Newbie Needs Xantia Exhaust Advice

[Whiters]

Hi,

 

I'm new to the forum and new to Xantia ownership (well, a couple of months anyway). Big petrolhead though and general Citroen fan having owned and loved AXs GT and GTi in the past.

 

Bit of a problem today though that should have been quickish to fix but has just left me a bit baffled. Hopefully someone will know the answer!

 

My girlfriend has the car at her office and the exhaust mid section has detatched from the back box. She has a Kwik Fit centre next to her office and took it there for what she thought would be a new backbox. They seemed confused and after looking at it told her that it needed a full system including CAT because the problem was with the centre pipe (they then admitted the back-box was probably OK but was "a bit rusty"...

 

They claim that if the centre section needs replacing then the CAT also has to be replaced; this is unless the - and I'm struggling with the logic of this bit, as were kwik fit - centre section is 54.5mm (diameter [surely to narrow]? Corrosion allowance on the overlap??

 

She says the parts book they had showed that there should be an option just to replace the centre pipe but it had to be a 54.5mm? I'm just confused how the book can say its an option but Kwik Fit say its not. Could be something to do with the massive price difference - full piece including the CAT which is £268 (and £328 if they can't save the back box...).

 

To add to the confusion, there does seem to be two options available. The diagrams on CATs-Direct's websites show one where the centre section is not an option and another where it is.

 

http://www.cats-direct-shop.co.uk/exhaust-...hp?recordID=381

http://www.cats-direct-shop.co.uk/exhaust-...hp?recordID=390

 

Any clarity anyone can give to this would be really appreciated as the cost differential is great and if it's just the centre pipe, I'll buy at GSF and fit myself. Not being able to see the car doesn't help.

 

Cheers - Rich