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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

£400 repair bill for car!!

30 replies

doris9034 · 08/02/2021 13:55

I have been WFH for the best part of a year - like so many other people - which means i have barely driven my car in that time, apart from popping to the shops etc.
On Saturday i had a call from a friend to help her out as she had an emergency and needed her daughter collecting, so obviously happy to help her out. Got in my car, and there's an awful banging noise .....
Sorted friend out using DP car so fine, but took mine to the garage this morning and now its going to cost me £400 to get it fixed!!!
I know it is what it is - but how has this happened when it's basically just been sat on the drive most of the time?!?!?!? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr Angry

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 08/02/2021 13:58

Sounds like something had seized? I know nothing about cars but had similar with track end rods once , in a car that hadn’t been driven for a few months.

Original poster
doris9034 · 08/02/2021 14:00

Apparently its something to do with springs ..... but i did think maybe it was to do with the fact it hasn't been properly used for so long

OP posts:
Original poster
doris9034 · 08/02/2021 14:01

Just annoying - and expensive!!

OP posts:
SnarkyBag · 08/02/2021 14:02

Cars sitting idle isn't great for them either. It probably would have gone bang at some point earlier though if you had been using it more so.

Nothing more depressing than a car repair bill though!

SnarkyBag · 08/02/2021 14:04

Ahh yes the spring went on my audi last year mad a god awful sound, thought the exhaust had dropped off

Lyricallie · 08/02/2021 14:06

Ah we hardly use our car anymore but give it a quick up and down the road occasionally (my step dad told me to) I assume to make sure nothing seizes up?

Lulu1919 · 08/02/2021 14:07

Try to start up and drive up and down a road for a few mins once a week if it would otherwise be idle
Things seize up so easily

DynamoKev · 08/02/2021 14:10

I've had springs fail before - one actually went "twang" as I crawled over a speed bump. Don't know why makers can't / won't make them more durable.

Original poster
doris9034 · 08/02/2021 14:27

@SnarkyBag

Ahh yes the spring went on my audi last year mad a god awful sound, thought the exhaust had dropped off
Mine's an Audi too - maybe it's a thing with them!
OP posts:
Original poster
doris9034 · 08/02/2021 14:29

@DynamoKev

I've had springs fail before - one actually went "twang" as I crawled over a speed bump. Don't know why makers can't / won't make them more durable.
The mechanic said i should go slower over speed bumps ..... there's a few in our village but i'm hardly bouncing over them at 60 mph!!
OP posts:
CakeRequired · 08/02/2021 14:31

@DynamoKev

I've had springs fail before - one actually went "twang" as I crawled over a speed bump. Don't know why makers can't / won't make them more durable.
So you will pay for them more often of course.

It seized op, can't leave a car sitting doing nothing for months. Springs go in any car, the make makes no difference.

TitsOot4Xmas · 08/02/2021 14:35

Cars don’t like not being driven.

I usually cover about 25k per year - last 12 months have done less than 5. Diesel responded by needing a new DPF (over £1k), both cars needed new tyres (£800 for 2 cars) and new batteries (£250). To top it off the fin car needs cleaning down and underselling because of having been stood around. Going to take 3 months and several £k.

I wouldn’t mind but I’ve been going to work 2 days a week!

RedMarauder · 08/02/2021 14:38

OP as CakeRequired said don't leave your car sitting for months.

You need to drive your car, preferably on a motorway but a dual carriageway will do, every couple of weeks for about an hour.

And yes even though we are locked down you are allowed to do it. Just keep to the speed limit.

Felifox · 08/02/2021 14:40

I had my car serviced and new tyres for my MOT. Driving back from shopping a light went on and my car limped to the garage. I had to wait a week and it was a new electronic part to the throttle. I'm retired and have done 26k in mine

yearinyearout · 08/02/2021 15:20

Well my spring went in my car and it cost me about £40. You sure you haven't been ripped off? How well do you know the mechanic?!

Propagandalf · 08/02/2021 15:49

Cars aren't designed to go from one place to another. They are designed to take money off you.

SnarkyBag · 08/02/2021 16:04

@yearinyearout

Well my spring went in my car and it cost me about £40. You sure you haven't been ripped off? How well do you know the mechanic?!
£40?! Do you drive a go cart. Although mine was a coupon of hundred so £400 sounds pricey
SimonJT · 08/02/2021 16:09

Shock absorbers aren’t designed to go over bumps at speed, slow down more for speed bumps and were practical don’t drive over manhole covers, potholes etc.

I would be interested in what cowboy is suppling and fitting a shock absorber for £40.

Dailyhandtowelwash · 08/02/2021 16:10

@RedMarauder

OP as CakeRequired said don't leave your car sitting for months.

You need to drive your car, preferably on a motorway but a dual carriageway will do, every couple of weeks for about an hour.

And yes even though we are locked down you are allowed to do it. Just keep to the speed limit.

Not easy to do when you live on a small island. Grin

Cars can also cope from being driven around normal roads - the activity is what matters. I wouldn't want anyone to stress themselves by thinking you needed to hit a dual carriageway or motorway to keep your car on the road. A good bit of fast driving is helpful, but lack of it isn't the end of the world.

Youvegotafriendinme · 08/02/2021 16:15

If it’s a coil spring, I had one of them go on a Ford Fiesta and the noise was crazy! Unfortunately they can and do go for any and no reason. My car was used a couple of times a week so not a lot but used none the less.

If it is the coil spring, I think £400 is far too much for the replacement. It doesn’t involve more than putting it up in the air, removing the tyre, and replacing. Would take a good mechanic around a hour for the fronts and slightly more for the rears. My DH is a master technician for Audi So can get the exact amount and timings if you want?

Oblomov21 · 08/02/2021 16:21

£400 for any sort of car repair is cheap! I think you should count your lucky stars that covid hasn't cost more car wise.
Repairs can run into £100's easily. You blink and it's £750, £900+!!

Mightymaniac1 · 08/02/2021 16:41

If it makes you feel any better the spring went on my Audi too and was about that price. Very annoying!

Yellow85 · 08/02/2021 16:45

The joys of an Audi! They parts are super expensive...do you by any chance have soendbumps or have to bump a curb to park?

yearinyearout · 08/02/2021 17:42

I would be interested in what cowboy is suppling and fitting a shock absorber for £40.

I didn't say it was a shock absorber, the OP said springs and when I took my car for the mot I said I'd heard a knocking noise and he showed me the broken spring. It was about 8 inches long and couple of inches wide. I went to the parts place myself to buy it (£38) and he put it in for free.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/02/2021 18:25

You need to drive your car, preferably on a motorway but a dual carriageway will do, every couple of weeks for about an hour.

Mine never goes on the motorway and rarely on a dual carriageway and definitely not for an hour! When I'm in the office I have a 20 minute commute and that's it.

Years ago I parked my car and when I went out the next morning it was leaning down on one corner. It turns out one of the springs had gone overnight. I can't remember how much it cost but it wasn't £400

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