEM Lexus muffler assembly (Part #17420-0A280). The dealer quoted me around $2000 (parts and labour) . If I decide to go down this route, I will claim it through my insurance and pay a $250 deductible.
2) Replace through a local exhaust shop using an aftermarket Bosal muffler assembly (Part #286299). It will cost around $400 (parts and labour). What are your thoughts regarding Bosal mufflers or aftermarket mufflers in general?

Additional Questions/Concerns
1) What are the chances that the other components in the exhaust system was damaged from the impact with the muffler (e.g. resonator, catalytic convertor, headers, etc). I drove the vehicle today and everything seems to be fine other than the noise from the muffler. The check engine light is not present either.
2) Is there anything else in particular that I should have inspected? From what I can see, I don't think anything else was damaged, however the only way to know for sure is to lift it using a hoist.

I apologize for the long post and I would like to thank you everyone in advance.

 

I would imagine your insurance rate would go up by filing a claim. Personally I would go with the aftermarket option. It'll be less expensive in the long run.

 

That Bosal muffler cost less than $90 on RockAuto.com and It is a bolt in replacement. Should take less than an hour. Muffler shop is way out of line. Buy part and find a good friend (that works on cars) and buy a six pack of beer....

 

You have a leak at the weld point. Any muffler shop will charge you 40 or 50 bucks to weld up the hole and other than the dent you should be good to go.

 

Very glad that object didn't like a hole in your fuel tank!

 

Thank you everyone for your responses.

I took my vehicle to a local exhaust shop the other day and they lifted it on their hoist. The problem is more severe than I thought. We found one more leak in the exhaust system . The second leak is located between the y-pipe flange and the rear catalytic convertor flange (please see attached photo).

To repair this leak, they suggested to cut off the flanges and substitute them with a flex pipe. Is this fix a good idea?

In addition, they asked if I would like to remove the rear catalytic convertor and substitute it with a straight pipe to join it with the new muffler assembly. I was told it could improve the efficiency of my vehicle and possibly increase the gas mileage. Should I keep it or remove it? There are no O2 sensors connected to this particular catalytic convertor and there are no emission controls where I live.

Thanks again!

 

I would check with your insurance to see if your rates would go up if filing a claim. I remembered when a tar truck Dumped a pile if tar in front of my LS430 going 45 mph. I plowed right into it causing 4500 in damage. My insurance rate did not go up since I hit a moving object . If your rates don't go up, then pay the deductible and let the dealer fix everything. You can get a whole new exhaust system out of it

 

Unfortunately, I have to pay for the repairs out of my own pocket now. I spoke to my insurance and they told me that if I were to submit a claim, they would not be able to repair my vehicle using Lexus OEM parts since it is not justifiable for a vehicle that is 12 years old.

Ideally, I would like to have everything repaired by the dealership using OEM parts, but that option is not feasible. I would have to purchase the entire muffler assembly plus the y-pipe.

 

I am going to go out on a limb, I would just order the rock Auto muffler, the flange can be bent straight and new gasket inserted. Man nobody wants to give a break to anybody nowadays...what happened to the mechanic that made it work (think out of the box) Find a friend, get the parts and offer a bribe. Its not rocket science. These business people are just weird. Man if you were in my neighborhood I would do it for a beer. Note: I am almost 66 years old and it just isn't that hard.

 

Thanks Thomas! The mechanic did mentioned what you suggested above, however he said there's a chance there could still be a leak. I guess we can give that a try first and if it doesn't work, I'll go with the flex pipe method.

Thank you again!

 

The flex pipe was used on the old RX300 and would fail eventually, but they do work....