Well hello to all you lovely people.

 

I am in ownership of a lovely (and I mean lovely) Octavia 1.4 (2014)

 

I have just had a service and MOT on the vehicle and it came back with the advisory of, 'All 4 coil springs weak under load'

 

comments, questions ?

 

Andy

Tow bar fitted?

Any sign its been used as a van (doubt it as you say its so lovely)?

Yourself or previous owner/passenger being over 20stn?

Any chance its been lowered and cheap springs used?

 

If none of the above maybe worth getting a second opinion.

Some more information,

 

The car does feel most bumps on the road, is not a smooth ride.  There does not seem to be any twisting, tilting or drifting to either side, so I am guessing the wear most be quite uniform

 

and in answer to your questions

• No tow bar
• Never been used as a van
• Springs are original
• Most days 1 or 2 people in the car, short journeys > 5 miles
• Has done a couple of 200 + mile journeys whilst loaded with 4 people and luggage
• Local road conditions bad, lots of pot holes and speed bumps

Andy

I've had a lot of broken springs on my 56 OctII 4x4, at least one a year, from local potholes (even though I normally manage to dodge them) but that wouldn't really show up as 'weak springs' and they should have spotted they were broken I'd have thought.

 

I'm inclined to seek a second opinion. Was the MOT at non-VAG workshop?

I reckon if I went to my local dealership they'd have a tech come out and bounce the corners for a quick opinion.

I would be surprised with the way it feels driving along the road (bumpy) if there was not some suspension issues.

 

The issue was on the service advisory, not on the MOT advisory.

 

Why have they just said coils and not shocks?  I would of thought shocks would fail first?

 

 

The MOT testers manual lists the following reasons for rejecting a coil spring.

Can only presume that your advisory relates to b. but how the tester has established that all of your springs are weakened, but not seriously so is a mystery to me. Perhaps just indicating that some corrosion is evident?

Maybe @Ju1ian1001 can comment?

 

1. A coil spring: a. broken or fractured b. worn or so corroded its cross sectional area is reduced such that it is seriously weakened.

16 minutes ago, AtomCom said:

The issue was on the service advisory, not on the MOT advisory.

 

Ah, just seen this.  In that case I'd definitely be looking for a second opinion because that looks like an attempt to generate revenue, more than anything else, to me.

Wonder what the measure of 'weak' is - unless it's a thickness gauge as per Wino's option 'b'.

 

Gaz

7 hours ago, Hermit said:

I've had a lot of broken springs on my 56 OctII 4x4, at least one a year, from local potholes (even though I normally manage to dodge them)

 

Same here on my 2010 Scout.  Had the car a year and the driver side spring went which was replaced (they wouldn't do both front ones) and then a month later did the passenger side.

10 minutes ago, V6TDI said:

Wonder what the measure of 'weak' is - unless it's a thickness gauge as per Wino's option 'b'.

 

Gaz

 

The phrase used was, 'weak under load'

 

What is meant by weak and what is meant by load ?

 

Also why was it not mentioned on MOT advisery?

Was the servicing garage the same as the MOT garage

Just now, ScoutCJB said:

Was the servicing garage the same as the MOT garage

Yes 

'The phrase used was, 'weak under load'

 

What is meant by weak and what is meant by load ?'

 

Yeah, that was my point - is 'under load' sitting on the deck with the weight of a car on them, is it additional 'load' and if so what?, is it off load and up in the air there's more travel than expected (or more travel on the deck of course).  What's the science - is it precise, or a subjective view?

 

I'm suspicious.

 

Gaz

Edited 11 April, 20188 yr by V6TDI
Forgot to use 'quote' button

1 minute ago, V6TDI said:

I'm suspicious.

 

+1 

 

I smell BS

 

(And no, that doesn't stand for Broken Springs)

7 minutes ago, AtomCom said:

Yes 

 

Seems odd to me.  Bearing in mind an MOT checks the suspension over and it wasn't advised or failed on that then I would disregard ...... and find another garage

They trying to con you thats serious garage bull **** all four springs my back side .I would get a second opinion and never go near that mot station again.Use your local council mot station if you can no BS it's ever a pass or a fail.I know it was advisery but really.