Exhaust system replacement advice please...

My 2006 Scion XB has 278000 miles on it and the exhaust system is awesome on it.

Welcome to the site! I'd highly recommend getting a second or third opinion on that, that has all the warning signs of a potential scam to me...

TallestMike said:

Hi, we have a 2006 Xb with ~78000 miles, in Cambridge, MA, and was told that the exhaust system is getting to be in very bad shape (the part by the engine may only have a year or so left, according to the mechanic), and wanted to get advice on if we should pre-emptively replace it before it fails? And is the car overall still worth spending money on, or is it likely to keep having new problems? Also, is there any recommendations for a good mechanic in the Boston/Cambridge area that specializes in older Xb's?

Thanks,
-Mike

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It most definitely sounds like a scam. Scion xB are one of the most reliable cars on the road. These can do 300k miles with regular maintenance easy.. I would suggest Craigslist for a mechanic. Look for one in the ad that has experience working on Toyotas because that's what the Scion xB is under the Scion badge.. Welcome to the club!

TallestMike said:

Hi, we have a 2006 Xb with ~78000 miles, in Cambridge, MA, and was told that the exhaust system is getting to be in very bad shape (the part by the engine may only have a year or so left, according to the mechanic), and wanted to get advice on if we should pre-emptively replace it before it fails? And is the car overall still worth spending money on, or is it likely to keep having new problems? Also, is there any recommendations for a good mechanic in the Boston/Cambridge area that specializes in older Xb's?

Thanks,
-Mike

Click to expand...

Get under the car and look at it, if it's rusty with cracks in the muffler and leaking, it's time to replace it. I'm near Chicago, Salt Belt, I still have my original '04 with 139K miles and changed out the exhaust from the Cat back about 4 years ago. I bought a OEM muffler off a guy about 16 years ago and sat on it, he put the stainless one Toyota offered on his xB when his was new. I had to go online and buy the mid pipe and gaskets and OEM clamp, Not very expensive and did it on my back in the driveway. Had a shop replace the bolts and springs off the header to flex pipe as they rotted away, oh and they broke my O2 sensor doing it or it was brittle and ready to go anyways.
I used this clamp to attach the mid pipe to the Catalytic Converter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Q86PQQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1