Saab 95 Exhaust Repair: The Bodged Fix Another Garage Left Behind in Walsall
A Saab 95 came into us here at Platinum Vehicle Services after the owner had already paid another garage to sort out an exhaust problem. The car was still making noise, and the owner was understandably frustrated. They wanted someone to take a proper look underneath and tell them what was actually going on. That is exactly what we did.
What we found on inspection
Once we had the car up on the ramp, it did not take long to see why the noise had not gone away. The exhaust flex pipe was broken, and whoever had worked on it before had used red and black straps to hold the two ends together. That is not a repair. That is a temporary measure at best, and in this case it had not even held properly. Beyond the flex pipe, the middle section of the exhaust was also in a poor state, and the rear back box had either completely detached or lost its connection entirely. The whole system needed to be looked at, not just one section of it.
Why this happens and what the risks are
Flex pipes are a flexible section of the exhaust that allow for engine movement and vibration. Over time, particularly on older vehicles, the metal weave that makes up the flex pipe can crack and split. When that happens, exhaust gases can escape before they reach the rest of the system, which causes the noise the owner was hearing. If it is left unaddressed, those gases can build up in places they should not be, and carbon monoxide finding its way into the cabin is a serious risk. A broken or failing back box will also cause a significant increase in noise and can affect how the engine runs. The concern here was not just the inconvenience of the noise. A bodged repair using straps gives no seal at all, meaning the car had effectively been driven in an unsafe condition since the previous work was carried out.
How we put it right
We carried out a thorough assessment of the entire exhaust system before starting any work, so we had a clear picture of everything that needed addressing. Rather than patching individual sections, we worked through the system properly, replacing the broken flex pipe and attending to the middle section and rear back box. The aim was to get the exhaust functioning as it should, with no leaks and no temporary fixes holding things together. The owner left with a car that was quiet, safe, and not held together with straps.
If your car is making a rumbling, hissing, or louder than usual noise from underneath, it is worth getting it looked at sooner rather than later. The same applies if you have had exhaust work done elsewhere and the problem has not gone away. We see this more often than you might expect. If you are in Walsall or anywhere across the West Midlands and you want someone to take an honest look at your vehicle, bring it into Platinum Vehicle Services and we will tell you exactly what we find.
