Slight play in lower suspension ball joints

Chas

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Just had the car MOT today, it passed but with advisories of nearside and offside front suspensions have slight play in lower suspension ball joints.
Also nearside and offside front suspension lower dust covers missing/split.

Actual quote from MB to carry out work,


"As requested cost to repair advisory defects noted during m.o.t -£1,086

front suspension bottom ball joints,slight wear present,cost to strip and replace £662.49inc vat,parts/labour fitted.

torque arms on both sides,gaitors on the ball joints starting to show signs of slight cracking,cost to strip and replace £423.78inc vat,parts/labour fitted.
Please contact myself if repairs required or any questions".


Does the description of defects sound the same as the advisories in the MOT ,and is the price ok? The labour must be about 10 hours @£75 per hour !

Could someone please identify the defective parts mentioned in the quote ? I will inspect them myself. thanks

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=220165&M=112%2E944&GA=722%2E618&CT=F&cat=66H&SID=33&SGR=030&SGN=01



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television

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The joints are 10 in the link, that price is outrageous

I saw ollie change one in 2½ mins on a 203
 
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Chas

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Malcolm dear chap how are you sir? Nice to here from you again. I have been busy with the family and work! Thanks as always for a swift reply and confirmation of my suspicions. The advisory says the covers are missing/split, they can't each be both! Where are the gaitors on the ball joints in the link which are "starting to show signs of slight cracking"?

I will ask them for a breakdown in parts and labour costs
 
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brandwooddixon

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That little quote sounds horrendously expensive.
Parts are probably less than £200 even if there's two control arms involved, that leave £800 in labour.

MB techies on go slow now or something?
 
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I just had a look. Raised the air suspension and got the torch out

I can't see any rubber covers/gaitors which are either missing/cracked or anything else! There are a few on each side of the steering/ suspension

I can't detect any "slight play" either in the ball joints. I take it grasping the arm and giving it a strong wiggle is still the tried and tested method?

I could be wrong but I smell a rat:mad:


the ball joints are £38.50 each from Inchcape so labour is about £600 to change them. I await local MB reply !!
 
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television

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Malcolm dear chap how are you sir? Nice to here from you again. I have been busy with the family and work! Thanks as always for a swift reply and confirmation of my suspicions. The advisory says the covers are missing/split, they can't each be both! Where are the gaitors on the ball joints in the link which are "starting to show signs of slight cracking"?

I will ask them for a breakdown in parts and labour costs

You check chas by putting a lever in between the joint and lever it to check for free play, the faulty gaitor could ber on the steering gear, like track rods etc.

I am fine thank you:D
 
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I had a really good look at the steering gear gaitors, they are ok
 

television

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I had a really good look at the steering gear gaitors, they are ok

Does this tell you anything about who told you this work needed doing,,,, couple the estimate from MB to it all, and you are about £850 in pocket with a good indie
 

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Agreed, no more than 15min a side, thats stopping for tea as well!!!
 
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I think times must be hard in MB garages!

Way too high!

my advice is as per all the other replies above, get a good indie it will probably pass first time:D:D

My '96 S class cost me £40 to pass it's MOT (and that was the test fee!)
 
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Agreed, no more than 15min a side, thats stopping for tea as well!!!

It should be interesting to see the breakdown in labour and parts which I have asked a quote for. I have also asked for a quote from another MB dealer to cross check :rolleyes:

Giving them the benefit of doubt, is it possible that other ball joints will need done as they come in pairs or something ? Although they have not specified this.
 
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Chas

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I think times must be hard in MB garages!

Way too high!

my advice is as per all the other replies above, get a good indie it will probably pass first time:D:D

My '96 S class cost me £40 to pass it's MOT (and that was the test fee!)

The forecourt was kind of empty. It was chokablock last year
 

joe1972

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Admittedly, its a different car, but I just replaced both front lower ball joints on the 190e.
The front of the car was jacked up, both wishbones taken off, old joints pressed out, new ones pressed in. Wishbones back on, wheels back on.......
I took my time to be honest, as I was faffing about making sure I marked up the wishbone bolts for realigning the front tracking, stopping for the occasional smoke break and head scratch, but even so, it took me no longer than about 3 hours....

You'd think with MB dealership/ garage expertise and kit it would be done much quicker...
I think they're seeing how much money they can fleece from you. Maybe they dont want to do it?
this was certainly the case when a friend of mine was quoted £600 by a FIAT/Alfa dealership to replace a speedo cable in an old FIAT !!!
 

GEORGEROV

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They are not interested in keeping old cars on the road and hence quote silly prices. Just want to sell new ones. Running a Merc outwith its warranty period you need a good indie.
 
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Still no confirmation of how they arrived at the cost of labour and parts after two days!
Strange how they managed to conjure up the cost in 5 minutes yet can't explain how they arrived at the decision :rolleyes:
 

joe1972

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Too right chas!

I guess in their minds they've already 'done a Dick Turpin' on you, so probably don't give a darn.

I thought Alfa dealerships were bad....but with the recent posts on here, I'm beginning to think the Germans are just as bad as the Italians at it.
 

turbopete

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I guess in their minds they've already 'done a Dick Turpin' on you, so probably don't give a darn.

at least dick turpin had the decency to wear a mask when he robbed you!!!!!
 

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Until you get a full break down of costs it is speculation as to the 'what' and 'how' BUT it 'sounds' extortionate to say the least even if they were totally seized (indeed welded would have been a better descriptor as mine were) it would come to no where near such a figure you have been quoted - push them for the explanation of costs.
 

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