Hi all, I have a 2004 vibe base model that has been making a lot of noise lately along with some rattling. I prepared myself for a search for leaks but the problem turned out to be quite obvious. The pipe between the catalytic converter and muffler is no longer continuous at the flanged interface between the two components. The pipe has completely separated from the flange on the catalytic converter side. I attached a coupe of pictures to give context, one from the rear of the vehicle (break not shown) and the other showing the separation. Now a couple of questions:
1. Is the only way to fix that to weld the flange back onto the pipe or do I have other options? If the former, what would you expect a shop to charge to do that as I am not welder?
2. Other than presumed reduced performance, are there any risks to driving my car in its current state until I get that fixed?