Hi Loretta,if your exhaust is very noisy then you could be pulled over by the cops,for a temporary fix then there are bandages as you say that would do that,also a leaking exhaust can be dangerous regarding fumes finding their way into the cab,why did you go to a main dealer? you could save loads if you tried an independant garage,motor factors now deal in cats and prices have dropped from years ago when they tended to be a lot dearer,also if it is a cracked pipe you have then it may be repaired with a weld.if it is rotten then I strongly advise to get the correct parts fitted but shop around for the best price,good luck
cdc
July 2012