Suspension Bushes

[wiseman405]

Hi there,
My car is in for its service and of course, seat phoned me to say there was a whole list of problems.

Tyres (i work next to a tire shop so ignore that one)
Discs and pads (tyre shop lads tell me there fine and i have to say the pads look not even half)

And suspension bushes bottom and top. I phoned them back after listening to the answer machine and they said they have just done the normal oil service and no alterations, if it was a major problem surely they would have carried out the work???

They also claim the bushes will take 4 hours to replace, anyone had any experience. Its a 54 plate with 21k on the clock seems low milage for bushes to have gone???

Thanks again
Tom

 

[NickyJam]

do a search about the bushes mate, Ibiza's were known to have crap bushes fitted (surprised you haven't heard any clunking yet)

they are basically supposed to replace the standard ones with new revised bushes currently being used in the new Golf's which are webbed or something and so are more durable...however these do take a couple 100 miles to wear in

 

[RUM4MO]

Hi there,
My car is in for its service and of course, seat phoned me to say there was a whole list of problems.

Tyres (i work next to a tire shop so ignore that one)
Discs and pads (tyre shop lads tell me there fine and i have to say the pads look not even half)

And suspension bushes bottom and top. I phoned them back after listening to the answer machine and they said they have just done the normal oil service and no alterations, if it was a major problem surely they would have carried out the work???

They also claim the bushes will take 4 hours to replace, anyone had any experience. Its a 54 plate with 21k on the clock seems low milage for bushes to have gone???

Thanks again Tom

As said already, it will be the usual TCA rear voided bushes that are "not good" - its a really crap and cheap design, one easy fix is to get the Cupra solid bushes fitted by a VAG indie - and yes this job does take a bit of time and needs a proper four wheel re-alignment carried out afterwards. Most garages feel morally obliged to warnm you about the brake pads as the next service could be 20,000 miles away - even the MOT people tend to issue an advisory if the friction material is just a bit over half worn!! The tyre warning would be because of that as well - you can't blame them for trying, actually some dealers really do do good prices on "their" sizes, you would have to check up first though. My Vauxhall dealer used to give me their price AFTER I had replaced tyres (just to annoy me a bit), my local tyre place was a Rover/Scoobydo dealer and the Polo had a "Rover" sized tyre - so their prices were unbeatable.

 

[m4rtin]

Yeah the standard bushes are prone to failure, I had mine replaced with Cupra ones

 

[RUM4MO]

If I remember correctly, the newer Golf ones have four webs/ribs etc instead of two and have always been seen as a good compromise for replacing the Fabia,Polo and Ibiza rear bushes. The only thing was that they cost more as they have a thick external aluminium ring - to make them easier to change in the Golf, and that part needed to be cut off to use the inner bush part. It could be that VAG now sell the actual bush part by itself for superceding the older voided bushes in these cars.

 

[wiseman405]

Thanks everyone, read all this before i spoke to my dad, he told me to book it in as its a good car so it needs looking after! (he said he'll help me fund wise too )

£255 the cheeky gits! But like my dad said may as well look after it hadn't i!

I think i am putting some 17inch wheels on my car, now im guessing it will need lowering any spring kits recommended?
Thanks again
Tom

 

[depresion]

If you are lowering it do it at the same time you fit the cupra bushes as you will need a 4 wheel allignment after both of them at £60 a pop you may as well only do it once.

 

[Rory101]

Its a 54 plate with 21k on the clock seems low milage for bushes to have gone???

Our 1.2S is 54reg and failed MOT at 34K/4yrs due to a deteriorated lower bush. Garage said others were fine. Cost £100 to change but didn't take long - garage said they have a special tool that can replace them in-situ so the alignment doesn't need doing.

I feel we were just ripped off by the dealer to create a bit of work - there was the bush and the rear drum brakes needed cleaning etc - another £100. On our Mitsubishi Colt rear drum cleaning is part of the service schedule.

I'm dismayed that it failed - I've never had a car fail MOT before and I was annoyed about it only lasting 34K miles. Your's needed so much work at 21K unless you live down a farm track is outrageous.


I have exchanged a few letters with SEAT UK as we were thinking of replacing the car with New Ibiza but I think that's unlikely now.

 

[NickyJam]

Our 1.2S is 54reg and failed MOT at 34K/4yrs due to a deteriorated lower bush. Garage said others were fine. Cost £100 to change but didn't take long - garage said they have a special tool that can replace them in-situ so the alignment doesn't need doing.

I feel we were just ripped off by the dealer to create a bit of work - there was the bush and the rear drum brakes needed cleaning etc - another £100. On our Mitsubishi Colt rear drum cleaning is part of the service schedule.

I'm dismayed that it failed - I've never had a car fail MOT before and I was annoyed about it only lasting 34K miles. Your's needed so much work at 21K unless you live down a farm track is outrageous.


I have exchanged a few letters with SEAT UK as we were thinking of replacing the car with New Ibiza but I think that's unlikely now.

i know how you feel...had my mum's merc A-Class fail due to a dodgy headlight bulb, damn thing was a manufacturing fault and to get it done then and there i had to fork out £50 to put a new bulb in by Mercedes