Possible Mot Poblems

[Angel123]

Please could someone give me a little info, Last years advisorys, Nearside front suspension slight play in lower suspension ball joint, nearside rear upper suspension arm slight play in a ball joint, offside rear upper suspension arm slight play in a ball joint. Do you think I am looking at big bucks here? The car is 2000 LS400, 170,000 MILES. She still feels like new, No bangs or expensive sounding noises. The dreaded MOT is due in about 6 weeks. Should have had the above looked at earlier, but never got round to it. The car is used everyday. Thanks in advance for any help. Tom

[Malc]

..... 170000 miles sounds about right for some suspension parts to be rejuvenated ..... nothing lasts forever, not even the worn parts in a Ls400 ............... any lesser car would doubtless have had much suspension stuff replaced at least twice already and coming up for it's third or fourth offering

Malc

[Chris Skelton]

4 ball joints then?

Someone will know a cost.

[alien1974]

hmmm if you get lexus parts you are talking a fair few quid to sort all that out, by the time you add labour on you wont get alot of change out of 2k

[AmbroseJohn]

My old BMW was issued with an advisory for a rear ball joint. I didn't get around to doing it because there were no symptoms. The following year there were no advisories. Same mechanic too. :)

[runsgrateasanut]

I bought a pair of UCA's for the rear in February.

Cost from Amayama £477.06 plus Import duty £95.48.

This is for an older car but if you go on the bay.com you will find them at well over £400 each - plus shipping and duty to be added.

Yet to have them fitted and next MOT July. Will see if a fail - if not won't be paying the expense of labour just yet.(were on an advisory)

[Malc]

I bought a pair of UCA's for the rear in February.

Cost from Amayama £477.06 plus Import duty £95.48.

This is for an older car but if you go on the bay.com you will find them at well over £400 each - plus shipping and duty to be added.

Yet to have them fitted and next MOT July. Will see if a fail - if not won't be paying the expense of labour just yet.(were on an advisory)

what was the mileage that gave you the MOT advisory ?

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

Sorry my mind playing tricks on me. Not an advisoryin 2014, but I asked my mechanic to give a thorough check to everything after getting the MOT history of the Car back to 2011.

Halfords MOT Jan 2011 said slight play in rear suspension arm bushes. Not mentioned in any subsequent MOT

In January 15 (112724 miles on the clock at July 2014 MOT) Mechanic he said that there was some movement in rear UCA's. I was getting a knocking noise going over speed humps at 2 mph.

Have replaced both front UCA's (saga on this) which were an advisory and also got lower front Ball joints yet to fit, but told slight play.

Rear coil springs slightly corroded go back to 2011 Halfords MOT and subsequent, so i've purchased a pair for future replacement when UCA's replaced.

Brake pipe corrosion mentioend back to 2011.

Car has now done 120,875 so sems thing need changing long before Toms mileage.

[Malc]

...... I know ACLex from here, whom I bought my car from 4 years ago now, replaced some rear ball joint stuff at about 120k miles I believe.

I've just replaced one front UCA at 174k miles for this MOT

No MOT Advisories on anything at last month's MOT

Malc

[brendangeorge]

You may want to try Rock Auto in the US - sounds daft but there are a lot of cheap parts available because people are clearing warehouses - I got some great deals on 430 parts even with shipping. Don't be put off my daft low prices - if it is a wareehouse clearence.

Cheers

Bren

[runsgrateasanut]

Had a look yesterday. Fewer and fewer parts for early LS (1993). Exhaust parts may only be Nos.1 Y pipe left. No other parts. Brake Hoses as low as £2.80 (marked clearance). Looked at them and bit worried as photo on two showed different styles. Bendix didn't look right? price good up to about £6. Haven't checked shipping cost but t'bay min around £17 each UK, unless Goodrich package.

[Angel123]

Thanks for all the kind comments and help. To answer your question Malc,, the advisory was just 12,000 miles ago. I will go down the route of carswap, Have the MOT done, hope that this just another advisory again. Which does seem to happen a lot. The place where I go for all the work being,

[Miles in Sandbach] Can't fault him, really knows his stuff, will sort it. Tom.

[Bluesman]

Alot of the MOT is subjective unless its a bulb that either works or doesn't and what one tester would fail another would let pass, let us not forget, you might find this hard to believe but there are garages out there that will fail things that have nothing wrong with them at all just to get work out of you. Mike.