Yet another year of ownership

[steve2006]

Another MOT passed with no advisories so yet another year of ownership for me, purchased for £3750 11 years ago and with mainly DIY servicing never let me down until the other week when the offside rear spring gave up after 23 years of service probably as a result of the state of UK roads.

My local garage also fitted the nearside rear spring for me whilst in for the test, total bill came to £82.00.

At just £42.00 inc VAT to remove the strut, replace the spring and refit it just wasn't worth getting my hands dirty.

[Bluesman]

You couldn't make it up. Well done Steve.

[Farqui]

Result eh, its heart warming to hear such great stories.

[The-Acre]

Excellent.  You simply couldn't ask for more.

[Malc]

Steve, another year behind you then and a new brilliant one to look forward to  .................  my 2018 is going to be expensive methinks .....  cambelt, peripherals and warterpump at 204,500 miles  ( 199,875 now ) .  4 x new tyres looming on the short horizon, the front pads and discs my indy tells me are nearly ripe for plucking, usual oil and filters service and MOT with gearbox and diff oil attention ..............  and if I'm really lucky, the offside UCAs  both the nearside front and the rear, both having been replaced this year and last ( I think )  .  Am I phased by it, well, not really  .... it's only money 

   and ever so much cheaper than changing the Lexus for anything else too methinks

Malc  

[runsgrateasanut]

£82 labour? thats astonishing.  Watching some guy do the job on u-tube makes it look like a real p.i.t.a. !

Maybe I'll press my mechanic to fit the two I've had sitting around for more than a year. See what he says as to cost!

[steve2006]

5 hours ago, runsgrateasanut said:

£82 labour? thats astonishing.  Watching some guy do the job on u-tube makes it look like a real p.i.t.a. !

Maybe I'll press my mechanic to fit the two I've had sitting around for more than a year. See what he says as to cost!

It's better than that Stuart, that amount includes the MOT cost at £40.00.

I did the one that broke myself and discovered that the strut can be removed and refitted by simply removing the anti roll bar top drop link connection which allows the suspension to lower just far enough to allow removal of the strut.

It's a little awkward to do this as you need to pass the bottom of the strut between the lower and upper control arms, carefully get the top past the wheel arch and then jiggle it back into position to bolt it back up, apparently the garage managed it without even removing the drop link!