Hi there

I'm posting on behalf of my Mum who has recently had trouble with her 2010 Fabia. The garage has said she needs new front drive shafts. The car is only four years old and has done only 15k in miles.

The garage are saying it's down to fair ware and tear but this sounds odd to me? Is it realistic to expect front drive shafts so short a period of time?

Some thing doesn't quite ring true?

Views welcome.

Best

T

I wouldn't even expect to replace a clutch due to 'fair wear and tear' after 15k let alone the driveshafts. What is the problem that has made the garage make this statement?

Sounds odd to me. Id be surprised if it needed driveshafts

Sounds like they're out to rip her off, drive shafts knackered after 15k ? Yeah rite !

Thanks so far

Moley - the original problem was a rattle (I've never heard it as Mum took it to the garage before i had a chance to look at it). They (Skoda franchise garage) said she needed a new gearbox which Skoda offered to pay half the cost of as the car was still so little used. Now though they have changed the story to say it's drive shaft. 

It can not be fair Wear & Tear if the car has only covered 15,000 miles and has not had wear and tear.

Low mileage can be hard going on a car, but hardly on the Drive Shafts.

 

So what kind of Fabia is it.

 

Did it actually go to the garage for a service in 2011, 2012, 2013 & a MOT & then in 2014.

Minor, Major, Minor, Major.

 

You need a second opinion from a Qualified Motor Mechanic.

Thanks - yes Mum is very careful and has done all the service MOT stuff she should have done.

 

I'm worried the garage are covering some thing up. I think you are right, a second opinion is vital.

Plus 1 on the second opinion.

Something smells abit fishy doesn't it!

I've done about 8k in mine since I got it, thrashed it mostly, and it had 47k when I got it, it's an 11 reg and as far as I'm aware it still has its original drive shafts. My dads Jetta still has the same ones it had on it when he got it over 6 years ago. that's a lot more powerful so you would expect more wear and tear.

I'd definitely be sending it somewhere else if I was you. And avoid the dealer in the future too.

I've done about 8k in mine since I got it, thrashed it mostly, and it had 47k when I got it, it's an 11 reg and as far as I'm aware it still has its original drive shafts. My dads Jetta still has the same ones it had on it when he got it over 6 years ago. that's a lot more powerful so you would expect more wear and tear.

I'd definitely be sending it somewhere else if I was you. And avoid the dealer in the future too.

True that.

My dad used to do a lot of miles. Different car every 3 years. 120-140,000 miles in all different cars

Never had a drive shaft go...

There is no doubt that a second (professional) opinion is needed. The change in diagnosis from gearbox to drive shaft suggests an element of guessology and inexperience here!

 

The only thing I would ask you is - does the driver repeatedly do slow speed manoeuvres using full lock (especially in reverse??? - that is the one thing that prematurely generates accelerated wear on constant velocity joints.

NB - I am not thinking about parking, but something like a need to do this to enter /exit garage or move within a restricted driveway to allow other cars into a space etc.

 

I ask because you did not say when this noise occurs, and in what circumstances. Also It would be VERY unusual for both shafts to go at the same time.

If the noise is pulling away in a straight line (?) - this can be checked on a ramp in the air - with a driver in place doing a careful pull away routine.

 

Make haste to another dealer/motor dealer for a more informed opinion

good luck

Edited 5 January, 201511 yr by 2ndskoda

Chichesterroadster, hi...can you explain the symptoms your mum was getting more clearly? I haven't changed driveshafts on a Skoda before but I've changed them on just about every other make of car. Normally, as the guys are saying, the driveshafts don't wear out so quickly. In fact normally the driveshafts don't wear out at all. It's only the cv joints or the inner doughnuts that wear, and then only if the neoprene boots go bad and let the dirt in and the grease out. If the inner joint boots go then you lose oil out of the gearbox which can do bad things. But clearly we are not getting enough information here to make any form of judgement. I wouldn't make judgements either, about the current dealer who is looking at this problem just yet until all the facts are known. I have replaced cv and inner joints at 5k miles on new cars under warranty many times because of boot problems, but it's not common. I've replaced gearboxes too due to an inner boot on the drive shaft going bad and the car losing too much oil from the gearbox on a long run. So it does happen. Come back with more info if you can. 

Edited 5 January, 201511 yr by Estate Man