Noise, emissions and leaks
Exhaust section or full system
Checked on 14 August 2025.Bumper, How much does it cost to replace an exhaust? UK prices (as of 14 August 2025)
What does exhaust section or full system cost in the UK?
£100 to £1,200 fitted at an independent garage, VAT included, on a mainstream car. The midpoint of that range is about £650, and where you land inside it is decided by access, parts and wheel size rather than by the garage's postcode.
Exhausts are replaced in sections, so the price depends entirely on which section has gone and how much of the rest is fit to reuse. A single pipe or a joint on a common car can come in under £100. Bumper put a back box at £250 to £600, a mid section at £300 to £500, rising to about £700 on a luxury model, and a full system at £600 to £1,200. Three things set the figure. How far forward the corrosion is, because anything ahead of the catalytic converter is more expensive and more work; whether the joints and hangers come apart, since a seized clamp usually means cutting and replacing more than planned; and whether you fit an aftermarket section or the manufacturer's part, which on some cars is only sold as a longer assembly.
How this job compares
| Job | Area | Fitted price |
|---|---|---|
| Front wiper blades | Visibility | £19 to £45 |
| Exhaust section or full system | Noise, emissions and leaks | £100 to £1,200 |
Other noise, emissions and leaks work
| Job | Fitted price | Labour |
|---|---|---|
| Catalytic converter | £175 to £900 | 1.2h |
| Emissions failure, sensor or valve | £110 to £650 | Not published |
| Diesel particulate filter clean | £160 to £500 | 1.5h |
Common questions
- How much does exhaust section or full system cost?
- £100 to £1,200 fitted at an independent garage, including VAT, for a mainstream car.
- How urgent is it?
- Get it booked in. Any part of the noise suppression system that is insecure is a major defect, and a part likely to become detached is dangerous, which means the car should not be driven. A blowing exhaust ahead of the cabin can also put fumes into the car, which is a reason to deal with it now rather than at the next service.
- What moves the price within that range?
- Access, parts and wheel size, mostly. A job that needs the bumper or an arch liner off costs an hour more than the same job on a car where it does not, and a genuine part can be several times an aftermarket one.
- Is this price for one side or both?
- Treat the range as the job as the source published it. Where a part is replaced in pairs the detail below says so, and the second side adds less than double because the labour overlaps.
Sources
Every figure on this page was read off the publisher's own page on the date shown.