95 Golf III: check exhaust light is on
 

I've got the greatest car in the world: a 1995 Golf III. She has 219,000 miles on her, and is still goin' strong. The clearcoat has faded, she looks like ****, but she runs great. Thanks VW!

Lately, however, I have had a small problem. My check exhaust light has gone off on the dash, and I can feel the car struggling at times with acceleration, ect. The owners manual tells me to take it to my dealer, but I'm a little short on cash. Is there some cheap problem, such as the fuel line, that might be responsible for this? If so, what should I check on, and how would I go about remedying problem.

Thanks for anybody who would be willing to help.

The Crow.