# Is it all a bit of a game....



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

I'm fairly new to this MH lark and I call it a lark on propose...

It looks like we'll be needing a least a part of our exhaust for the MOT, after 3 days this is the conclusion I've come to. Am I correct or have I got brain fade?

Mine is a Boxer/Elddis/Alko combination so I'll use those names for ease of reading:
1. Peugeot produce Boxer Chassis Cab spending a few minutes or so on the exhaust system.
2. Elddis buy the Boxer from Peugeot
3. Elddis send the Chassis Cab to Alko.
4. Alko fit their special chassis.
5. But to do so Alko cut about adding to & taking away from the original exhaust system
6. Newly messed with Boxer returns to Elddis for MH build.
7. Some years later the Exhaust rusts.
8. Original Boxer exhaust is now of no use.
9. Elddis are not really interested.
10. Alko put me onto a bespoke exhaust manufacturer. Still waiting for them to get back to me with price, probably equal to the debt of a medium sized 3rd world country.

Does that seem to be about right? Or have I got it completely wrong? 
I guess it's the same for all models on the Alko chassis?

BTW. A complete system for the Boxer including the CAT is about £220, if only it were that simple


----------



## brillopad (Mar 4, 2008)

so when you get the new one make sure its stainless. dennis


----------



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Are you absolutely certain that it's not a standard Boxer system? OK my m/h is a fair bit older than yours but it does have an Alko chassis and a standard exhaust system. Maybe I was lucky.

JohnW


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Are you sure. have you spoken to a peugeot main dealer rather than an exhaust garage who are restricted in their range.
Wizzo may be correct.

cabby


----------



## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

AL8 said:


> Does that seem to be about right? Or have I got it completely wrong?


Being the eternal cynic that I am I would say you've summed it up perfectly.

As suggested above if faced with a £220 bill I would if possible lob out a bit more and go stainless.

GS Exhausts have quite a good reputaion:-

http://www.gsexhausts.co.uk/


----------



## SMIFF (Nov 5, 2007)

Hi Peter and welcome to my world. I've just been through the very same game myself although i had the added pleasure of my van being a left hooker thus, the exit pipe on the wrong side of the van. Have you looked at your system yet. Alko tend to weld an extra thick extension pipe into their exhaust systems which gives the system the correct dimensions to clear the coach built body. I salvaged this extra thick piece of pipe from the original dead exhaust. Then ordered a new standard system from ebay, (in my case a pattern part from germany) cut it in the middle and had the old piece welded into it. A bit of a run around but basically a new system for £80 and being diesel, should last a few years. Much easier to drive out and have a new system, custom made in stainless but my situation required it to be repaired on my drive way anyway good luck with that!


----------



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

Hi again & thanks for all the replies.
brillopad/Wizzo/cabby: no, I'm not 100% sure but I did speak to Explorer, Peugeot Parts & Alko.

Personally I do find it unbelievable, especially given that every MH is delivered with a (at least slightly added to) mild steel exhaust system.

So, today I went to a local MH dealer & looked under about 20 Fiat/Peugeot MHs (kneeling in the flipping freezing snow!), from what I could see almost all had an alteration to the last section of pipe after the last silencer. The last section of tail pipe has an extension of some sort to bring the exhaust out to the edge of the MH body work. Some were Stainless others mild steel. Some only about 18inches of extension, others were extended almost from the exit of the silencer (about 4 feet).

Only one had no extension at all, & looked very much like a standard exhaust - but, of course, it ended a fair way under the MH.

Believe me I want an easy option. My next action will be to take a picture of the standard exhaust & compare it to mine. I think the problem is my chassis has holes in it that the final path of the exhaust need to thread through, so, at the very least, I need to get the last 2/3 feet fabricated.

I think a tail piece is available from explorer at £80+VAT!! But I need to check if it's Stainless or Mild. Not that I think I will be giving them nearly £100 - just out of principle & because of their lack of help.

I hope that I will be able to just get the tail pipe fabricated from Longlife Exhuasts Ltd & attach it to a cut new standard exhaust.

BUT this is not what Alko said. Explorer seem very vague about the what this tail pipe actually is - originally I thought they were talking about the whole end silencer section - I have queried this but they have got back to me in 4 days. As I say they are very vague.

Losos/SMIFF: I hope I'm wrong & I'm not joining your world.

A bit of a ramble I'm afraid, but it reflects the circles I've been going round n

*On the same subject and thinking positively does anyone know who makes a standard but stainless exhaust system for the 2003 Ducato/Boxer?*


----------



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

Still searching...

This is from the Swift site & sums up my problem:
_*AL-KO exhaust system*
A standard Fiat/Peugeot exhaust system is
fitted, utilising an AL-KO modified tail pipe,
available through your approved dealer. A
standard Fiat/Peugeot exhaust system is fitted
to all other models, with the addition of a Swift
Group tail pipe._

Mine is an Elddis, but it's obviously the same story.

Strangely, AL-KO don't want to know & Elddis want about £80+VAT for a part that I can't define. Added to this, I'm unsure if I need the AL-KO part or The Elddis part.

Hey ho, what fun :roll:


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Al

There is an easy option. Do as my friend did when he had a similar problem. :?

He took his vehicle to a small, one-man-band garage where the owner was genuinely interested in customer service :wink: , and asked him if he could fix it.

The chap asked if Bernard (friend) was too fussy about the appearance, since it would have to be made up of parts that would fit together as there was no "_off the shelf_" option.

Bernard was not fussy of course, but the resulting job was spot on, looked good, and lasted at least as long as a bespoke system.

It didn't cost too much either. The separate bits of exhaust cost less than a full system, and even after paying for a bit of "_laying-underneath-and-thinking_" time he was well satisfied.

It's a thought!

Dave


----------



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

Well I thought I'd report back...

Having nearly gone mad chasing my tail, bouncing between one companies advise to another, it turns out that this is the comedy of errors...

1. Explorer Group said that the exhaust tail trim was £80+VAT to take the standard exhaust to the edge of the bodywork. 

2. After some exchanges about the cost, I asked if the exhaust trim was Stainless or Mild Steel - only to be told it was no longer available!

3. In the meantime AL-KO said that if they had altered the exhaust I had to go to a bespoke exhaust builder.

4. I connected the company, who are incredible slow at replying to email, but anyway.... it turns out that they thought it unlikely that they could fit a MH onto their ramp!! 

5. In the meantime I find a complete end section of exhaust, including the 2 silencers, for £60 + delivery.

6. I spent a couple of days looking under every MH I could find, comparing the setup and find that very few have strange exhaust set-ups as I was lead to believe. But that most did have the final pipe cut back so that a stainless tail pipe could be fitted. Of course, if I’d had a stainless end pipe this learning curve would not have happened.

7. I decide that the replacement exhaust will get the pipe near enough to the edge of the bodywork and that if nothing else I get a shiny new exhaust for the MOT.

8. Order the exhaust on Friday, it's delivered Monday, I fitted it Saturday, good service I thought except the new 'olive' was the wrong size, but for £1.75 I can live with that.

9. Exhaust looks ok & if I need one of the £14 chrome trims so be it. Or, I might shop around & see how much the likes of Swift, etc, etc charge for their stainless end trim 


What a game!!


Hope this helps someone.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Out of curiosity, where did the exhaust you ended up with come from.

Ours looks like a standard system with a fancy stainless bit on the end to bring it to the edge of the body.

Kev.


----------



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Out of curiosity, where did the exhaust you ended up with come from.


 I got it from here: http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/

But as I said the replacement 'olive' was the wrong size.
And it's very clearly a factor part, being slightly less beefy than the original - but it seems to do the job & at about £70 all in. So, I'm not complaining.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks Peter.

Kev.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

AL8 said:


> Kev_n_Liz said:
> 
> 
> > Out of curiosity, where did the exhaust you ended up with come from.
> ...


I assume that you rang them, as I couldn't find any exhausts in the listings.

I registered while I was there though.

Kev.


----------



## AL8 (Feb 16, 2009)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I assume that you rang them, as I couldn't find any exhausts in the listings.


Left hand side of the page, start with FUEL, then MANUFACTURER, etc etc

You end up with a list of eveything for your vehicle.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks Peter, it was nice of them to make it so easy for me :? 

Kev.


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Good post Peter


----------



## Westkirby01 (Jan 25, 2009)

*Stainless steel exhaust*

Hope this helps.

Our van needed part of the exhaust replacing. manifold pipe and rear pipe. The quote from Mercedes to purchase was £400 and the garage would have to charge for fitting.

They are an excellent garage (Bute Services - Ardrossan) and said that I should consider a stainless steel unit. I think I fainted, but they said it would be far cheaper that what they would have to do.

They sent me to a local company that custom make stainless steel exhausts. Well blow me down!!!!

£130 for the replacement part including fitting. The mid box and pipe would need replacing in about 2 years and they would build them and install for £100.

My advice. Check the local stainless steel exhaust companies. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised.

Regards


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

There's a good one in Shipley West Yorks Zorstec I have not used them but a few mates have westfields etc and swear by them not at them.

Kev.


----------



## con-tiki (Oct 16, 2009)

i also need an exhaust for my fiat ducato kontiki. My manual says its a standard fiat exhaust with an alko modified tail pipe , part number 354898

shirl


----------

