My car passed it's MOT today, first time, but I do have several advisory. I will list the costs and whatever the mechanic has said about them. All I want to know is, how urgently should I have these things changed (priority order) and if I went to this garage again would I be paying too much for the repairs (prices are for parts and labour)?

1 - Wiper blades poor - £18.00 £5 from lidl bargain!

2 - Rear brake discs corroded and worn - and front brake discs/pads heavily worn advise replacement - £213.00 (price for front only) - please don't recommend upgrade to 312's, my insurance doesn't allow it, even though it makes the car safer IMO! - Bought these, managed to get OEM parts for £90 delivered - fitting for £20 a corner

3 - Slight damage to nearside front tyre outer sidewall - No quote had this inspected, not worth replacing and only way to fix is with superglue - slight 'flap' of rubber.

4 - nail in both offside tyres (not the same nail ) - £15 per tyre for repair Job done - £10 for both (£5 each tyre), wasn't even a proper nail in either tyre!

5 - both front suspension arm rear bushes splitting - £219.72 for new suspension arm, apparently to just replace the bushes would be about £190 - being done with brakes, £40 each (maybe a little steep?), and £15 each for fitting - four wheel alignment done afterwards for £30.02.

To be honest - I'm quite suprised the car actually passed with this list! Would like to get the bushes sorted, as I have a knocking, but there's no way I can afford to pay so much for them to be replaced. Want to get the tyres done too, might wait until service for the brakes...?

What do you guys think?

EDIT: I'm based both in Berkshire and Derbyshire, so if somebody nearby thinks they could help with some of these and make these quotes cheaper then I would be willing to pay in cash or beer

Edited 14 September, 201015 yr by Bezzy

id make the brakes a priority if there corroded and worn as they can crack if they're worn badly enough! I replaced my own brakes, there fairly cheap from bullseye think the front ones were like 100 including discs/pads. cant remember the back ones, but they need a special tool anyhow, but could easily save yourself some labour by doing the fronts yourself.

I'd also make the bushes my second priority as the knocking gets worse, then it can cause further damage to the arms and other important handling parts (not good! lol)

Another tip is although its a pain in the arse, i've found by sourcing your own parts instead of letting garages order them for you, you can save a fair bit of money into the bargain, you're not paying 33% profit (or however much they charge) and you know that you're only paying for the labour, so it helps you to put into terms whether you're being ripped or looked after,

Note: Just going back to the bushes a second, if you get these replaced, I reccomend you go to the Seat Ibiza Cupra bushes, there idential but last longer (apparently) I have done this, but not so long ago so cant honestly say if they last longer, but the price difference is minimal.

Replacing disks and pads is not a difficult job, even if you are not an experienced mechanic. You just have to be methodical and pay attention. You may need a rewind tool for the back though. Buy the parts yourself (preferably from a site sponsor!) and you should be able to do the whole thing yourself (or with beer tokens and a mate) for about £80-100 or so, front and back. Although £213 to replace disks and pads front and rear (if you don't want to do it yourself) doesn't sound too expensive to me.

It's often quicker (and therefore cheaper) to replace the whole suspension arm because removing and refitting bushes is a beyatch of a job unless you have a press handy. Changing an arm isn't too hard either.

Replacing disks and pads is not a difficult job, even if you are not an experienced mechanic. You just have to be methodical and pay attention. You may need a rewind tool for the back though. Buy the parts yourself (preferably from a site sponsor!) and you should be able to do the whole thing yourself (or with beer tokens and a mate) for about £80-100 or so, front and back. Although £213 to replace disks and pads front and rear (if you don't want to do it yourself) doesn't sound too expensive to me.

It's often quicker (and therefore cheaper) to replace the whole suspension arm because removing and refitting bushes is a beyatch of a job unless you have a press handy. Changing an arm isn't too hard either.

found that out the hard way...my second lot of standard fabia bushes lasted 2 minutes! they didnt press in correctly :( I ordered the seat ibiza ones with arm!

Another tip - see if there's a basic maintenance college course near you. The one near me earlier this year was £60 for 10 2hour sessions. You can usually work on your own car under guidance. So you get to do the job cheap knowing it's been done right!!

Just rang the stealers...

Front Discs - £45.97 (2 needed - duh!)

Front Pads - £38.31 (just one pack)

Front suspension arm with cupra bushes - £10.42 (x2 needed again).

Seems it would be cheaper to just get the bits myself and buy a haynes manual and let a mate do it?! I figured I could fix everything with about £200. Does doing it this way look bad on service history though?

Cupra bushes maybe a tenner so each but if you dont know what your doing your gonna come unstuck.

I'd get the tyres fixed first. Depending on how worn they are, I'd probably just get 4 new mid range tyres.

Brakes get the OEM discs and some better pads that are still R90 marked (EBC redstuff are pretty good IMHO and I have used them, others will have preferences for other E marked pads).

Wipers, £18 isn't too bad, but if it's just the rubber you could replace the rubbers to pass the MOT

Suspension, I'd probably have that done by a garage and maybe get the solid bushes pressed in to your existing wishbones. At least you know they are the original OEM ones right.

Cupra bushes maybe a tenner so each but if you dont know what your doing your gonna come unstuck.

omg, that reminds me of the time I tried to replace the console bushes on my 2.0 fabia :S ..... i agree, if you get it wrong it can be quite spectacular, if i recall you helped me out with that one ross

If you've been driving around for any distance with nails in your tyres, knackered brakes and knackered wipers then I think a visit to Specsavers is in order too.

2 - Rear brake discs corroded and worn - and front brake discs/pads heavily worn advise replacement - £213.00 - please don't recommend upgrade to 312's, my insurance doesn't allow it, even though it makes the car safer IMO!

Compared to other vehicles I've had that sounds a bargain!

In 2000 I had two quotes for replacing the discs and pads on my Impreza Turbo with standard OEM parts. At the service they'd advised the fronts worn out and the rears grooved. The two quotes were £740 and £714. In the end I persuaded the supplying dealer to replace the front discs/pads since he agreed they shouldn't have sold the car to me in that condition (I'd only been about 3,000 miles) and I left the back ones. When they eventually needed replacement I was charged £450 for the backs alone.

Last month I discovered my motorbike's front discs had gone below the recommended service limit - and I looked into replacement parts costs. Even aftermarket ones were around £350 for just the discs - I hate to think what Suzuki would have charged. Even though I was going to do it myself, I decided not to bother. So I traded in the bike and bought another one - then did the same with the car...

Rear Fabia brakes seem to corrode rather readily - possibly because of little use in my case.

omg, that reminds me of the time I tried to replace the console bushes on my 2.0 fabia :S ..... i agree, if you get it wrong it can be quite spectacular, if i recall you helped me out with that one ross

Yeah, think I sent yoiu some new consoles already done

1 - Wiper blades poor - £18.00

What's "poor" about them? Have you tried a good clean? The 2004vRS I've just traded-in at 64,500 miles was still on its original wipers. I think I'd reversed the rear blade a while ago. But they were still working fine. Apparently Skoda ones are competitive - and in any case I've never seen the special curved passenger one in Halfords.

Yeah, think I sent yoiu some new consoles already done

Took me and Mark nearly a full day to do , was a flippin begger to do :(

Sarah

Just rang the stealers...

Front Discs - £45.97 (2 needed - duh!)

Front Pads - £38.31 (just one pack)

Front suspension arm with cupra bushes - £10.42 (x2 needed again).

Seems it would be cheaper to just get the bits myself and buy a haynes manual and let a mate do it?! I figured I could fix everything with about £200. Does doing it this way look bad on service history though?

If I were YOU I would check out a Haynes Manual first, they are not the quality item they used to be, quality paper is replaced by blotting paper for pages and the text is bled out pix are dire, no plastic sealed covers either, so become quite scruffy

Next it is produced with ELF & SAFTEY IN MIND for mechanics

example to replace centre consol equipment

First remove passenger seat

Next remove the tunnel unit gear lever and ashtrays etc two hours

Or other way you remove ashtray and may scratch the back of your hand squeezing the retaining clips to release the centre consul ten minutes and abbrasions :-)

Allegedly

National

Bezzy, treat yourself mate.

Standard vRS Front AND rear discs AND pads all in £130

here---> http://www.jorily.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=131_7_17&products_id=858

Hope you get it sorted. What I often do is source my parts myself then just pay the labour and sundries

at my local indy. He just supplied and fitted my (revised) OEM console bushes for £150

Usually I get the parts myself but on that occasion I didn't have time.

This way the garage doesn't get the mark up on the parts he paid trade price for.

He recently fitted my blueflame for £40, and did a clutch and flywheel (which I supplied) for £250

Using this method I got my Clutch and flywheel supplied and fitted for under £600.

Skoda quoted me 4 figures. Nuff said.

If you're anywhere near South Woodford then I can give you their details.

HTH

Edited 19 August, 201015 yr by grr666

Cupra bushes maybe a tenner so each but if you dont know what your doing your gonna come unstuck.

I was going to get them with the suspension arm fitted, as the garage suggested, is it still a difficult job to do even when doing it this way?

I'd get the tyres fixed first. Depending on how worn they are, I'd probably just get 4 new mid range tyres.

Brakes get the OEM discs and some better pads that are still R90 marked (EBC redstuff are pretty good IMHO and I have used them, others will have preferences for other E marked pads).

Wipers, £18 isn't too bad, but if it's just the rubber you could replace the rubbers to pass the MOT

Suspension, I'd probably have that done by a garage and maybe get the solid bushes pressed in to your existing wishbones. At least you know they are the original OEM ones right.

Tyres aren't that worn. I've got a full set of Bridgestones on which seem to be lasting really well, I think I've covered about 12k miles with them on, still plenty of tread on them, no advisory for being near the legal limit or anything.

Wipers passed the MOT, but I should get them changed soon. There is some smearing, but it's not really bad yet. I gave the screen and the blades a good clean at the weekend, as I knew they would be close for the MOT, and also rubbed some vinegar on them. I think I will try turning the rubbers over

omg, that reminds me of the time I tried to replace the console bushes on my 2.0 fabia :S ..... i agree, if you get it wrong it can be quite spectacular, if i recall you helped me out with that one ross

Is this the case when replacing the whole suspension arm? What happens if it does go spectacularly wrong?!

If you've been driving around for any distance with nails in your tyres, knackered brakes and knackered wipers then I think a visit to Specsavers is in order too.

Do you have anything useful to contribute? If anything was that bad on my car then it wouldn't have passed an MOT. I knew both the brakes and wipers were on their way out, and I check my tyre pressures every week. Clearly you have time to waste to do a full inspection of your car every week, prooved by this useless spam you posted, so good for you.

What's "poor" about them? Have you tried a good clean? The 2004vRS I've just traded-in at 64,500 miles was still on its original wipers. I think I'd reversed the rear blade a while ago. But they were still working fine. Apparently Skoda ones are competitive - and in any case I've never seen the special curved passenger one in Halfords.

They are smearing slightly. As stated above, I have given them a good clean, mine's on about 57k miles, so could be on originals still! I'm going to have a go at reversing them to see if I can get any improvement from them.

Thanks very much for all of the useful posts

Is this the case when replacing the whole suspension arm? What happens if it does go spectacularly wrong?!

one of the track control arm bushes is a press-fit into an aluminium casting which bolts to the subframe, i was being a smug git and tried to use my hydraulic press to push it out, the bush was well and truely stuck in there and the aluminium console casting literally exploded into a million pieces when the bush 'released'... there is a proper tool for replacing these bushes but i was being too much of a tight wad.

Just a quick update. I've had the tyres done, considerabley cheaper than what I was quoted. i actually looked at the tyres and the 'nails'. One of the pieces of 'metal' which was lodged in the tread was so small that when it was removed it we actually lost it! There were no nails in the tyres in the way which you would expect at all.

I also got a quote for front discs and pads, and for front suspension arms, just £230 inc VAT for the lot. Seems good to me, as the parts were approximately £150 when I added them up with a quote from Skoda.

I'm going to leave the back discs for a while until I've got more money to spend, but at least I know where to go for a reasonable quote now.

Maybe now I can buy that camera I've wanted for a while

Does anybody else have any suggestions?

EDIT:

Bezzy, treat yourself mate.

Standard vRS Front AND rear discs AND pads all in £130

here---> http://www.jorily.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=131_7_17&products_id=858

I'm actually feeling really tempted to buy these and get it all done and dusted...

Edited 24 August, 201015 yr by Bezzy

Update: should be all fixed by Friday!

See first post for prices of what I paid for things.

I need new bushes for mine, where did you all get these cupra ones from for just £10?

Cupra ones were from a local Seat dealers, and were not inclusive of VAT or fitting. Hope that helps!

Just had the car back today with everything corrected, and it drives a hell of a lot better now, I have to admit, it's nice to be able to feel the difference my money has made to the car!

One problem I have is that the car is still knocking over bumpy ground. Now, bearing in mind I've had the console bushes changed, then it can't be these, so what else could it be?

Cheers,

Dan

Cupra ones were from a local Seat dealers, and were not inclusive of VAT or fitting. Hope that helps!

Just had the car back today with everything corrected, and it drives a hell of a lot better now, I have to admit, it's nice to be able to feel the difference my money has made to the car!

One problem I have is that the car is still knocking over bumpy ground. Now, bearing in mind I've had the console bushes changed, then it can't be these, so what else could it be?

Cheers,

Dan

Front ARB droplinks or front ARB bushes are probably favourites. Time to have another chat with your garage?

Front ARB droplinks or front ARB bushes are probably favourites. Time to have another chat with your garage?

Would the ARB bushes be replaced with lower arms? The whole lower arms have been replaced, so I would guess it was the drop links if it isn't the bushes... just trying the process of elimination, can't afford to have things replaced which don't need doing! :S

Edited 18 September, 201015 yr by Bezzy

Would the ARB bushes be replaced with lower arms? The whole lower arms have been replaced, so I would guess it was the drop links if it isn't the bushes... just trying the process of elimination, can't afford to have things replaced which don't need doing! :S

Dan

ARB bushes are a completely different thing to the console bushes I'm afraid mate.

Sorry... :(