Well I snapped my dads hands off given my berlingo life was ended. So I have changed the oil/ filter and air filter on the 01 sdi fabia estate. It's got 196,000+ miles on it. Cambelt done at 162,000 and clutch at 172,000, I really need to keep this car on the road as I'm pretty much skint.

The car is pulling to the left, holding steering wheel slightly offset to right to drive in a straight line.

Anyway took car to garage to have Re gas of air con.....and also just to check why it's pulling to left.

Aircon fault came up so not re gassed at moment.

I was told under car is in pretty sad state underneath requiring.........

N/S/R shocker leaking. 60.00 + vat. (120 + vat if I have both)

Both Fr arm rear bushes 95.00 + vat each. (180+ vat)

Tracking 25.00 + vat

2 x CV Boots. 50.00 + vat each (100 + vat)

O/S/F Roll Link. 35.00 + vat

FR Discs + pads. 120.00 + vat (I noticed they are pulsing)

O/S/F tyre. 39.00 + vat

So it's around £755

Now I'm used to doing a bit of work on motorbikes, but wondering what's going to be achievable, but not too challenging, I think I could manage the pads and discs which would cut the price down, also are the rear dampers not too bad to do?

Any advice appreciated.....I would probably be buying my discs n pads from eurocarparts......do the discs come from there in pairs? Also any particular ones you recommend as they sell quite a few different type of discs n pads.

Any advice would be great. I just have a lever Jack to lift the car and the work would be done on the drive way.

Discs and pads and rear shocks are dead easy on the Fabia and can be done with basic tools.

 

Discs are sold singularly from ECP. Stick with Pagid as they are coated, so the hub inners don't rust unlike cheap discs. They are not really much more expensive. 

 

You could probably get away with putting on the split and join CV boots if it's only a cheapo car you need to keep going for now.

 

The rear bushes are probably the console bushes, and again they can be done DIY. A bit trickier than the shockers, but not too bad. Parts are only ~ £30.

"Pulsing brakes" could be a mis-set air gap on a front hub ABS sensor, probably following a new wheel bearing. Ask your Dad about that.

Discs, pads, rear shocks and the anti roll bar drop link are all easy spannering jobs.

 

CV boots aren't bad to do properly if you've got a bench and a vice. You'll need the proper socket for the driveshaft nut and a spline bit if you're taking the driveshaft out to do it on the bench. I'm not a massive fan of the wraparound and glue CV boots, they don't seem to last. I prefer to be able to get the joint apart, clean it and regrease so I know the job will last.

 

Make sure your front tyres are a pair, you'll feel it if not. Juggle them about a bit so you're keeping the best of your old tyres. I'm guessing they're 185/60/14, so they're really cheap.

 

If it's the con arm bushes, have a think about polybushes, they're well worth the extra money and they're not hard to fit. I had the arms off the car and I pretty much fitted them with a bit of spray, a lump of wood and a lump hammer.

Edited 27 June, 201610 yr by StevesTruck

"Pulsing brakes" could be a mis-set air gap on a front hub ABS sensor, probably following a new wheel bearing. Ask your Dad about that.

I remember my dad did have a wheel bearing done,,,, a while back, but I'll check.....thanks for that.

Is it awkward job to do? I might invest in a Haynes.

When I jack the car up.....given that I've only ever done this when changing a tyre.....will I need to put some bricks or something under as a secondary support?

Also,

Does the tracking need setting because some of the repair bits been done alter it as such therefore it needs re setting.

Or is it because it's pulling.....it needs altering, and the tyre wear?

Although the car is fairly high mileage, I'm hoping to look after it and keep for a few more years yet.

Thanks

Edited 27 June, 201610 yr by Wuyang

Absolutely !

 

Don't even think of working under the car while it is only supported on the standard jack or a trolley jack.

 

Axle stands don't really cost that much and are the only real option here - borrow some.

 

Bricks could theoretically do it provided you are not talking about a skinny single stack of house bricks which could fall over. Three breeze blocks one on top of each other would be stable.

 

First thing I used to do once any car was in the air was to push the spare wheel under the front sill area to limit the potential fall.

 

I once lifted a car at both sides on two scissor jacks which promptly fell over - no lateral stability at all. Following this, I always assume the car will try and fall over and work out how I am going to stop that happening before I go underneath.

They do seem prone to pulling to the left slightly. Mine has done it ever since I've had it. I owned a Ford before it and it never did it. Have renewed all bushes/joints/struts, top mounts, rear dampers, tyres etc. Tyres seem to wear evenly too.

Edited 27 June, 201610 yr by TMB

Right, first off, get a Haynes manual. Those are all easy jobs to do and could be done over a weekend (if you aren't particularly car minded). If you are not sure, then ask for help, I suspect there would  be someone on here who could assist with the jobs for some bacon butties and coffee (used to be the case when I had my xr4x4, we were always blasting around helping other members). If you were closer, I would gladly donate a few hours.

CV boots are best done properly, the split ones are a PITA, and are only good for passing an MOT quickly. I bought a cone and use the stretchy ones now, much easier, as you only have to separate the shaft from the hub and slide the new one over.

Parts wise, if you can, wait until ECP have one of their 20% off deals going, then order the parts, will save a  big ***** of cash as the garage are probably charging a retail price on those.

Edited 27 June, 201610 yr by octyal

Rather than spend a stack of money because you're not properly tooled up, try the middle way:

 

Buy and pay for all the parts you need, this allows you to make maximum savings on materials.

Once you have them all call a mobile mechanic from the local paper to come out and price up fitting all the bits, you might be pleasantly surprised how cheaply you can get it all done if you pay cash.

Just out of interest, what fault code came up with the A/C?

I remember my dad did have a wheel bearing done,,,, a while back, but I'll check.....thanks for that.

Is it awkward job to do? I might invest in a Haynes.

I've never done it; the one time it happened I noticed it after a garage had replaced a wheel bearing so I took it back and asked them to recheck the sensor on that corner which fixed it. The bearing itself needs a hydraulic press to change.

No. The bearing needs the correct Gen2 tooling to change. 

Just out of interest, what fault code came up with the A/C?

Hello Wino.... He did have it noted down on a piece of paper, but like a numpty I forgot to pick it up...... When I've had a browse on the net I have read the description what he said...

I'll try and find what it said again and let you know......it was something like a short causing total failure of system or something... I was that taken back by the list of everything else the aircon went to the back of my mind.

The aircon is fully gassed and the air con and recirculating switches light up fine, but no drop in engine revs or cold air etc.

Edited 27 June, 201610 yr by Wuyang

When I jack the car up.....given that I've only ever done this when changing a tyre.....will I need to put some bricks or something under as a secondary support?

 

NEVER expect a car jack to hold a car whist you work on it. Simplest solution is a pair of axle stands. AND NEVER let any part of your body be under a car on some support you'd not feel safe to move. Cars on car jacks can(and will move) , car moves and if you don't ,then you're caught under car, or at best, can ends up on ground with bent underside bits.