Car suspension advice

jaymoe

Girlfriend just tried moving the car and heard a noise, thankfully, a passer-by helped and said that due to the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch being higher on one side than the other the problem could be the suspension.
She has a 2004 Ford Fiesta Zetec, can anyone give me any advice as to a fair price for the repair before she takes it into the garage tomorrow. I am wondering if it'll cost more than the car is worth!!!!!
Any advice would be really appreciated
Also, can a suspension suddenly just go, the car hasn't been moved for over a week and it was me that moved it and there wasn't any problems when I moved it

Again, any help or advice would be appreciated

Jamie

TadleyBaggie

Sounds like a broken spring, and yes they will typically just go.

red_eye

broken spring wont cost more then the cars worth under £100

jaymoe

Loving the advice so far. Thanks :-)

Weird_Nev

Probably worth doing both sides, it does indeed sound like a broken spring. Be VERY careful driving it to the garage - check before moving it as the misplaced part of the spring can gouge into the tyre and cause a blow out/accident.

Pay about £40-£50 for the pair of springs (possibly less, that would be my upper figure) plus fitting, an hour max to to both sides.

Iceweasel

Definitely do both sides.

The remaining 'good' spring will be weaker than the new one, and the car will lean a little to that side - plus the handling will not be equal left an right.

The other spring could break too - any day.

False economy to do only the broken one.

red_eye

fronts cost around £30 and rears 40 each for ome kit, the rears are easy 30min job for both sides the fronts however are a little more work due to sized pinch bolts

jaymoe

Taken the car in today do get it fixed. Thank you all for your help, at least with the advice I could go to the garage and sound like I know what I am talking about!!!!!!

mattyprice4004

As above, make sure they're both changed.

Strider590

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

As above, make sure they're both changed.

I'd change all 4 (because they'll all be just as corroded) AND i'd change the shocks because the one on the broken spring will be damaged too.

colino

Some cringeworthy nonsense on here, especially for a money saving site. On a 10 year old car, do you know when any of the springs were replaced previously? Even new, parts for a mass production car on the assembly line could have been from different suppliers (and quality), varying ages and even assembled differently.
Get a good tech to check over the car and replace the spring and anything else it needs, not what some mystic meg predicts will fall off in five minutes.