Xsara Picasso anti roll bars

atrixblue.-MFR-.

colino wrote: »

Drop links aren't expensive and you really should (if your keeping the car) get oem spec ones, not the cheapest off the trade counter. Amazing how cars can run up to 3, 4 or 5 years on their original bits, but if you use cheap and cheerful suspension bushes and parts, you'll be changing them every year.

IIRC from back when I working in a factors, there was a different in size to the pattern non oem D bushes (the actual anti roll bush that connects it to the subframe) and the OEM ones due to copyright, so they never fit well and added excess movement to the drop links making the ball joints go, same with the drop links IFA branded ones (other brands out there too) tend to be made from cheap materials so the ball joints wore out the retaining casings in 18months and spewed the grease out. the difference in price IIRC was £2.50 or £4.50 + VAT between OEM and NON OEM so we used to buy OEM and multiple branded pattern ones to give garages and customers the option of either a repair on a budget or longer lasting.


But there only seemed to be this issue on the French cars with suspension bushing and mounts. the rest seemed to be fine.

bigmaz

afzaal1988 wrote: »

I changed one on my car. total cost £8 for drop link and £6 for PlusGas.
It did take me 2 and half hours to take old one off because of rust. but i was free so time wasnt an issue.

bytheway i m not mechanic. just diyer

I would love to be able to do this kind of stuff myself, but I am hopeless..... Would save me so much money as well, lol!

afzaal1988

bigmaz wrote: »

I would love to be able to do this kind of stuff myself, but I am hopeless..... Would save me so much money as well, lol!

well in that case £100+ seems bit too much. But than again depends where you live. Local garages in my area would be willing to do it for 20 to 30 pounds plus parts roughly £15 to £20.
But it does depend on area so in your area £100 might not be that much.

bigmaz

afzaal1988 wrote: »

well in that case £100+ seems bit too much. But than again depends where you live. Local garages in my area would be willing to do it for 20 to 30 pounds plus parts roughly £15 to £20.
But it does depend on area so in your area £100 might not be that much.

Seems to be an hour/hour and half labour. After parts and vat seems to be ok

afzaal1988

bigmaz wrote: »

Seems to be an hour/hour and half labour. After parts and vat seems to be ok

like i said it depends where you live and who you go to. I paid that amount for changing timing belt on civic, which is alot harder than taking 2 nuts off drop link

bigmaz

Wow, £20 - 30 for 1.5 hour labour is mighty cheap for a mechanic.

arcon5

£40/hr + parts £20(max) £60+VAT = £72.

£100 isn't a great price imo.

It's not a big job. In a garage probably 20 minutes to get off, 5 minutes to get new one on.

bigmaz

The indy garages round here seem to be more like £50/ hour. I could maybe get it a bit cheaper but I know these guys will do a good job. Will need to do my research in my local area for a good reliable cheaper place to take my car, had a few nightmares, so a bit paranoid where I go :P

AdrianC

arcon5 wrote: »

£40/hr + parts £20(max) £60+VAT = £72.

£100 isn't a great price imo.

It's not a big job. In a garage probably 20 minutes to get off, 5 minutes to get new one on.

You're basing that on one side needing doing. The OP used plural, so I was assuming both sides.

bigmaz

AdrianC wrote: »

You're basing that on one side needing doing. The OP used plural, so I was assuming both sides.

Yes, your right. Its both sides