First MOT fail - brake pipes and ball joints - fair price?

E

eyup

Member
 East Riding of Yorkshire
Hi all

Just got the note back following mot and service.
2006 coupe,approaching 35k mileage.

MOT has failed on front to rear brake pipes due to excessive corrosion. I have been quoted £246.00 inc vat fitted. Does this sound reasonable?

There is also advisory, both front lower ball joints and rear bushes quote at £460.00 inc vat fitted.

Is it worth me doing the ball joints?it's a big pill to swallow this time of year with mot and service costs on top!

To be fairs it's been ok since I had it buy maybe it's hitting the turning point!

Cheers all
 
Depends where you are taking it to be done. I would say in my limited experience it sounds a bit expensive but then again I take my cars to a great time served guy who operates out of an old cow shed, no latte machines or glossy mags and staff in the waiting area.........come to think of it, there is no waiting area!

On the advisories, I would say that as as long as the wheel alignment is able to be adjusted within manfs. tolerances and that you keep an eye on any abnormal tyre wear you might be able to leave the bushes until next mot depending on how much mileage you do. However, if you have high end expensive tyres, it might be false economy.
 
Just check, are they quoting for front and rear flexi pipes (the short rubber hoses with ferrules that corrode) that run from the main brake line to the brake calliper, or a full set of brake lines being replaced?

If it's a full end-to-end brake line set being changed I'd say £246 was very cheap, full replacement requires quite a bit to be removed underneath, add parts and fluids and it should a lot more than that. The four flexi-pipes only is a much quicker job (which I did myself), and is probably going to cost about that with fluids and VAT depending on the garage.
 
Cheers geezah.

It's local independant with decent rep. No bells and whistles though. I probably do about 10k a year. Not huge. Car on vreds.

Unfortunately not a mechanic.I tempted to chance the joints. It's only advisory on excessive movement. Difficult to tell how they will last.
 
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
 
thepits said:
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
Click to expand...

Any surface corrosion on main lines or the ferrules of the flexi pipes can be a fail and MOT testers vary on interpretation. I had an advisory one year, cleaned the very light surface corrosion of the ferrules with wire wool and a coat of copper grease and it passed the next test. I chatted about it with the tester who confirmed that as long as the surface corrosion is removed and the pipe is sound it's OK so it's worth doing. I changed them next time when I renewed the callipers.

Are there many six year old cars without any surface corrosion somewhere on the original pipes or lines?
 
Ewazix said:
Just check, are they quoting for front and rear flexi pipes (the short rubber hoses with ferrules that corrode) that run from the main brake line to the brake calliper, or a full set of brake lines being replaced?

If it's a full end-to-end brake line set being changed I'd say £246 was very cheap, full replacement requires quite a bit to be removed underneath, add parts and fluids and it should a lot more than that. The four flexi-pipes only is a much quicker job (which I did myself), and is probably going to cost about that with fluids and VAT depending on the garage.
Click to expand...

Thanks ewazix, I will ring tomorrow and confirm now I am better informed
 
thepits said:
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
Click to expand...

Aye this is my worry! It's been great up to now. Hope it's not a slippery slope from here.
 
Ewazix said:
thepits said:
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
Click to expand...

Any surface corrosion on main lines or the ferrules of the flexi pipes can be a fail and MOT testers vary on interpretation. I had an advisory one year, cleaned the very light surface corrosion of the ferrules with wire wool and a coat of copper grease and it passed the next test. I chatted about it with the tester who confirmed that as long as the surface corrosion is removed and the pipe is sound it's OK so it's worth doing. I changed them next time when I renewed the callipers.

Are there many six year old cars without any surface corrosion somewhere on the original pipes or lines?
Click to expand...

Interesting, corrosion isn't always an issue though which is annoying. Will see what the garage say in the morning. I have no reason not to trust them but wasn't expecting these issues. Plus its always good to put stuff on here for others to gain an idea of costs.

Cheers for the help all. Much appreciated
 
Ewazix said:
thepits said:
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
Click to expand...

Any surface corrosion on main lines or the ferrules of the flexi pipes can be a fail and MOT testers vary on interpretation. I had an advisory one year, cleaned the very light surface corrosion of the ferrules with wire wool and a coat of copper grease and it passed the next test. I chatted about it with the tester who confirmed that as long as the surface corrosion is removed and the pipe is sound it's OK so it's worth doing. I changed them next time when I renewed the callipers.

Are there many six year old cars without any surface corrosion somewhere on the original pipes or lines?
Click to expand...

Totally incorrect.
Brake pipes have to have a reduced wall thickness of 1/3. If a brake pipe is correctly failed,and you then clean and coat them,the condition has actually deteriorated as you've removed material. Brake pipe ferrules have to be very bad to fail but is down to tester discression.
 
Tonybz said:
Ewazix said:
thepits said:
But the issue here is "2006 coupe, approaching 35k mileage." and it fails on this Stuff!!!!!!!!! WTF? Shirely shum mistuck? :evil:
Click to expand...

Any surface corrosion on main lines or the ferrules of the flexi pipes can be a fail and MOT testers vary on interpretation. I had an advisory one year, cleaned the very light surface corrosion of the ferrules with wire wool and a coat of copper grease and it passed the next test. I chatted about it with the tester who confirmed that as long as the surface corrosion is removed and the pipe is sound it's OK so it's worth doing. I changed them next time when I renewed the callipers.

Are there many six year old cars without any surface corrosion somewhere on the original pipes or lines?
Click to expand...

Totally incorrect.
Brake pipes have to have a reduced wall thickness of 1/3. If a brake pipe is correctly failed,and you then clean and coat them,the condition has actually deteriorated as you've removed material. Brake pipe ferrules have to be very bad to fail but is down to tester discression.
Click to expand...

I know what the manual says but I'm trying to assist the OP with the actual question asked by reference to a real world experience of brake pipe/ferrule corrosion, an actual experience of dealing with a tester, offering practical alternatives to spending hundreds of pounds and an opinion as to what it might reasonably cost the OP to repair it. The key issue is that the OP hasn't had an adequate explanation about it being lines or flexi-pipes that were failed?
 
Main brake pipes,as per first post. You can not improve them if they have been correctly failed. Removing light corrosion,example if a pipe is advised as slightly corroded, is a good idea as long as the pipes are coated with a good layer of grease. ( if you clean the pipes and coat them the tester is not allowed to remove the coating... ) I'd get a second opinion. If you have them replaced make sure they don't use copper,it's pure crap. Steel is best,although difficult to get,cunifer is a good substitute. I find that many testers test cars to a "service" standard. This application of the regulations is too harsh. Items that will pass the Mot test can be quite literally dangerous,yet still pass. Ball joints. Don't worry and don't have the geometry adjusted to compensate. If it was anything to worry about it would of failed. Good advise to monitor the tyres. It's quiet in the garage trade this time of year and Christmas is coming. Make sure your nor paying for the prezzies.
 
I wouldn't rush the ball joint change or bushes for an advisory. They are effectively saying it has play indicating wear but it is within safe specs. Put it off till the spring. Maximum permitted play of a ball joint is 10% of section width, so if it was 20mm ball diameter, then 2mm is acceptable play....... however, the wheel fitted is the lever, and it effectively doubles the feeling of play, so you may get 4mm of play at the edge of the tyre, and it still be a pass and advise.

It cost me £120 for both sides on a previous car at an indy. This included the parts and wheel alignment. I have also replaced them myself, measuring the old ones first and screwing that adjustment onto the new ones before going for a £40 alignment.

Rear bushes are a DIY job and not too expensive.
 
I'll sidestep all this about if corroded or not an offer comment on the price:

Here's an example of set of wishbones, bushes and even drop links. (Assumption is you mean rear bushes on front wishbones) No different to what your indy would order. They are £110 and add £100 labour gives around £210 Add some more for labour or Meyle parts and I could not get to above £300.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-Series-E46-Front-WISHBONES-BUSHES-LINK-ROD-/250797727602?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Plat_Gen%3AE46&hash=item3a64b59f72

Replacing 2 brake lines. They will almost certainly simply cut off and connect half way down the car as it's the rear that corrodes. £50 for the pipes, £50 labour to fit and £25 bleed and check brakes. £125 total.

Both prices are therefore much more than I'd expect.
 
just checking in to say thanks for the replies. brakes done . rest left for a bit.

much appreciated guys.
 
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