A question on possible overpriced exhaust repair for a motor scooter?

Question

I have a 2006 Yamaha Vino scooter (125 engine). I should also say I am not mechanically inclined. I was in an accident a few months back and a friend of mine welded the muffler back on the pipe that connects between the muffler and the engine. Well, now the pipe to the engine has come loose and now the whole muffler and pipe are hanging by a rubber hose. I live in a small town and there is only one place that will work on a scooter. Already they are telling me that parts are up to $501.00 and with labor, I am looking at a possible 900 to 1000 dollar repair bill. Can anyone who knows better tell me if this sounds right or am I being fleeced? That kind of repair bill is half of what I paid for the scooter brand new. Any advice is welcome. I should also add that 6 months ago I had 1 quart of oil changed and 1 spark plug changed and my kickstand greased and they charged me $240.00. Please help

Answer 1

I should also add that 6 months ago I had 1 quart of oil changed and 1 spark plug changed and my kickstand greased and they charged me $240.00. Please help.Yep! Your getting fleeced,How close is the nearest Yamaha dealer? The oil change and plug swap should have been no more then half that.If they are charging $100 an hour.Martin Racing Performance has a couple of exhaust systems for that model.They also have a dealer locator you may find helpful.The reason the exhaust for your scooter is so expensive is that it has a 'catalytic coating" to help with emissions. most aftermarket  exhaust systems won't have that coating.If the cylinder head was damaged ,where the exhaust mounts it can get pricey,but not $1000 dollars worth

Answer 2

Sounds to me like you're gettng fleeced. I've never had a scooter apart before but it should be fairly simple. If you take your fairings off, you should be able to see the if there's any actual damage to the exhaust. It could be a matter of a replacement gaskets, and a couple of bolts.

The only other thing I can think of that might drive the bill that high would be if the bolts that hold the manifold flange to the cylinder jug have broken off inside the jug. In which case they may be trying to sell you a new jug. Which is something I've never had to deal with before, but for $500, I'd be willing to invest the time in trying to tap a broken bolt out before I go spending that much money.

Try to get some good, close up pictures once you've got the fairing off. E-mail me through here, I'll give you my E-mail address and you can send the pictures and I'll have a look.

There are a number of disreputable shops in the world of mechanics. Before I got much into being a mechanic, I had little shop tell me that I had a brake problem, which when I got out my tools and dug in myself, turned out to be a wheel bearing. (They wanted to sell me a brake job, then install a repair bearing.) And $240 for an oil change and a spark plug sounds a little steep to me. (I can replace all 6 plugs of my Jeep, swap the filter, and dump in six quarts of oil for around $50.)

E-mail me, take some pictures. I'll dig up specs for a Vino.

D

Answer 3

If they are replacing the exhaust with another stock Yamaha exhaust, cost will probably be quite high.  There may be aftermarket options that will be cheaper.

If the cylinder is damaged where the pipe attaches to the engine, this repair will be costly, even if the pipe can be salvaged.

If you can be more specific as to what is required, it would be easier to give you a firm price for the work.

The $240 would be expensive if it were just for an oil change, spark plug and kickstand greased.  Did they give you an itemized bill?  If so, what was on it?  Was the labor time more than an hour?