What to do re dealership advice Fiat 500

tykesi

AdrianC wrote: »

They're all trivially easy to diagnose, with or without any gender-based patronising.

The absolute most technical ability needed is removing a wheel - the description of which has been part of the driving test for a decade and a half - and even that's not needed to see if there's more dust on one wheel than another...

Couldn't agree more but I was only emphasising the OP's own gender stereotyping which seemed to suggest she thinks herself incabable of learning.

AdrianC

I didn't say whose gender-based patronising...

vansboy

The brakes will have a lifetime guarantee from Kwikfit, so it's worth returning to them if there is a problem At least pads/discs which may have worn or become faulty, would be replaced free.

Also they have their free inspection, which is ALL visible parts, or their TOTAL check fro £24.95, with this refunded, if you have work carried out.

https://www.kwik-fit.com/brakes/brake-check

So maybe a little price comparison of main dealer/KwikFit/Independent would be worthwhile. There is a good chance main dealer will be as competitive as anyone else for this work.

VB

Car_54

AdrianC wrote: »

The absolute most technical ability needed is removing a wheel - the description of which has been part of the driving test for a decade and a half -

In which country? Certainly not the UK.

TheMoonandBack

Hi, I am making a few assumptions with my reply.
My guesses are that the Fiat dealer works on lots of Fiat 500’s and knows what goes wrong with them. I also guess that the Kwik fit operates like all kwik fits, and, like 99.9% of drivers you aren’t a fully qualified mechanic who would view removing wheels and examining levels of brake dust/heat etc as trivially easy.
I therefore guess that the Fiat dealer knows the brake calipers start sticking after a certain age. Their advice is to replace the caliper, rather than pay for labour to clean it up and lube it, when in all probability it will start sticking again.
If Kwikfit have rechecked it for you, greased it and it works ok now, then I would drive off into the sunset for as long as it lasts until it binds again (it will, it’s a Fiat), I would then look at getting the caliper replaced.
I don’t think the dealer is trying to rip you off, they just won’t mess about freeing things off and greasing stuff, they will fit new parts.
Hope this helps

AdrianC

Car_54 wrote: »

In which country? Certainly not the UK.

Hmm. I thought "change a wheel" was one of the show-me-tell-me questions, but it turns out I'm mistaken. My bad.

Just look in the owner's handbook, then.

System

"all is well" if you are still reading this you can test for yourself if the brakes are binding and it is very very simple to do.

All you do is at the end of the journey, get immediately out of the car and gently place your hand against the centre of each wheel. The fronts may feel slightly warmer than the rears which is normal as the front brakes do most of the braking but the ones that are binding will feel a lot warmer than the ones that aren't. If only one is binding it will be very obvious as it'll feel a lot hotter than the others. If it is really bad and you can see the brake disc the disc may have a blue hue to it or you may even smell the burning brakes.

Car_54

AdrianC wrote: »

Hmm. I thought "change a wheel" was one of the show-me-tell-me questions, but it turns out I'm mistaken. My bad.

Just look in the owner's handbook, then.

The OP probably hasn't even got a jack. The handbook will just tell her how to fill a punctured tyre with gunk;)