Passed the MOT - BUT.....

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Exactmax

Active member
I had my MOT done at the weekend and its passed but there are some issues that have come up. I'm no mechanic so just some friendly advise would be great:

Two months ago I had the front shocked replaced with BMW parts and had my local garage fit them. This was due to the shocks leaking alot of oil - I was told this was due to the car had been lowered on Eibachs and the standard shocks couldnt take the drop. Total price was £630.

Go to a different garage this weekend to find that the front shocks are leaking oil again (ONLY two months old)!!! I was shown the shocks and and they look like they have been replaced but I'm not sure to be honest.

On the receipt from the garage that fitted the shocks, they state there is no warranty because the car has been lowered!

While the car was on the ramp, the man at the garage showed me some play on the front wheel. He was able to move the wheel backwards and forwards horizontally - he said that the bushes and front wishbone was worn - is this right?



So here are my questions:

Do I have a leg to stand on about the leaking shocks after two months of use?

Is the wishbone and bushes really knackered just because the wheel moves horizontally?

Thanks,
Max
 
I would of thought that even the shocks should have at least a year warenty on them , the garage saying, because the car has been lowered is bull***t , shocks in there design make up should be able to travel way more than a 25mm the max drop you would get from lowering springs.Faulty parts or not replaced at all. There are loads of people with lowered cars on here and carnt remember anyone els with this problem. Get them to replace them and dont take any crap.
As for the bushes i think there have that spot on but i would suggest its only the break baised bushes and not the entire lower wish bone arm.
Get these replaced with polybushes there are about the same cost and should only be a hours labour max.Hope this helps.
 
You could ask for replacement parts for the shocks, as they really shouldn't go after a couple of months. It'll depend on how far the garage's 'no warranty' policy goes. You'll probably need to fork out for the labour costs of refitting though?


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I was thinking that there should be a warranty on the parts even if the garage states no warranty on the work done!

How much are brake baised bushes and do anyone have any links to them?

Thanks for your help guys, after the parts failing only after two months it does make me think that maybe that they didnt even change the parts. my confidence on garages has fallen rock bottom!!!!
 
Interesting one here. Genuine BMW shocks supplied and fitted and they immediately start to leak?? I'd be looking at 2 things:

1) Did they really replace them, or jusr rip you off? They would look brand spanking new with just a bit of oil now on them. Parts labels shoudl be there and all shiny metal. New bolts and fixings and evidence they have been undone and refitted. Most garages offer or show oy the old parts.

2) Why would a pair of brand new shocks both leak unless there was something wrong with the suspension set up. Personally I feel if they supplied and fitted to a lowered car and warned you at the time of no warrantly then you'll have a hard fight on. on a 25mm suspension you could easily have bottomed them out and damaged then. one good run would do it.

Of course go back to the supplying garage and start to seek new shocks, warranty work, etc. but expect a big push back.

If they were leaking BTW - I think it's an MOT failure so not sure how it passed?

Bushes and front wishbone could be worn - stardard parts to have to repair on Zed suspension, although the way they are located does give some play. Obviously not serious enough to fail the MOT.
 
I found these http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?p=2413PFEZ4FK&a=i

are they just need for the front (not top and bottom or anything like that)?
 
Thanks for your advise CJ10jeeper! If they stated there was no warranty on the work then surly there will still be warranty on the actual parts?
 
Exactmax said:
I found these http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?p=2413PFEZ4FK&a=i

are they just need for the front (not top and bottom or anything like that)?
Click to expand...


Yes - these are the sort of bushes some people fit. In fairness since the garage has suggested parts are worn and you say you're no mechanic I'd get them to show you which one's they suggest replacing and avoid buying loads of bits that are not needed, wrong, etc. Also be aware that poly is stiffer, causes more vibration, but does allow better set up and can last way longer.
 
Exactmax said:
Thanks for your advise CJ10jeeper! If they stated there was no warranty on the work then surly there will still be warranty on the actual parts?
Click to expand...

Why would there be? In actual fact I'd say the opposite that the work must be guaranteed but not the parts fitted. You appear to have used standard parts on a lowered set up and that is why the garage wrote 'no warranty' on the invoice.
 
Thanks - after spending so much money on having the shocks replaced and just totally gutted that they are leaking again. I've read loads of people on here with eibachs fitted without any problems to the shocks!

I'm a careful driver aswell so I'm pretty sure I havnt bottomed the car out at all :(
 
Exactmax said:
Thanks - after spending so much money on having the shocks replaced and just totally gutted that they are leaking again. I've read loads of people on here with eibachs fitted without any problems to the shocks!

I'm a careful driver aswell so I'm pretty sure I havnt bottomed the car out at all :(
Click to expand...


I feel for you. Trouble is here we're into difficult stuff. You had the wrong parts fitted and the garage warned it would not warranty them. No it doesn't matter if others have no issues as the garage warned of the risks.

If it were me I'd go back to the MOT station for some advice tomorrow:
Do they think the shocks were replaced 2 months ago - they will tell. Armed with that you can start to decide how to approach the fitting garage.

Also ask what suspension parts are worn and see if they will supply and fit (warrantied of course)
 
Exactmax said:
So is it worth ringing the garage and telling them what has happened?
Click to expand...

Well unless your phone contract means you'll pay over £630 for the call you've got little to lose I'd say!

Seriously though, good luck! I also am a bit intrigued about the fact it passed with leaking shocks as I'm pretty sure that's an MOT fail as they can't predict when the shocks will suffer a mechanical failure (which they will when the oil is all gone) thereby drastically compromising the handling. I'd also be a bit nerovus of oil that close to my brake discs.

I wonder if you've misunderstood (no offence intended at all of course) and perhaps they were referring to evidence of the previous leak? That would seem to address many of the issues...
 
UPDATE:

OK, here's the link to what they actually test for on the shocks:

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_270.htm

The key phrase is that to fail there must be "A fluid leakage serious enough to indicate that the fluid seal of a shock absorber has failed."

In other words some leakage is allowed (to my mild surprise!)
 
LeeME3 said:
UPDATE:

OK, here's the link to what they actually test for on the shocks:

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_270.htm

The key phrase is that to fail there must be "A fluid leakage serious enough to indicate that the fluid seal of a shock absorber has failed."

In other words some leakage is allowed (to my mild surprise!)
Click to expand...

Interesting to see slight is allowed. I guess this gives some discretion to the tester in case it's just superficial fluid from say someone spraying oil to loosen bolts.
 
I had wondering if the oil leaking (which was very minimal) was left over from the oil shock leak (which did kind of explode all over the wheelarch).

I just can't believe that brand new shocks would go after two months when I had the car lowered on the old shocks for about 1.5 years! I'm just soooooo pissed off about it all :x :x :x

I suppose what I can do it clean all of the oil off from the shocks and see if the oil re-appears! I did the 'bounce' test this morning and the front end of the car is rock solid (no springing back like its resting on the springs).

I think I will have to take it to another garage and get a second opinion as I just don't trust garages now!
 
Exactmax said:
I had my MOT done at the weekend and its passed but there are some issues that have come up. I'm no mechanic so just some friendly advise would be great:

Two months ago I had the front shocked replaced with BMW parts and had my local garage fit them. This was due to the shocks leaking alot of oil - I was told this was due to the car had been lowered on Eibachs and the standard shocks couldnt take the drop. Total price was £630.

Go to a different garage this weekend to find that the front shocks are leaking oil again (ONLY two months old)!!! I was shown the shocks and and they look like they have been replaced but I'm not sure to be honest.

On the receipt from the garage that fitted the shocks, they state there is no warranty because the car has been lowered!

While the car was on the ramp, the man at the garage showed me some play on the front wheel. He was able to move the wheel backwards and forwards horizontally - he said that the bushes and front wishbone was worn - is this right?



So here are my questions:

Do I have a leg to stand on about the leaking shocks after two months of use?

Is the wishbone and bushes really knackered just because the wheel moves horizontally?

Thanks,
Max
Click to expand...
The only work or parts that don’t have to be of a reasonable standard is stuff you do yourself!
If the work or parts were not of the required standard the garage must be given an opportunity to make good or refund, if not then you will have a fairly straight forward small claims court claim. You will need your bill etc, any photo’s and preferably a report from a competent technical person about the condition of the work. I took a similar case forward on behalf of my father and got my local MOT tester to do a report, the garage didn't turn up to contest the hearing and an award was made for the cost of the alternative repair and a small sum for admin costs.
Don’t let them get away with it!
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_rights/legal_system/small_claims.htm
 
So from what was just said it means that any work done by a garage still falls into the warranty of if it's faulty then it's the garages fault even if they stated that no warranty was given?
 
Exactmax said:
So from what was just said it means that any work done by a garage still falls into the warranty of if it's faulty then it's the garages fault even if they stated that no warranty was given?
Click to expand...

A 'warranty' is a complementary supplement to your consumer rights. Goods have to be serviceable and services of a reasonable quality and durability, taking in to account the price and what can reasonably be expected. A supplier should not agree to do work and charge the going rate if they think it won’t last or supply parts that are not suitable for the job. The question is given the type of repair and parts how long could you reasonably expect it to last? 12, 24 maybe 36 months? But certainly more than a couple, so the garage have to make good. Get back to them and negotiate.
 
Just to follow up on this story - I took my car to a different garage this morning to look at the 'leaking' front shocks. Had the car up on the ramp and straight away the guy said that the new shocks were totally fine and the tiny amount of oil seen at the MOT was down to some oil being left over from the old shocks!!!

At the top of each shock there are very dense sponge thingy which had soaked up some of the oil. Just goes to show that a second opinion is critical with garages. I could of been £700 out of pocket again for parts which didn't need replacing!!!!!
 
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