How expensive will this be?

Super_Whiskey

So, I was just about to go to work this morning and as I'm setting off my car's making this creaking sound. Fair enough, maybe I left the hand brake on so I checked that and I hadn't. I pulled forward a couple of inches and the noise gets louder. Hmmm... Maybe something's stuck. So I get out and have a look and notice that the front passenger side has dropped so the body is only a couple of inches above the tyre.

As I had ended up just over someone's driveway, I had to reverse ever so slowly as this creaking noise was going on and it doesn't sound healthy on that side at all.

My dad's had a quick look at it and reckons a shock abosrber has gone so I'm going to get a garage to tow it to their's and have a look. If that is the case, how expensive might that be?

*j*

Shock absorber will not cause a drop in height, but a broken spring will.

Ebe_Scrooge

Depends a lot on the car. If it is a spring ( which is a reasonable bet ), have a look here to get an idea of what the part should cost :


http://www.eurocarparts.com/coil-spring


For instance, for a Fiesta you're looking at something like £45 apiece, it's recommended to replace them in pairs. Then maybe an hour or 2 labour on top of that - again, depends very much on the car, some cars it'll be no more than half an hour a side, others may be more complex.

barnaclebill

I have had two Z4's and both had the rear broken spring problem, the thing is you could not tell by looking at the car, one I found by hearing a jingling sound and finally a piece of spring flew out, the other two were found at an MOT.
So for a car to be that low I think it is more than a broken spring or shock absorber unfortunately

david_a

The garage won't be able to tow it as you would say a trailer. Make sure they lift it. If it is a Fiesta be prepared to pay for a tyre as well.

tykesi

barnaclebill wrote: »

I have had two Z4's and both had the rear broken spring problem, the thing is you could not tell by looking at the car, one I found by hearing a jingling sound and finally a piece of spring flew out, the other two were found at an MOT.
So for a car to be that low I think it is more than a broken spring or shock absorber unfortunately

*j* wrote: »

Shock absorber will not cause a drop in height, but a broken spring will.

Technically the spring IS the shock absorber, what you're calling the shock absorber is actually the damper.

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