I came in for a supposed exhaust leak. They didn't find a leak, and showed me too, and I couldn't feel, see, or hear any leak. They did, however, discover a broken hanger bracket, and offered to weld it up for me, which they did free of charge. They treated me very well and I couldn't be more pleased! read more

My car had sounded like a Walt Disney World antique car for over a month, yet I was still surprised that I failed my inspection for the exhaust. LOL. Then, I discovered that not all mechanics do the exhaust, so I googled Exhaust, and then found Lou's - one town over. They had great reviews on Yelp, and I have to agree with them! I made an appointment. I heard them say on the phone that they only do things by appointment, so keep that in mind. They were punctual and took my car in exactly when they said they would. I parked it in the parking lot and they drove it in for me. Thank you, I cannot drive under pressure. They had a quote for me in like 10 minutes, and they brought me into the mechanic area and had me stand under the car to show me what was wrong. The mechanic had me put my hand over the exhaust, so I could feel where it was leaking. He explained what they were going to do and why. They quoted me a price (that I knew was within range) and they said they could do it all same day. It was amazing. And, it's under warranty for 1 year. They also backed my car in when they were done, so I could easily pull out of the lot. Yay! They're open weekdays until 5, and if you pay in cash/check you can avoid the 4% extra credit card fee. One guy in the waiting room said they'd kept his 20-year old car running for years. And, the man who works the front office was really friendly and nice. Highly recommend. read more

I have a modified car with a lowered undercarriage because of a wheelchair ramp, which means it also has a custom exhaust system. The repairs are not standard and can be complex, so I need mechanics who are comfortable working on non-standard builds. I really like the people who work here, the quality of their work, and I think their prices are fair. I highly recommend them. read more

Shout out to Lou's in Waltham, they really saved me so much money. I took my car to another shop and they told me I needed a new exhaust manifold, then a month later my exhaust broke due to rust. So I ended up taking my car to Lou's in Waltham and they told me my manifold just needed a new bolt and gasket and they repaired the broken piece of exhaust. Now my car is running smooth and extremely quiet, the price was right and the work was excellent. I Definitely recommend coming here they will treat you right and provide great customer service! read more

This place doesn't look like much when you first come in off the street: the front is a big half-paved parking lot full of rickety-looking buses, trucks and vans parked in tight rows. No prominent signage announcing itself, so gotta rely on Google Maps to get you there the first time. Step inside, and you feel like you've travelled back into the 1970s or 80s, especially the furniture and trailer-like wall paneling in the tiny and cramped waiting room, complete with industrial white fluorescent lighting. But there are advantages to that time warp effect: the folks working here are an amicable, down to earth bunch, lacking the cold/grumpy brusqueness of service staff at many Boston-area places. Best of all, they are HONEST---you get an honest price for good honest work. They replaced a noisy, badly corroded exhaust pipe on my 10 year old car for 1/3 of what a much nicer looking, technologically state-of-the-art auto repair place in Cambridge wanted! Of course, the Cambridge place (which has a near-luxurious waiting area with free wi-fi and complimentary bottled drinks, lol reminded me of an airport frequent flier lounge) probably lacked the old-fashioned welding expertise and thus wanted to put in a completely new catalytic converter (there was nothing wrong with my old one) kit just to avoid the pipe replacement. Now my car, which has nearly 100K on the odometer, runs as smoothly and silently as brand new! One note: bring your checkbook, since they give you a nice discount for not using a credit card. As I said, time warp! But in a very good way. read more

Great experience at Lou's Custom Exhaust with all there. Honest, helpful, reasonably priced, excellent quality, and willing to discuss options. We brought a 2007 Mazda with a punctured new exhaust needing work or perhaps an expensive new piece, and they looked it at and went over the options with us, and found a solution that saved us from having to purchase an expensive new front end exhaust. They are our new exhaust shop, and inspection location as well -- quick and professional. read more

I went to Lou's Custom Exhaust for a state inspection after being turned away from another place (my fault for leaving it until the last day of the month), and they were able to service my car right away. I had a lovely chat with Emery in the office while I waited, and it was immediately obvious that he genuinely cares about customer satisfaction. Kind, honest people are hard to find these days. I will definitely come back in the future. read more

My 2010 Honda Fit has been a reliable workhorse for the past 15 years. It may not turn any heads but with 70 k miles there is still a long life ahead. The resonator end pipe had rusted out and Honda would gladly replace for more than the value of the car. Lou's, is a no nonsense shop with a great front guy lowered my anxiety today. The mechanic removed the rusted resonator and reattached the welded a new pipe. After putting up with the exhaust noise for over a year, I no longer hear the engine. And I just invested the best $250 yet on my little Sport. I finally found a repair shop that is honest and straight-up. They will see me again for any future service. read more

I only wish I could give more stars. I have a 2011 Honda CRV that was having exhaust problems - increasing engine noise, and loss of power. My regular mechanic fixed the same gasket in the exhaust train twice. The 2nd time this problem returned, he said he thought the whole system needed replacement, at a cost of $1800 for the parts & $400 for labor. I despaired - that was about 1/3 the blue book value for the car. My brother suggested calling Lou's which I did. My call was answered promptly & professionally, & I spoke to Joe, who I believe is the owner of this location (there are several). He fit me into the schedule soon. He brought my car in the moment I showed up, put it up on a lift, showed me that most of the exhaust system was in fine shape, and said that he could simply cut out two small sections & replace them with new ones, at about 1/5 the price of my first quote. He finished the work in less than two hours, and my car has been running like a dream since. The whole experience was an exercise in excellent customer service in every way. read more

I was totally mislead, strung along and lied to by this shop. They are about as dishonest and unethical as it gets. I can't stress this enough. Stay far way from this business. They will take your money and not fix the problem. Turns out they didn't even replace the part they charged me for! read more

We have been bringing our cars and trucks to Lou's for many years and always get the best service you can get. They are fast, knowledgeable, helpful, honest and always give great customer service. We would not go anywhere else. Today I had a flat tire, I went in and they took it right in, put the spare on and ordered me a new tire. Was in and out in 1/2 an hour. Will highly recommend them for any repair, big or small! Way to go Lou's! THE BEST OF THE BEST! read more

Lous Custom Exhaust repaired my 2007 Toyota Camry exhaust leak (quiet as mouse now) for a great price and they were a pleasure to work with. They will be my first call for future repairs. Thank you guys!! read more

They are the BEST! VERY HONEST, SUPERB, HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF & VERY FAIR PRICING. I had a situation where my car was stalling and had no idea why. I figured I would have to wait for an appt then to get it fixed ...It could have been the engine, transmission or some other major job ...I had no idea...but Brian found it to be built up dirt in some component ; low oil which he cleaned out and filled the oil and I did not have to wait. I got an appt right away...brought it in and after a few hours or going thru the car troubleshooting was told it was all done & ready! HIGHLY recommend you check these great guys out. Guarantee you won't be sorry! read more

Needed some work done on my girlfriend's muffler. They diagnosed it while we were there within a few minutes, fixed it for under $250 and didn't try to sell us any unnecessary services. The rep at the desk(sorry I didn't catch your name) was friendly and notified me promptly when the car was ready. Would highly recommend. read more

I've made 2 visits to this shop many years apart and both have been top notch. Emery and Joe are both very kind and straightforward. I am a young-looking female, and unfortunately have come across many shops in my day that have tried to capitalize on that fact - not knowing that I have 13 years in the automotive business. These guys know what they're doing, have the customer's best interest at heart, have saved me money where they could, and have never once been condescending or tried to upsell me. Truly a pleasure doing business with them, and can't recommend them enough! Thanks guys!! read more

These guys are the best. Really care about the standard of their work. Charged me a very fair price and they were incredibly prompt with their work and showed me exactly what it was that needed to be changed. I could not be more pleased with my service - they were willing to work on my truck when other shops weren't and actually ended up fixing other mechanics work from the various shops I took to trying to solve my problems before Lou's. After Lou's feels like my older truck is so so much better and I can feel confident driving again! Big thanks! read more

When I had an exhaust problem, another shop quoted over $1900 to replace components. Instead, I went to Lou's, where Joe welded the exhaust for $330. Amazing! Many other shops do not have the capability to perform the type of weld repair performed by Joe. More recently, the original gas tank rusted through. Given an OEM tank was not available, we went with an aftermarket tank. The tank was defective, but the check engine light did not light up until 9 months later. Brian replaced the aftermarket tank with an OEM tank, added $10 of gas, and charged me nothing, noting that they provide a 1 year warranty. Thank you so much Brian! Brian, Emery, Joe and everyone I have met at Lou's are great guys and great to work with. I highly recommend Lou's for car repairs. If my computer would let me give 10 stars, I would. read more

I remember when they were a simple single operation in Billerica, and they didn't pull the patronizing steps they danced me out of their work with. This time, the male secretary (?) behind the counter sat rocking his office chair as if he was waiting for a bite on his fishing line. He had more interest in wishing his worker buddies to have "fun at the concert" while he didn't write a work order or even listen to my verbal experience/symptoms of car exhaust issues. The greying bouncer mechanic started in right away with "I"ve been at it for 20 years"....and exactly what was it he has been 'at it' about? Smoke and picking conflicts apparently with his so called expertise...things like "OH, I can feel the front catalyst leaking, can't you? I said, no I don't feel or hear anything from it. Well "Its there I tell you". He went on with "oh I can fix the flanges and pipes for 2 grand but you'll never get the check engine light off (even though they are supposed to sell Magnaflow pipes AND cats as needed-that mfr was far more helpful than these dopes. They have a lot of young, buff guys doing most of the grunt work, while they sit around talking shop, or that other S-word to customers as they see fit. Probably flirting with women going there who are prettier than they are. 'Make no mistake, this outfit is about as straight as LOU Adler (prodmakucer for Cheech And Chong At The Drive Through, Los Cochinos, etc...at least in those money piling jokes, the customers just get locked in the trunk and pee'd on to death. Wash and wipe before you go see Lou-for all that I know, he's probably dead too. read more

One day, if you live in the Northeastern US, especially near the coast, some component of your exhaust system will rust to the point where it either rots through, or just plain falls off. Your vehicle will sound embarrassingly obnoxious, and you'll be tempted to immediately drive to the dealership or some quickie-style muffler shop to stop the indignity. This is where I must insist that you stop and take a step back to consider Lou's. The exact issue I describe occurred with my car, and since I didn't need to drive it around that much, I ordered a new muffler assembly online and tried to find a shop that would put it on for me. This proved a little difficult, in that everyone wants to use their super special parts that no one else can get. So I finally happened upon Lou's, where they not only didn't bat an eye at my request, but got me in the next day for the job. When I went in, everyone was really pleasant, laid back, and weren't running any kind of shell game where they insisted that I really needed a mechanical torque inverter assembly along with a top up of my headlight fluid. They put the car on the lift, checked things out and came in to tell me that they'd cut the old muffler off, weld the new one on, and charge me $90. It was done in about a hour, and all the welds look great, are correctly painted, and my car is nice and quiet again. So, while the dealer quoted me over $1000, and a franchised muffler shop $850, with a little time and effort on my part and the totally cool guys at Lou's I got the job done for about $300 total. They do also provide muffler parts if you don't want to order it yourself, so give them a call! read more

Needed a manifold for my F150. Brought it in and got a quote range depending on difficulty to replace. Got appointment for the next day. Job was done same day (others quoted 3 days) and came in within the range of the estimate. Service was excellent, turnaround was amazing and price was very reasonable for the work needed. Highly recommend this service provider. read more

These guys are great. Quality people. Helpful. They keep you up-to-date on status. You won't go wrong giving them your business. Best service I've ever experienced with an automotive business. read more

Went to a local mechanic to fix an exhaust rattle on my CT-200H and was quoted $900 to change the whole system for what was just a rusty exhaust hanger. Brought it Lou's and they were able to fabricate a new hanger for way less while I waited. Definitely does not get much better than this. read more

Lou's Custom Exhaust has been amazing to me! I relocated to the area this past summer, and was struggling to find a good place to work on my car. After having them fix my exhaust, I brought my car back a second time for an oil change and tire changeover. I also asked for a quote to get my brakes replaced at a later date as I didn't think they could get it done at the last minute. After taking a look at my brakes, they committed to getting them replaced that day, and worked very hard to get it done. They knew this was our only vehicle at the moment, and needed it back as soon as possible. They are very honest, hard working, and great people! They remembered my name and where I was from after just one meeting. I will definitely be bringing my car back! read more

This shop is fantastic. I brought my Lexus in to this shop with an exhaust problem that I already had diagnosed at another shop that couldn't fix the problem. I came in and they put my car on the lift, diagnosed the problem, and told me it could be fixed in 3 hours. I left the car and they took 2.5 hours to fix my car and charges me far far less than the dealership. I would highly recommend these guys. read more

I don't know why everyone else gave them 5 stars but these people has confused an auto mechanic shop with a heart surgeon office. For everything they ask for an appointment! I went there to just check if my tires should be replaced or not. They guy said even for a yes or no answer you should set up an appointment. I said ok, let's set a time. He gave me a time for 2 days later and said you need to drop the car for whole day. (This is all for a yes or no answer), again I said ok. Then he said you should drop the car at 8 in the morning! I told him my work starts at 10 and I don't live in Waltham then he said only 8 in the morning. Fuck you you arrogant bastard. All these difficulties for a yes/no answer? Come on you fuck. read more

These guys did a good job installing a Flowmaster muffler on my customized truck. I went to two other shops that had no idea how to complete the job because a small extension had to be added for it to fit. Lou's did this without blinking an eye. The welds were further sealed with a heat treated paint. I'll also trust them with my car's exhaust when the time comes. ------------------------------------- UPDATE: Oct. 26, 2017 Well, it was time for another muffler. This time for my car. Because I had moved since my last visit, I wanted to get a rough estimate over the phone for the work. Most importantly, I needed to be sure they had the parts available for my particular car before I drove the 90 minutes to Lou's. I called and told Brian what I needed installed (everything from the center muffler back). He let me explain the reason for asking for an estimate over the phone, took all the information for my car, etc. Then he gave a singular, robotic response, "No, you have to bring it in." For most people that would normally be fine, but I want to be sure the parts are available since I would be traveling that far. They did a good job on my last visit, but I now understand the negative reviews on second visits. I guess it's hit or miss with this place, so I'm glad I didn't waste my time. And, as a side note, I called two other shops and was given an estimate over the phone since I knew exactly what had to be replaced. Five stars for the first visit. Zero for the last interaction. Average 2.5 read more

After a ridiculous experience at the Medford Lou's, I drove out of my way to the Waltham location. it's important to note that Lou's are independently owned and operated. They were gracious upon my entrance, knowledgeable, and straight forward. I waited in their office while the work was completed. Emery was laid back and chatting with him helped pass the time. Joe was busy and in good humor. Two other customers were equally at ease in the waiting room. We were reminded where the snack machines were and offered something to drink. When the lunch truck came down the block, a point was made to let us know. Very nice guys. They replaced the rotted parts of my exhaust and the estimate was right on target. I am taking my car back tomorrow to make certain there are no leaks. Check back for the update. Went back to have a few very small leaks patched. They put my car on the lift and continued to display winning ways. I'm sold. Thanks Guys-of course there was no talk of any cost as their work has a year warranty. read more

I recently brought my 2005 Toyota 4Runner Sport v8 in because when I accelerated, there was an annoying ticking noise. I was quoted $3k+ at the Toyota dealership and was referred by a friend to Lou's. The right manifold needed to be replaced, and I also had one of their custom exhausts installed. They fixed it in a timely manor, and the total bill was more than half that of the dealership quote. Brian lifted my car up and showed my buddy and I exactly what they did. I will definitely bring my truck back here if I encounter any issues, and highly recommend them! read more

My friend Laura just took her LOUD 2010 Honda Element to Lou's. The Honda dealership said she needed a whole new exhaust for $4500. An auto chain said she needed a whole new exhaust for $1500. She read the excellent reviews for Lou's and made the appointment with them. Within 10 minutes they showed her where the issues were and said they recommended some welding, new hangers and flanges for $250. She told them about the $1500 recommendation and Brian said that wasn't necessary, they were probably using cheap China parts and she'd be better off keeping her remaining stainless steel exhaust. $250 and out the door within the hour. Lou's rocks! BTW - it's posted everywhere inside to bring cash and you don't have to pay the credit card upcharge. read more

I just had these guys replace my center muffler and replace an exhaust pipe. They found a hole in the pipe and showed me with a stethoscope. The pipe was also bent wrong which was causing my rear muffler to hit the ground sometimes. They ordered the muffler because it's a 40 year old car and they didn't stock it. I returned the next week and they did an awesome job with the install. They waited for me to arrive to show me with a light what they had done to my car. The pipe was bent perfectly and hung very well. The welds looked perfect. These guys really care and want to do the job right. The price was fair for the work done. I worked with Joe and would highly recommend this place. read more

I am very happy with the work performed by Lou's in Waltham. They were recommended to me after my roommate had some necessary inspection-passing work perform on his sisters Chevy Tracker. My first contact was Jeff I believe (or perhaps Joe) and he was incredibly friendly. When I was waiting we talked about our dogs and cars. I called again to schedule a time to drop off the aftermarket exhaust header for my MINI Cooper S to have the cat replaced and it reinstalled. When I dropped my car off, I showed Jeff and a coworker what I needed done and although it took a little longer than expected, they didn't charge me any more given their quote. Jeff could understand I have a technical background and I enjoyed hearing the process explained of how they would remove the OEM header, cut the failed cat out of the new header, install the new header and tack the new cat in place to get a perfect fit. They made me part of the process. They're the kind of strangers you'd leave your kids with in a pinch if you had an emergency; you just trust them. Thanks guys! read more

I cracked my exhaust pipe in two places after self-installing a downpipe on my subaru and was quoted $1600 from my dealership to replace the catback exhaust. A friend recommended Lou's at Waltham, and I decided to stop by for a quote. The service was outstanding. Despite being busy, they were able to squeeze me in that day, put my car on a lift, and see what the problem is. The technician surprised me by fixing the cracks right there (I was expecting to have to come back later), and also walked me through why he thinks the cracks occurred in the first place. He also suggested a few economic solutions that should prevent future problems. Price was excellent, service was impeccable, quality was top-notch. Techs were extremely knowledgeable. A no-brained recommendation to anyone with any exhaust issue. read more

I have been to Lou's twice - once a few years ago at their N. Reading location, and again this week at this Waltham location. Both times I was wowed by great service. At Lou's Waltham this week, the guys got me in same day, and got me in and out of there in under 20 minutes. I had a noisy (but minor, thankfully) problem with the exhaust on my 2004 Saab, and they fixed it and got me out of there for an absurdly low price. I rarely review businesses, but Lou's Waltham makes me step up my game. You need to know how good they are, and they deserve the Yelp love. If you're having trouble w/your car, go see these guys. read more

The best exhaust shop, they fixed my flex pipe issue fast and very affordable. Thanks read more

I just went to the Roxbury location today after my mechanic found a leak in my rusted-out back-cat coupling, and I'm in love. The little garage that sold me my car wanted to charge me over $600 to replace the whole exhaust line, $125 for a patch (and 3 hours for the patch, because "it won't fit great at first, so we'll have to make adjustments"). INSANE, and completely out of line with everything I was desperately googling while I sat in the garage. My brother recommended Lou's, and I went over. While I was waiting another customer started waxing poetic about how great they were (a really good sign). In the end, it took 10 minutes and $80 for the same patch job (there was no legitimate reason to replace the whole exhaust line, the pipes were fine). I asked if they would do my taxes, too. read more

I am so happy that I discovered Lou's in Waltham. I have a older model Volvo XC90 that I have been hanging on to that needed exhaust work in order to get a sticker. For relatively a small amount of money they repaired my exhaust and I was able to get my sticker. This place rocks! read more

We have an 11-year-old Infiniti whose muffler detached from an exhaust pipe. There was nothing wrong with any of the major components; it was just the connection that had come apart. I am afraid to contemplate what the dealer would have charged to fix this. Our local gas station/shop quoted $1,300 with a couple of parts replaced with non-Infiniti (i.e., cheaper third party) components. Mike at Lou's cut out the bad flanges on both sides, put in replacement pipe sections, and did four welds to reconnect everything. It was all done in about one hour for $150 with a one-year warranty. All hail those who can actually weld! read more

I went to Lou's after my last car failed inspection for a hole in the exhaust -- the shop that failed me quoted $450-500 to install a new muffler and stuff, which was clearly a rip-off. Lou's did it in a few hours for $150 including labor. They weren't super-friendly like Little Foreign Car Garage, but they were definitely much nicer than Hogan Tire or any of those in-and-out super chain shops that never really seem to care. They also do wacky, high-performance custom exhaust setups.. I feel like I always see Lou's decals on pickups that cut me off, but I can't speak to the price/quality/value of those. What I can speak to is that Lou's is a good place to come for easy, inexpensive exhaust repairs with no BS. read more

Really happy with these guys. While several other places wanted to do the repair by replacing half of the exhaust, these guys came up with a creative approach and did the job, waranteed for one year, and at about a third of the price of the "replace the exhaust manifold" solution. As a bonus, they were patient and friendly. read more

Brought in my Jeep because the rear exhaust was resting on the shock, post-lift. They got the vehicle in the next morning, cut and welded in a bit of an extension, loosed the bracket, and fixed the problem for the cost of an hour's labor. Utterly fantastic experience, and the guys here are exceptionally pleasant to work with. read more