exhast and catalytic converter - pug delaership prices

Hi just put my 406 HDi 51 plate 132K into pug dealer for service. They
just phoned and told me back box on exhast has a hole in it, but it is
the part that has the cat converter inside - quoted me 700
pounds.....any advice on price would be appreciated because it seems a
huge amount to pay considering theres probably nothing wrong with the
cat coverter itself. They also mention hand brake cables are corroded
and want another 175quid to replace.....i told them to leave it all
(cant afford that kind of money!)........ pug dealership isnt the most
helpful of places but ive always had it serviced there.....im not sure
i should go ahead with this work tho.......any help much appreciated.
Thanks.

 

Go to a site called pug spares they are very helpful, that is if you
are in the u,k,rear box u can fit your self with just a couple of
spanners. hand brake cables are very easy to do as well. just take your
time with any job ,

 

There was a thread on here a while back in which it was generally agreed
that the cat converter is not actually required on diesel engines in the UK.
I believe a number of people have simply had a length of pipe welded in
place of it.

 

Are you sure they have got it right? On both the HDI vehicles I have had,
the back box is just a silencer, the cat convertor is a mid box, just behind
the engine. It has to be close to the engine, as it has to run hot to work,
and the back box is too far away.
If it is just a small hole in the back box, then you can easily do a cheap
repair for the time being with gun gum or similar.
The box containing the cat is highly unlikely to have been holed in this
short time, unless some phisical damage has occurred.
The 406 HDI might also have the particle filter in the cat box, which will
have a small pipe going to it for the cleaning fluid.

 

i'm just going off what peugeot told me on the phone, im not 100% they
said rear box, you know what these conversations are like, they (the
receptionist!) reel of a list of things thats wrong with my car and i
try and keep up!! But they definately said its the part of exhast with
the cat in....they said its not much labour costs as only takes an hour
but the parts are very expensive. The plot thickens because i took it
to ATS in jan for its MOT and they said exhast was blowing and would
cost 180pounds to fix (so i was expecting peugeot to mention it but
wasnt expecting 700quid!). Its not making any loud blowing noises or
anything....what happens when it goes...does it just fall off??

thanks again for everyones help....much appreciated.

 

Wait till it fulls off then fit new one your self..