For just over the last year my Vrs has been running on coilovers, these were changed a few weeks back, back to the standard suspension and wheels and I then had the car serviced at Skoda.

This is where I was reeled of a list of issues with the front end of the car:

Anti roll bar broken causing movement (I cant see anything wrong with it?)

Both carrier bushes split (mechanic showed me this and there was some play in them)

Play in inner rack joints

I can feel slight play in the steering when driving which I'm sure would relate to the tracking being slightly out and the play in the rack joints.

But Im also getting a ratting noise from the front o/s wheel almost constantly when driving at low speeds, when the car is stationary there also seems to be some play in the wheel side to side. Would anyone be able to say which of the above issues it is? I will be getting all of them sorted but for now im not happy driving the car as it is..

When the standard suspension was fitted a new track rod end was fitted to the n/s, would it make sense to replace the other side too?

Cheers guys

Also I rang the dealer to get a quote on how much to sort the list of issues out (there were some more although nothign major, and that I have since rectified) and he came back with a quote of £1040...

Check and make sure the wheel nuts are tight, it would not be unheard of for a garage to forget to do them up properly!

Get a proper brake down of the diagnosis.............

ARB broken???..............sounds like the common fault of the plastic sleeve/end stops that seperate from the metal bar which cause the bar to slide..................fit new smaller dia bushes (Skoda) and whiteline lateral locks (end-stops) ..or end up lowering the subframe and fit new design (Skoda) ARB with welded/built in end stops....

get a haynes manual and some tools and DIY ..........also carrier? bushes????.................could be the common failure of the rear bush on the front wishbone (also known as the console bush)..............again DIY

AS for play in the wheel.................remove and check disc brake and wheel............if all ok inc torque settings then bearing has gone.......defo not DIY..................well you can remove the hub carrier from the car but then need to get someone with a press and the correct spacers to remove the old bearing and press in the new on!..................rear bearings ar simpled to DIY....but fronts are not!

Check and make sure the wheel nuts are tight, it would not be unheard of for a garage to forget to do them up properly!

+1, ive had a wheel left loose before, found out due to two nuts which had fallen out and were rattling around under a cover the alloys had!

Yeah its the carrier/console bushes that have the play in them, all the wheel bolts are tighened up correctly as this was my first thought. Im going to get the car looked at as I dont have the time to do any work myself, but not with Skoda.

Still unsure about the arb, as the bits you mentioned above all seem to be good and intact, I'll get a second opinion.

Cheers for the help!

Do you notice the noise gets louder when you corner one way or another? The reason I ask is it sounds like a wheel bearing for the noise but could easily be brake related. If it is a bearing pay someone to do it, I did two by hand before swearing a lifelong vow never to be so stupid again, my last one cost £29 in parts and £50+VAT in labour.

Non of the items you mention are excessively difficult or expensive and some (console bushes and ARB) are easier/cheaper to do at the same time.

Its not a wheel bearing noise, I'm going to get all the bits done at the same time anyway, so hopefully that will put an end to it!

cheers