Oh if you still get quoted silly money for parts/labour get parts here and ask for labour only quote http://www.gsfcarparts.com/
Anyone know anything about shock absorbers for a car?
- Thread starter BigonaBianchi
- Start date
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OP
OP
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
ok..well firstly the car doesnt brake well, one side goes down more than the other if I braKE sharply. I sat on each corner of the car and bounced it. No more than one bounce from any corner, but att he front there is a wushing sound like air escaping (bit like a bicycle pump) as I bounce it. I looked under th ewheel arch but cant see anything (except a big spring) and wouldnt know what I was looking at anyway....it still rattles and makes odd noises as it's being driven. It recently had th ebearings replaced as they were grinding and the car felt like it was going up a steep hill even on the flat.
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Sounds like suspension bushes to me.
OP
OP
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
are new suspension bushes and brake calipers a big expensive job then?
Rhythm Thief
Legendary Member
- Location
- Ross on Wye
Suspension bushes shouldn't cost too much to fit, but to buy a set of reconditioned callipers and have them fitted will set you back a bit (not sure how much, as I do all that sort of thing myself). If your car is old and a bit clapped out, get yourself on ebay and buy something with a long ish MOT for under £500.
OP
OP
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
..I want o keep this car...I have had it since I bought it 'nearly new' with 13k on the clock...1993/4 I think...anyway so far it's only done 95k and I know thats a genuine mileage. The engine is a good one..BMW and I reckon I'll not get anything sim for the cash I'd get if I sold it. I needs some TLC on the paintwork as it's been outside most of those years, but otherwise it's a good car and I trust it....having once been ripped off by a 'cut n' shut ' dealer I have a TOTAL distrust of car dealers. At least I know what this is and where it's been.
It was all the rage when i bought it...I remember I had to get a loan from work to buy it.
It was all the rage when i bought it...I remember I had to get a loan from work to buy it.
bonk man
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Malvernshire
Funnily enough one of the things my van just failed its MOT on was shocks.....but they are cheap on this one about a tenner each
the unfortunate part is the other thing it failed on was emissions
knackered injectors...£50 each
]....
bloody vehicles.....
the unfortunate part is the other thing it failed on was emissions
knackered injectors...£50 each ].... bloody vehicles.....
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
You should go to a local non dealer garage and ask. Some are good and will be recommended. Bushes are fairly cheap to buy but can be a pain to fit. Brakes need to be properly checked out.
Where abouts are you?
Where abouts are you?
Globalti
Legendary Member
For God's sake, I can't believe that as a car owner you are even on here discussing this. You have a responsibility to yourself, your passengers and other road users to ensure that your car is in impeccable mechanical order. If you have an accident now and somebody dies or is injured and your car is found to have ANY fault you could go to prison for manslaughter.
Your shock absorbers started wearing out the very first day you drove the car so they coud easily be knackered. Strange grinding noises are an indication of something badly wrong with brakes, steering or suspension components. You need to find a good independent garage, not a franchise parts-fitter or a shitty cash cow like Charlie Browns or Quick Fit and get your car examined immediately, today. Garages are short of work right now and a good family-owned independent will give you value for money and they will be proper mechanics.
Your shock absorbers started wearing out the very first day you drove the car so they coud easily be knackered. Strange grinding noises are an indication of something badly wrong with brakes, steering or suspension components. You need to find a good independent garage, not a franchise parts-fitter or a shitty cash cow like Charlie Browns or Quick Fit and get your car examined immediately, today. Garages are short of work right now and a good family-owned independent will give you value for money and they will be proper mechanics.
jon the student
New Member
BB, The wooshing sound will be the fluid (more likely to be gas than oil; oil shocks haven't been used since early 90s aka my Corrado!) moving between the valves inside the shock absorber and are not necessarily a sign that they have failed. It will be hard for you to identify the problem as you have already confessed that you don't really know what you're looking for, and in that respect it is very daunting asking on a forum and expecting to be able to follow people's responses. I will try to make a few pointers.
- Night Train summed up suspension very well on page 2, I can't reword that any better!
- As said, the suspension bushes could be gone. Bushes are cheap but hard to replace as they are all inbetween bolts and chassis parts absorbing the minor vibrations and movements of the mechanical parts. You will also have to contend with old or rusty bolts which is where the labour can add up unfortunately. If the car feels vague under steering then it's most likely the front bushes, if it feels vague when accelerating it's more likely the rears.
- a car braking heavier in one direction is not an automatic symptom of a seized caliper (sorry sheddy!). Tyre pressures, wheel alignment and tracking can all come into it, plus the brake caliper is on two floating guide pins. These have rubber bellows round them to keep grit out and grease in but sometimes grit does get in and they can stop sliding about properly which tends to keep the brake pads in contact when you're not on the brake pedal - it's just something that wears out i'm afraid.
Hope that's a little bit more informative! If you're anywhere near Oxford, I'd be happy to have a look a the car for you.
Jon.
- Night Train summed up suspension very well on page 2, I can't reword that any better!
- As said, the suspension bushes could be gone. Bushes are cheap but hard to replace as they are all inbetween bolts and chassis parts absorbing the minor vibrations and movements of the mechanical parts. You will also have to contend with old or rusty bolts which is where the labour can add up unfortunately. If the car feels vague under steering then it's most likely the front bushes, if it feels vague when accelerating it's more likely the rears.
- a car braking heavier in one direction is not an automatic symptom of a seized caliper (sorry sheddy!). Tyre pressures, wheel alignment and tracking can all come into it, plus the brake caliper is on two floating guide pins. These have rubber bellows round them to keep grit out and grease in but sometimes grit does get in and they can stop sliding about properly which tends to keep the brake pads in contact when you're not on the brake pedal - it's just something that wears out i'm afraid.
Hope that's a little bit more informative! If you're anywhere near Oxford, I'd be happy to have a look a the car for you.
Jon.
jon the student
New Member
p.s. do look at GSF for parts, shocks should be about £50 each, so only around £200 parts cost. Labour is probably another 2-3 hours so maybe another £150? I don't keep up to date with labour prices I'm afraid, I do all my own work (except MOT!)
Mr Pig
New Member
- Location
- North Lanarkshire
Yip, I think you need to find a trust worthy mechanic. If you can't diagnose the fault yourself you have no choice. From what you've said though it doesn't sound to me like the diagnosis that you've been given matches up with the symptoms. You need to find a better garage.
