#1: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: lee1985, Location: North WestPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:54 pm ---- Okay so as you all know from a previous thread my car went to Peugeot main dealer for a service and MOT which I didn't have to pay for. It was never my intention to pay huge bills for any work that was needed; I have my brother's mate who is a mechanic and then I have you guys who will hopefully direct me the right way, plus there is always the option of doings things myself or with family help so there are options.
The MOT Test
Okay so my car passed its MOT but it has three advisories:
- Nearside front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
- Offside front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
- Front (both) Coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)
The quote for the advisory work
I have been quoted £294 for both Arms (apparantly you have to replace the whole arm) plus VAT = £353 in total
I have been quoted £271 for both Coil Springs plus VAT = £325 in total.
Equalling £678 inclusive of VAT.
Now my questions
Are these prices excessive, and if so what is a decent price in your opinion? Or worded another way, what figure should I NOT be prepared to pay over?
Secondly, are there any garages in the Manchester area who would do this for cheaper, perhaps any of you yourselves, websites where I could purchase the parts cheaper then just ask a garage to fit them perhaps?
Thirdly, is it possible that my step dad (who's not a mechanic but he tries to get his hands dirty and do everything pyshically possible) would be able to fit these without any garage machinary, with a Haynes manual, if we were to try and purchase the parts on the cheap ourselves?
Any input would be appeciated, particularly the best way of doing this for the lowest cost whether it be a certain place to go or doing it ourselves.
Thanks in advance people.
#2: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped Author: Steve206, Location: UKPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:57 pm ---- Normal for Peugeot prices. Take it to an independent garage and i'd expect to pay no more than £200 - £250. If that.
#3: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped Author: lee1985, Location: North WestPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:59 pm ---- Do you mean overall, or each, i.e. £400-500 total price?
Is there no way of doing it ourselves - do these things need a garage?
#4: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: KrisB, Location: RH5 - Near gatwickPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:14 pm ---- Wow, MEYLE HD lower arms (with 4yr warranty) are only £125 including VAT. These are better than OE but not as good as Polybushing.
Springs, also from a local motor factors are approx £35 to 40 each including VAT.
Labour for the whole lot, two hours TOPPS.
Id have your car sorted for about £260 or £270, hell i could even sort you some lowering springs and adjust the torsion bar for an extra £50 (lowering springs are cheaper than OE). But you're miles away and by the sounds of things you don't have an MOT.
I'm happy to supply you MEYLE HD lower arms and OE springs or Lowering springs, but id like a little something for going to the effort/time/posting. If you have a google of MEYLE HD you'll find their info, and probably me selling the arms on 306 forums, wich great reviews. Did a pair on a gti180 yesterday. Infact, Meyle HD are cheaper than Lemforder and Deplhi which are OE quality.
Peugeot prices are shocking, but not as bad as nissans labour... £110 per hour inc vat. I charge £30 an hour and guarantee i put a lot more love and passion into fixing peoples car than main dealers do!
If your dad wanted to do this then you only need basic tools + pair of spring compressors + 22mm (i think) swan neck spanner. The female torx bolts for the arms, you can use a normal socket or just a pair of locking grips providing you clean up the threads that the nut needs to travel down.
Kris
#5: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: 00budham00, Location: IpsPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:14 pm ---- buy coilovers ,top mounts and new bushes
#6: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: KrisB, Location: RH5 - Near gatwickPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:20 pm ---- Good shout, but you'll still need spring compressors for half the topmount cups and two/four washers :/
#7: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: macca1411, Location: Westhoughton, LancashirePosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:19 pm ---- Lee, try General Traffic for your parts and LGC Mobile Mechanics to do the work.
It's possible to do the jobs yourself if you have the gear. You'll need coil spring compressors and the lower arms are probably easier to do while the strut is off.
#8: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: sillyhilly, Location: The Mean Streets of CoventryPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:31 pm ---- It's only an advisory. Just leave it til next year!
#9: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: bezford, Location: darlingtonPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 5:38 pm ---- youve got until next year so just find a good garage or use your dad and just do things one at a time...unless your doing things that are easier done at the same time...but basicaly just take your time and spend on it when u can....if i had a car pass with those advisorys i would be quite pleased as i know i could do the work including bits for around£150 then plus the bushes and top mounts as i havnt priced them up but certainly no suicide....u should see some advisorys ive had before...honestly...
#10: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: kandlbarrett, Location: SwindonPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:03 pm ---- www.buypartsby.co.uk = QH lower arms. UK supplier / manufacturer who has been in business since 1948. Lower arms from buypartsby for about £25 each. Not the quality of Meyle HD but perfectly acceptable and far better than the Chinese stuff on ebay. Your local parts supplier may source QH parts for a reasonable fee - if I add the advertised postage to the on-line prices my supplier will beat that total by 10%.
Lower arms have a special technique (easy once done) to remove and refit involving a very long lever and some blocks of wood and a Haynes manual will suffice for the work.
I don't entirely disagree with leaving them until next MOT but if the bushes start to get sloppy the play can cause excess front tyre wear and trash your tyres in a few thousand miles. If you do leave them keep a close eye on tyre wear.
If you pluck up the courage to do the job be careful removing the vertical bolts that go through the bushes. It takes a lot of manoeuvring to get them out and in certain positions the inner drive shaft boot can catch on the bolts and tear or put excess loading on the drive shaft joint. The outer swivel joint can also catch on the outer drive shaft boot and tear that so be careful there as well. It isn't a hard job but there are some easy mistakes that can be made. The suspension bolts that go through the rubbers have TX Star heads so make sure you have the right spanners or sockets before you start.
EDIT: if you are going to do the bottom arms do the pair at the same time and then get the tracking done as new arms will almost certainly put it out of setting. When getting the tracking done go to a place that can do full 4 wheel alignment. The rear isn't adjustable on the 206 but the 4 wheel kit is far more sensitive and accurate than the conventional stuff and you still only pay for tracking £35 most places. Last edited by kandlbarrett on Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:12 pm; edited 3 times in total
#11: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: dan_manu, Location: Flintshire, North WalesPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:06 pm ----
sillyhilly wrote:
It's only an advisory. Just leave it til next year!
thats terrible advice! , for example , i once had a mot advisory that my 2 rear brake pipes were starting to corrode and to get them done it would cost 120quid, i sanded them down and put some under seal on them and they passed the next mot and my next mot is coming up this febuary and i no they wont be a problem then either
#12: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: lee1985, Location: North WestPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:42 am ---- Thanks people for the posts/advice, I really appreciate it!
#13: Re: MOT Test Pass but huge advisory bill, am I being ripped off? Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:09 am ---- I know that spring price includes labour but my H&R springs would cost less than that to fit!
Wishbones and springs share strip down costs too so that should make it cheaper. Very expensive.
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