Nearside front spring broke ...

It's just bemusing when people ask for advice then don't take it

There were multiple posts explaining why they should be done in pairs, other personal accounts of one failing shortly after the other..... I don't see why it would now be a surprise!

Are you intending to fit the replacement yourself?
 
iaind said:
It's just bemusing when people ask for advice then don't take it

There were multiple posts explaining why they should be done in pairs, other personal accounts of one failing shortly after the other..... I don't see why it would now be a surprise!

Are you intending to fit the replacement yourself?
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No, computers are my domain. I hold repairing cars in the same regard that most of my customers do about computers.
 
But having been quoted £45-50 for a spring which I've just found for £30 will soften the blow somewhat.
 
In which case, supplying your own spring for a garage to fit is going to be more hassle than its worth.

Any decent garage will be able to supply a spring for less than you can get it from ECP/GSF etc - I'd do some more research into reputable garages in your area as it sounds like the ones you're talking to are taking the mick a bit
 
iaind said:
In which case, supplying your own spring for a garage to fit is going to be more hassle than its worth.

Any decent garage will be able to supply a spring for less than you can get it from ECP/GSF etc - I'd do some more research into reputable garages in your area as it sounds like the ones you're talking to are taking the mick a bit
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Yes I don't doubt they can get it for cheaper trade prices than £30 but they're obviously marking up heavily.
 
Either challenge them on it (politely, they could be supplying OEM springs and you're looking at after market ones) or go elsewhere.

A friend of mine runs an indy garage of his own - he always passes on the cost price of parts to the customer and bills on a flat hourly rate. This is the sort of place you want to find
 
Thanks for the advice.

I got a quote for 36 quid labour. Buy the spring myself. One mechanic mentioned ball bearings tho. Hopefully its just the spring which needs replacing.
 
I assume he's talking about the strut top bearing? If these have seized they may well have contributed to the spring failing.

Best to check them while the strut is out :)
 
My neighbour is a mechanic. Just spoken to him and he says with how old my car is he can get leg and spring as one unit second hand and fit it including parts and labour for 55 quid
 
smr said:
My neighbour is a mechanic. Just spoken to him and he says with how old my car is he can get leg and spring as one unit second hand and fit it including parts and labour for 55 quid
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Told you earlier I fitted a 2nd hand shock & spring complete to the front off side of my motor around end of November, Cost me 20 quid. I'm not dead yet but if I die I'll let you know.
 
4T5 said:
Told you earlier I fitted a 2nd hand shock & spring complete to the front off side of my motor around end of November, Cost me 20 quid. I'm not dead yet but if I die I'll let you know.
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Oh ok right, apologies for my ignorance. I've read in full the rest of the posts on page 1 now.

So having my next door neighbour mechanic fit a second hand spring should be ok?

Will the handling and wear on other parts etc. be ok with one spring being newer than the other ? I noticed you said you had fitted yours to pull it through an MOT...
 
I wouldn't have second hand springs on my car, whats to say the spring thats going in is in any better state that the one that just broke was a week ago?

It worries me that you're worrying about such a small amount of money but are running a car - cars arent things that should be run on a shoestring

Get your neighbour to take it apart and see if the bearing or anything else needs changing. Ask him to fit a new spring for you, which you've already shown is a 30 quid part.
 
smr said:
Will the handling and wear on other parts etc. be ok with one spring being newer than the other ? I noticed you said you had fitted yours to pull it through an MOT...
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You've got more chance of the handling being effected if you fit just 1 new spring on one side than you have fitting a 2nd hand spring/shock on. Surely people can see that a 2nd hand spring/shock will be closer to matching the one on the other side.
Also you inspect the spring/shock Before you put it on it isn't just one laying about on the floor it's one that has been kept because it's in good shape. The one I put on still had all the Black paint on & no cracks in the paint let alone the spring & the shocks are either Ok or if there not then they leak.
 
I see no benefit to a used shock /spring here. You already have one new spring, just get another. There's no point in sticking one used side on the car - if you'd been doing both fronts together and it was next to nothing in parts all in plus you were really struggling with cash then maybe....I still wouldn't do it to my own car even then tbh, not when they're so relatively cheap new

The guy that did the first spring charged 80 all in did he not? If he will do the other side for the same its worth considering as ideally you want the same spring on both sides.

Otherwise get your neighbour to do the other spring, buy a new one and ask him to stick it on for 25 quid
 
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Has he had a new spring put on the other side recently then ? If so My Apologies & ignore what I said before & stick another new one on tuther side.
 
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