No driving problems with it and I knew what the fault was likely to be. Cause the amount of pot holes, sunken grates etc. and the approach road to our house is Bad. Pity I cannot charge the council!
I put off doing anything about it until service in March as doing few few miles. I also knew that it was a minor problem “a noise” as I can tell any problems with tyres or suspensionh. Been a mechanic since 1960 just stopped when you started to require specialist tools and I no longer had a garage with a pit.
At the service I got the suspension strut changed. Regretfully that didn’t solve the problem but sound slightly reduced.
I them had the drop link between the Strut and anti roll bar changed. No difference.
I then put the car into the Kia main dealer for a sun roof service and for the NSF strut and suspension arms etc. checked and a price for the job if required.
I got an e mail with the price £330 Parts plus £660 Labour all plus Vat. So £1,200 total. Parts price fair enough for Kia parts but the labour at £120 per hour plus Vat. No way.
Some did a bit more in depth research and then spoke to the boss at my local garage who had done the service and changed the Strut.
We discussed the problem and agreed what the problem was likely to be. A process of elimination and I booked the car on for the work to be done but before I took it in I did further research and found a detailed diagram of the front suspension.
On taking the car in for the work I told the chap that I wanted the strut bump stop and the two “ insulating “ pads to be changed have discussed the problem with him.
When I went to collect the car the receptionist told my that problem solved, and yes it’s fixed.
The problem had been a big niggle for months. I knew what the problem was a bush but locating it as there are about 10 bushes to that side of the suspension.
As I had explained the problem to the Kia dealer I would have thought that they would know what was wrong seeing that the had done 100,000 miles. They are supposed to be “experts”.
The thing that I did wrong was not having the 3 upper “rubber bits” changed at same time as Strut. Lesson learned.
These days I do very little to the car other than buy parts for service etc.
There are plenty people who have been fleeced by garages even up to main dealers so I can ask questions before work done always ask for a detailed estimate and if OK car goes in at a late a later date. Many ladies have been taken to the cleaners for work and parts and actually nowt has been touched.
Allan C.
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