RX400H Exhaust

Chrishobbit · June 25, 2018

So, my car was in at the dealer today for its 10 year service and cambelt. I got a message after a few hours informing me of the extra work required.......3 grands worth! This is on top of the service and cambelt cost. A big chunk of this is the exhaust centre section, which is £1100 or thereabouts. They sent a video of the hole that it's blowing from and it looks like it will patch for now, but obviously is going to need replacing sooner rather than later. Has anyone had any luck sourcing a cheaper option? I'm sure one of the custom exhaust places will knock one up for much less, but I'd like it to be as close to standard as possible.

ColinBarber · June 25, 2018

What else needs doing?

sorcerer · June 25, 2018

If you search the forums, you'll see that someone had a custom-made, stainless steel, cat-back exhaust, guaranteed for the life of the car, made and fitted for £495 if I remember correctly. He got it from https://www.cybox.co.uk/ but if that's too far from you I'm sure there'll be somewhere closer who isn't too far away price-wise.

sorcerer · June 26, 2018

Just found that post and it was an RX300 rather than 400h, and it was £395 rather than £495:

rich1068 · June 26, 2018

Good to know.

Is the exhaust for an RX300 massively different from one for a 400h? Does the hybrid gubbins make a difference? £1100 does sound very steep.

sorcerer · June 26, 2018

2 hours ago, rich1068 said:

Is the exhaust for an RX300 massively different from one for a 400h? Does the hybrid gubbins make a difference?

I'm almost certain that it's the same, or certainly close enough as to make very little difference.

2 hours ago, rich1068 said:

£1100 does sound very steep

It doesn't just sound very steep, it is very steep. But then, who would go to the main dealers for an exhaust anyway? Toyota/Lexus don't make exhausts (nor batteries, nor tyres etc) so you go to the people who do.

I remember when my Nissan Maxima QX needed an exhaust, none of the usual suspects could supply so I called my Nissan main dealer, to be given a price just south of £900, so I politely refused their offer and went to a very similar place as the guy above. Custom made, stainless, guaranteed for the life of the car and the guarantee was transferable to a new owner if I sold the car, brilliant job, all for the sum of £375 of our Great British Pounds.

Anyone who ever did pay the main dealer prices should be deemed to have far too much money for their own good, and it should be taken from them and spread about for the greater good of the community

Farqui · June 26, 2018

Lexus took one look at my exhaust and rather than quote for a replacement, they offered to weld it up, which surprised me until they let on how much a new exhaust would cost.

At this age I didn't opt for any repairs as I felt I'd be chasing leaks regularly, so a shiny new s/s custom exhaust has since been fitted.

julian1969 · June 29, 2018

I had exactly the same experience when I had my 100k service, cam belt and water pump (1k in itself) done. Unfortunately I had a leaky rad and as you have a blowing exhaust as well. I found a local garage who replaced the rad and 'sleeved' the bad bit of the exhaust (cut out the bad bit and welded a larger diameter piece of tubing over the existing exhaust to bridge the gap) this cost me just over £500 with only £100 of that being for the exhaust. Eventually I'll get a new system probably from one of the custom manufacturers in stainless steel dotted about the place but for now i'm very happy with the 'stopgap' repair I have and as long as it holds i don;t see the point in paying money on a 10 year old car that i don't have to.

ColinBarber · June 30, 2018

On 6/26/2018 at 1:44 PM, rich1068 said:

Good to know.

Is the exhaust for an RX300 massively different from one for a 400h? Does the hybrid gubbins make a difference? £1100 does sound very steep.

Slight difference on the front and mid sections, the rear box is the same. If you are getting a custom made exhaust then there should be no price difference between an RX300 and RX400h.

Edwin mason · July 21, 2020

Hi I have got a Lexus GS300SE 2005 model I had a Stainless steel exhaust system fitted 3 years ago at Tony banks in Leeds for £800 because the Lexus dealership wanted £2000 plus fitting plus I am more mpg now so go for a Stainless steel exhaust system it's much better hope this will help you.

Regards

Eddie mason

oraman · February 1, 2021

On 7/21/2020 at 11:29 AM, Edwin mason said:

Hi I have got a Lexus GS300SE 2005 model I had a Stainless steel exhaust system fitted 3 years ago at Tony banks in Leeds for £800 because the Lexus dealership wanted £2000 plus fitting plus I am more mpg now so go for a Stainless steel exhaust system it's much better hope this will help you.

Regards

Eddie mason

Hi Eddie, does the s/s exhaust sound OK ? the last thing I'd want is an annoying sporty sound

Brunel · April 8, 2022

Useful post thank you. My 172K 2009 centre section is blowing. I shall see if someone can do a repair cheaply as I'm think of selling it.

One question - what is the 'thing' sticking out of the side? - the holes are in fact where that meets the exhaust.

Regards

IKB

ColinBarber · April 8, 2022

2 hours ago, Brunel said:

One question - what is the 'thing' sticking out of the side?

It's a damper to reduce vibrations.

OldTrout · April 8, 2022

It looks as if you have space to wrap it with https://www.toolstation.com/fiberfix-heat-wrap/p17590

Worth a try for £10.98.

John

Brunel · April 11, 2022

On 4/8/2022 at 2:10 PM, ColinBarber said:

It's a damper to reduce vibrations.

Thank you. Silly question - how does it reduce vibrations?

OldTrout · April 11, 2022

Tim,

Not a silly question at all. I assume but am open to correction that adding this 'thing' moves the resonant frequency out of the audible range.

John

ColinBarber · April 12, 2022

On 4/11/2022 at 12:15 PM, Brunel said:

Thank you. Silly question - how does it reduce vibrations?

I doubt it has enough mass to reduce vibration through inertia so I suspect it is moving the resonant frequency of the exhaust system, as John has stated, either out of audible range or out of the frequency range that the engine produces with its normal rev range.

Haylands · April 13, 2022

On 2/1/2021 at 2:24 PM, oraman said:

Hi Eddie, does the s/s exhaust sound OK ? the last thing I'd want is an annoying sporty sound

Stainless steel exhausts always sound louder than mild steel ones, it's just a characteristic of stainless steel. If you tell the builder you want it quiet they will know what to do....

That lump of metal is called a "mass damper" they are fitted in all sorts of places, there is even one inside the steering wheel, they have sufficient mass to reduce NVH issues...

Brunel · April 19, 2022

On 4/12/2022 at 7:43 PM, ColinBarber said:

I doubt it has enough mass to reduce vibration through inertia so I suspect it is moving the resonant frequency of the exhaust system, as John has stated, either out of audible range or out of the frequency range that the engine produces with its normal rev range.

Thanks for that. Clever those Japanese.

Brunel · April 19, 2022

On 4/8/2022 at 2:17 PM, OldTrout said:

It looks as if you have space to wrap it with https://www.toolstation.com/fiberfix-heat-wrap/p17590

Worth a try for £10.98.

John

Thanks - bought one to give it a try. Still blowing a bit - but suspect I didnt put enough layers on.

Russell Wheeler · August 14, 2023

On 4/8/2022 at 11:13 AM, Brunel said:

Useful post thank you. My 172K 2009 centre section is blowing. I shall see if someone can do a repair cheaply as I'm think of selling it.

One question - what is the 'thing' sticking out of the side? - the holes are in fact where that meets the exhaust.

Regards

IKB