MOT Advisory Notes

safp888

Hey all,

My 09 Ford Fiesta (65k miles on the clock) has passed the MOT. However, there are quite a few advisory checks. Most of them are cosmetic and self-explanatory, but I need someone to clarify a couple of them:

• Both lower arm ball joint boot splitting £445
• Slight play in o, s, f rack drumstick £247

Please can someone explain in lame terms what that means? Are they urgent and are the price quotes fair?

Thanks!

Richard53

The MoT doesn't cover cosmetic items, so please explain what you mean there.


The items are both suspension/steering issues. An advisory is a way of drawing your attention to something which does not fail on the day of inspection, but which will need looking at in the future. Replacing the ball joint boot sooner rather than later might save the ball joint itself (it stops water getting in). I'm not in the motor trade, but those prices seem high. Perhaps keep an eye on things (and an ear for knocks and bangs underneath) and get a couple of quotes before committing yourself.

Strider590

Quite ridiculous pricing.

The ball joints for a start, are each around £20 + labour and i'm pretty certain they won't be that hard or time consuming to change.

bartelbe

Quite ridiculous pricing.

The ball joints for a start, are each around £20 + labour and i'm pretty certain they won't be that hard or time consuming to change.

They are ridiculous prices, but to be fair on some modern cars you can't just change the ball joint. You have to change the whole suspension arm.

=rizla=

I had an older fiesta and had to change the lower arm, it was quite an easy job to do (I was lucky the last person to change them used copper slip, so only took me 30 mins), 3 bolts to replace, looking on the internet you're looking at £30(ebay)-£70(eurocarparts) per side for the parts.

patman99

If you read the post, it's the ball joint boot that needs replacing, not the ball joint.

Not sure if they are still available, but you used to be able to get 2-part boots for various joints. No need to remove any part of the suspension.

flashg67

I'll second that the prices seem silly - get a quote at a good independent if you don't fancy it yourself.
I've messed around doing ball joint in the past - slightly more cost but do the whole arm is my choice

nickcc

I've been in the motor trade over 50 years and I've never seen two part boots on ball joints. If the boots split then water/dirt will have entered the ball joint which cannot be removed as modern ball joints don't strip down so new joints will be required.

BeenThroughItAll

nickcc wrote: »

I've been in the motor trade over 50 years and I've never seen two part boots on ball joints. If the boots split then water/dirt will have entered the ball joint which cannot be removed as modern ball joints don't strip down so new joints will be required.

How you've missed them I wouldn't know, they've been the bodge of choice in certain circles for years:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSAL-SPLIT-BALL-JOINT-TRACK-ROD-END-RUBBER-BOOT-GAITER-KIT-FITS-ALL-CARS-/171851510749

nickcc

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

How you've missed them I wouldn't know, they've been the bodge of choice in certain circles for years:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSAL-SPLIT-BALL-JOINT-TRACK-ROD-END-RUBBER-BOOT-GAITER-KIT-FITS-ALL-CARS-/171851510749

Probably because I don't work with dodgy motors.

BeenThroughItAll

nickcc wrote: »

Probably because I don't work with dodgy motors.

You mean in 50 years you've not once seen a car owned, maintained, borrowed, hired or sold by someone dodgy?

You must be the only one.

BTW, before anyone takes the link I posted as evidence of my own dodgy antics, don't bother. Split boots are !!!! and I would not recommend wasting money even trying them.