leaking shock absorbers

Sssssss

Hi,
looking for some advice please

a few months ago I took my car to a quick fit place for a free suspension check. They noted that rear shock absorber was leaking, cost approx. 200 to change both. I didn't get the work done as I wanted to look into this a bit more, since then the car has been for an MOT and passed.

So the question is were the quick fit place trying it on or is it possible the MOT man didn't spot the leak? Even is there is a leak, if it's minor would it have passed the MOT?
I've had a look myself and can't see any leaks oil etc. on the 2 shock absorbers.

To be honest I'm geting fed up of garages who seem to know very little these days. A good example is after a breakdown on the road the other day my other car was towed to a main dealer garage, first they thought problem with starter motor, after hitting it with a hammer still no joy. They rocked the car back and forth and said engine seized! I was about to scrap the car for a few hundred pounds but luckily stopped at another garage for 2nd opinion, they changed the starter and bingo car good as new.

Who do you trust???

andygb

Firstly, if a shock absorber is leaking badly then it may fail an MOT, but if it is only a fine mist then it would pass.
Secondly, if a car has a seized engine then it is not capable of being driven to a second garage.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Best advice for knowledgeable garage search is to avoid main dealers like the plague anyway, and instead use a forum for your particular make of car and seek or search recommendations where to go.

The best people are independents who specialise in your particular brand of car, sometimes main dealers come up with recommendations far and wide, Toyota Northampton for example, but mostly old school specialist indies are the places to go.

Read between the lines though, some tuners and others sponsor, may indeed own some forums, you can usually spot these as one particular business will be praised a bit too often, overegging the pudding somewhat..

Sssssss

andygb wrote: »

Firstly, if a shock absorber is leaking badly then it may fail an MOT, but if it is only a fine mist then it would pass.
Secondly, if a car has a seized engine then it is not capable of being driven to a second garage.

the car was towed to 2nd garage, it wouldn't start anyway due to starter.

Weird_Nev

Kwik fit are well known for trying it on with "worn brakes" and failed dampers.

Of course it's a rear damper (shock absorber) that they said was failing!
Generally, they take literally 5 minutes to change. I changed both of my own rear dampers in under 20 minutes on my drive. I had to undo a grand total of 6 bolts/nuts. That means £££'s profit for quik fit. Front dampers are (generally) contained within a suspension strut, and it's much more involved to change them so Kwik Fit don't bother to try it on, it's not worth their time actually doing the work! Less £££'s.

If your car does actually have a failed damper, it will be very obvious form the handling. It will feel unsettled in bends, and will literally try and kill you on roundabouts. If it's not doing that, then your damper is at least serviceable. With your car on level ground, push down hard on one corner (on a bit that won't dent). The car should return quickly to it's normal height without bouncing or wallowing. Check each corner in turn. If it bounces or wallows, then that damper is suspect and should be checked over. The damper looks like a tube with a polished rod coming out of the middle of it (you might not be able to see that bit of it) and is conected to the cars body at one end, and a suspension arm or the hub at the other end. It's usally easiest to see them on the rear of most cars. Have a peer under and see if you can identify it. If it's leaking or has oil puddled where the rod goes into the cylinder, then it could be on its way out.

Use word of mouth to find a decent local garage, one that doens't charge a fortune in labour and are prepared to talk to you in laymans terms about your car and what does (and doesn't) need doing to it.

If it's not handling oddly, dropping any fluid and it passes the "bounce" test, I'd be inclined to leave it. It's passed an MOT subsequently, so obviously they didn't have concerns.

Yet another reason not to go to kwik fit.

Blackjack_Davy

Take at look at this Watchdog report, and you decide if they're ripping you off -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHYrn6F4_LI

loracan1

Weird_Nev wrote: »

Kwik fit are well known for trying it on with "worn brakes" and failed dampers.then it could be on its way out.

I think everyone has a mate who's been to them, got told his brakes are shot and need £300 spending on them, taken it somewhere else to get checked out and just needed the tyres pumping up. Or is that just me?

plutoniumpilot

I've used a couple of different kwikfit branches and have been pleased with the service received. I have had my oil and filter changed a few times for 25 quid at the one near where I live and each time it has been done correctly. Also had new tyres fitted and balanced without any issues. Another time I was driving through Northampton and my exhaust began making an almighty noise. Droped into the branch there and asked them to have a look and they replaced a rubber mounting that had broken. They didn't charge me a penny so I gave the mechanic a tip
instead.

In summary i don't think they are all bad or maybe I've just been lucky (or maybe they didn't think they could pull the wool ever my eyes). I would only use them for small things like tyres not MOT or servicing.