Could I please check if this quote is reasonable?

Legacy_user

The car in question is a 2010 Nissan Qashqai 1.6 petrol with 71k miles. It was serviced and received an MOT at the weekend. The following advisories were given:

nearside front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

offside front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

The car has been riding very rough and last week noise from the front increased. I have a video from the dealer showing the deterioration so the car does need the work done. I have been quoted £561 for both of those items to be replaced (the whole arm requires replacing on both sides). Does this sound a reasonable cost?

facade

Seems a lot, but you are at a main dealer.

Nissan lower arms are about £100 each, Chinese Gulag parts (which are probably the same ones, as Nissan just buy in the cheapest parts) are about £30 each, and you can even just change the bushes, but the dealer won't as you are paying, and bush changing needs a modicum of skill.

Take it to an independent, I'd guess at £350 (£200 for the arms, and 2 hours work max)

There was also some problem with shock absorbers around 2010, people who made enough fuss about poor ride got new ones fitted.

bigjl

I wouldn't be surprised if the Qashqui has a similar front end design to the Old Clio. Where you have to drop the subframe to change the lower wishbones and the wishbones themselves are expensive.

(Compared the two parts and they are similar but not identical)

I paid a sizeable chunk of money for two front lower arms on our old Clio mk3.

They weren't Renault parts either they were decent quality pattern parts from Euro.

Just checked Euro and lower arms for a Qashqui are just under £100. Only one arm is listed.

I doubt you will be able to find bushes for these arms, and that would still leave you with and old balljoint.

Euro are usually one of the cheaper parts suppliers without buying inferior parts.

So just under £200 for parts and if you have to drop the subframe that will be a sizeable chunk of labour.

I would doubt that Nissan parts prices would be as low as £100, more like £140/150 a side I suspect.

System

Thanks

I guess I will just go with Nissan as the saving probably won't be a huge amount

welfayre

As previously said Euro supply arms at £96 each so £192 for both.

Autodata gives you 1.5 hours labour to do both sides so 1.5 x £40 = £60+VAT = £72

Total for both arms = £264. (That's what I'd do the job for).

If you're in a more expensive part of the country labour might be £60+ p/h so maybe £110 or so for that but would still be at least a couple hundred cheaper.

tasticz

i changed passenger side front busher for my honda civic for £30 (part) + £20 fitting cost at an independent garage like 1 month ago

I used to get a click click noise every time i went above humps but its stopped now

sorry i mean the suspension control thing like a 3 way connector?

facade

Delphi list pattern bushes for £12 each, but the arms have to come off, then you need a technician with the skills to change the bushes (probably another half hour on top of the autodata 1.5 hours)

It's your money, I'd change the bushes myself for £24 all in.

It is unlikely (but not impossible- it is a [STRIKE]Renault[/STRIKE] Nissan) that deteriorated, but serviceable, bushes are causing a rough ride and noise tbh.

(I have the misfortune to own a [STRIKE]Renault Modus[/STRIKE] Nissan Note, the suspension is quite the weakest, noisiest and fastest wearing of any car I have owned in nearly 40 years. I would never consider spending my own money on another Renault/Nissan)

System

The car has been good to me so far. I've had it 4 years/60k miles and apart from tyres this is the first part that has needed replacing. I just thought that £560 sounded very steep and from the feedback it obviously is.

I'm going to take it around to a few independents and see what they say. Had this been two years ago I would probably have got it done there and then but TBH with my intention of keeping it another 3 years/45k miles it is going to be a >100k miles car that is 9 years old so won't exactly be worth much so I guess I should start trying to keep it for as cheap as possible.

Thank you all for the advice. Will report back with prices I get quoted.