Fiesta suspension spring - cost to repair?

snit_girl
snit_girl Posts: 179 Forumite
in Motoring
here's the story - I got off the train tonight, went to get my car as usual and when I went to move it there was a horrible grinding noise from the front drivers side. Got out for a look and that side had dropped right down. Called the garage and drove there at about 5mph (with smoke coming from the tyre). Guy at the garage says it's most likely a broken spring and I'll prob have lost my tyre (brand new in Jan :()

anyway, just trying to get an idea of the cost, trying to brace myself as this is a pretty lean month for me already
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Comments

  • Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!
    Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! Posts: 2,579 Forumite
    No more than an hour's labour, the cost of the spring, and a new tyre + fitting and balancing etc.

    I'd be surprised if you were looking at more than £200, although it may be worth asking the mechanic to replace both springs, left and right.
  • snit_girl
    snit_girl Posts: 179 Forumite
    thanks. so much better than I was expecting. Got a good mechanic, pal of my uncles so he usually gives me a good deal.
  • Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!
    Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! Posts: 2,579 Forumite
    Generally they just use a special spring compressor tool (like a g-clamp but designed for springs) to squash the spring down, remove it, and then do the opposite with the new spring. It doesn't take long.
  • CHR15
    CHR15 Posts: 5,193 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    You were lucky. I had a front spring go whilst I was driving around a roundabout.

    Tremendous BANG and the car went all over the place. I managed to limp off the roundabout to a side street.

    My front 3 week old tyre had been shredded to bits, part of the spring was still buried inside the tyre.

    The AA bloke said he deals with about 3 of these cases a week. Too many speed bumps, too many low profile tyres.
  • snit_girl
    snit_girl Posts: 179 Forumite
    got both springs replaced (the other one was fractured) and a new tyre, cost me £276. Not as bad as I was expecting, still rubbish though. Think I'll avoid speed bumps and potholes a bit more carefully now
  • Hintza
    Hintza Posts: 19,420 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    snit_girl wrote: »
    got both springs replaced (the other one was fractured) and a new tyre, cost me £276. Not as bad as I was expecting, still rubbish though. Think I'll avoid speed bumps and potholes a bit more carefully now

    I agree get both done.

    European manufacturers are not tapering the spring ends (to save money) which is leading to corrosion and premature failure.
  • robchap_2
    robchap_2 Posts: 61 Forumite
    edited 24 March 2010 at 9:46AM
    whats the age of the car and what cc is the engine ?

    Ford Fiesta 1.1 Front Coil Spring (SP032) (1996 - 2001) - £ 23.71

    Ford Fiesta 1.4 Front Coil Spring (SP032) (1996 - 2001) - £ 23.71

    Ford Fiesta 1.3 Front Coil Spring (SP032) (1996 - 2001) - £ 23.71

    Ford Fiesta 1.2 Front Coil Spring (SP032) (1996 - 2001) - £ 23.71

    Ford Fiesta 1.25 Front Coil Spring (SP100) (2001 - 2004) - £ 27.54

    Ford Fiesta 1.6 Front Coil Spring (SP100) (2001 - 2004) - £ 27.54
  • cyclonebri1
    cyclonebri1 Posts: 12,827 Forumite
    Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »
    No more than an hour's labour, the cost of the spring, and a new tyre + fitting and balancing etc.

    I'd be surprised if you were looking at more than £200, although it may be worth asking the mechanic to replace both springs, left and right.

    Yep, definately change both springs, will probably save you the 2nd tyre.

    Cost, £25 max for the spring plus 1 to 2 hrs labour if the tyre or brake hose is damaged, plus the tyre cost itself. Get them to put the spare on to save them charging you for taking the tyre to be changed ;)
    I like the thanks button, but ,please, an I agree button.

    Will the grammar and spelling police respect I do make grammatical errors, and have carp spelling, no need to remind me.;)

    Always expect the unexpected:eek:and then you won't be dissapointed
  • jimnastics
    jimnastics Posts: 30 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Sorry to bump an old thread, but I have the same problem as the original poster. My front left suspension spring has gone, luckily it must have gone overnight rather than whilst driving... the tyre looks fine. However, my local Ford garage (official dealer) has quoted £344 just to replace both front springs :( Seems to me to be pretty excessive, though I guess you expect that from a dealer. Is this way too much? Should I be phoning around local independant garages for quotes?
  • DoubleTop_2
    DoubleTop_2 Posts: 20 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    yes, definately phone around. I just had some work done by a mobile mechanics firm at less than half the price of a dealership. Less overheads for them, just a van with a lot of equipment in :)

    DT.
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