Dear All,

 

Need a bit of advice please. My 02 reg Fabia petrol 1.4 8v with 80K miles failed the MOT test. The reasons are:

 

1.      Nearside front lower suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement [2.4.G.2]

2.      Offside front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt [2.4.G.2]

 

I was quoted £215 for the repair.

 

1.      Suspension bracket LH - £89

2.      Miscellaneous Servicing… Anti-roll bar link - £30

3.      Labour charge - £48

4.      Geometry check inc front toe adjustment - £48

 

I can’t feel any play at steering. There are no squeaks at all when driving. Should I get a 2^nd opinion? Is the quote reasonable?

 

Many thanks for your advice.

Edited 14 March, 201511 yr by simplemind

"Console bush", as it's usually known, must be one of the most frequent causes of MOT failure.

 

I wouldn't be too unhappy with the repair quote, just be certain that the part they repair it with (LH suspension bracket) contains a new-design bush with the  (4) X shaped rubber supports, not the original design with just the (2) top and bottom strips of rubber.  Don't wait til they've fitted it to query this.

expensive.

 

Ask them just for the labour and you get the parts, 

 

you only need a anti roll bar dust cover, and a console bush lol

 

ditch the geometry test

Hi where did you go for mot? Do you think you can do these jobs yourself?

Get several quotes for parts as you can get much cheaper than that.

Personally they could be trying to get the work. Mot test stations vary with what they see fit to pass or fail imo

To be fair those prices are really not that unreasonable, garages have to make a living, and DON'T skip the tracking geometry check or you'll be paying £100 for a new pair of front tyres because the tracking WILL be out once the bushes are replaced.

 

I'd want both bushes done and both droplinks as well.

DON'T skip the tracking geometry check or you'll be paying £100 for a new pair of front tyres because the tracking WILL be out once the bushes are replaced.

 

Been there, done that! Didn't have time to get an alignment done after swapping the wishbone on my Puma, had to drive Yorkshire > Cornwall with work the next day, 2 new tyres needed by the time I got there!

Thank you all for your input. I am thinking about getting another MOT done at a different garage. Do you guys think it is a good idea.

 

Are these the parts that are needed: droplink, suspension arm

 

"Console bush", as it's usually known, must be one of the most frequent causes of MOT failure.

 

I wouldn't be too unhappy with the repair quote, just be certain that the part they repair it with (LH suspension bracket) contains a new-design bush with the  (4) X shaped rubber supports, not the original design with just the (2) top and bottom strips of rubber.  Don't wait til they've fitted it to query this.

Thanks, I'll ask them which one they are going to fit.

 

Hi where did you go for mot? Do you think you can do these jobs yourself?
Get several quotes for parts as you can get much cheaper than that.
Personally they could be trying to get the work. Mot test stations vary with what they see fit to pass or fail imo

It is an independently owned chain whose name is similar to the motor racing championship that started today in Melbourne, Australia

I have done normal maintenance tasks like changing brake disks/pads, spark plugs before but never done anything suspension related and don't think have the proper tools.

 

Been there, done that! Didn't have time to get an alignment done after swapping the wishbone on my Puma, had to drive Yorkshire > Cornwall with work the next day, 2 new tyres needed by the time I got there!

Thanks. Will get the alignment done.

Thank you all for your input. I am thinking about getting another MOT done at a different garage. Do you guys think it is a good idea.

 

Are these the parts that are needed: droplink, suspension arm

 

Negative, the suspension arm will be fine, it's the bush housing and bush that needs replacing.

The bit they're planning to change is the whole of item 2 here, I'd guess.  The rear bush for the wishbone isn't actually part of the wishbone, it's item 2A on that diagram.  It is possible to change just the bush, and it is possible to change it with the console (item 2) still on the car, but it's quicker, easier and less risky to just pop a new console on.  They tend to come with a bush pre-installed, and genuine ones come with the X-form bush, and probably the better aftermarket ones have caught onto this, but I've no doubt there are cheap pattern copies that still sport the rather poor original design of bush. 

I'll dig out a pair of photos of the bush types, in a bit.

 

Here, in this post.

It is an independently owned chain whose name is similar to the motor racing championship that started today in Melbourne, Australia

I have done normal maintenance tasks like changing brake disks/pads, spark plugs before but never done anything suspension related and don't think have the proper tools.

Ahh yes f1 centre. Ill just say theyre good for anything tyre related but they havent got a clue what to charge for anything else imo

As for doing work yourself. Id say wishbones droplinks antiroll bars are fairly easy if you have tools. But springs i stay well clear off as i dont have tools.plus they are dangerous if you dont know what your doing

I'd be looking at prices. If the anti roll bar link is the ones i changed last MOT,there more like £15 and ten minutes to change. The rear suspension bush is covered by many guides on here, but perhaps you might think about Powerflex bushes on the suspension- bit bearer for both sides at £65 aprox ,but a lot easier to fit( again many guides on here). Place that failed mine on rear bushes gave us some horror stories on removing the old bush. In fact ,something they didn't know, is that it's a plastic covered bush on most Fabias and comes out very easily.

Edited 15 March, 201511 yr by VWD