Am I just unlucky? (2008 Lexus GS450h)

[GS450hSE]

My GS450h is 14 years old. Done only 48,000 miles in it, from new. Never mistreated. Stored outside, but not in a saline environment. Sails through its MOTs (it's in the UK). Never any problems.

Until:

Yesterday, heard a loud rattle from the rear when I pulled away from home. I stopped immediately. The silencer (muffler backbox at the end of the exhaust) on one side had come completely loose from the main body of the exhaust, and, together with the exhaust/end pipe, was being dragged.

Long and short, much of the Y section of the exhaust is corroded. The sections closest to the silencers are badly corroded. The silencers and tailpipes themselves are perfect.

No point even trying to weld it back - the metal has had it. So a mechanic will fabricate a brand-new Y piece and weld it into place. A 2-3 hour job, cost (outside London) upwards of £200 ($275), parts and labour.

Have I been unlucky?

[RX400h]

So in 14 years, this is the only issue you've had? Believe me if you had a BME X5 all these years, you'd have spent thousands of pounds on repairs. Then you'd be considered "unlucky". 😏