Suspension Arm Rubber Bush

[guest4981]

Today juz got my Jazz back from Halford for the MOT Test and it is passed 

but they put a note on the advisory information and say that:

"Both Front (Rear) Suspension Arm Rubber Bush Deteriorated But Not Resulting In Excessive Play"

They quoted me with a price £379.54 (it doesn't state but I guess that includes the labour cost as well)

Has anyone experienced this issue before? Is the cost reasonably?

I really appreciate if anyone can share their experience/opinion with me 

[guest4078]

These are items that will normally deteriorate with age/use. If there is no play then they are ok, just a bit perished around the edges probably. I don't think I would be paying anyone, especially Halfords, the thick end of 400 quid to replace them! Especially as they don't need doing.
If you must you can try a Honda dealer for a fixed price repair. I am not sure if they do bushes but they advertise drop links for £100, so they probably do. Or a local garage, would do them for you.

http://www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/servicing-and-repairs/repairs/

[Bentleymop]

I don`t trust Halfords one bit.

My Sis took her car to them in Worcester,failed the car,did £800 worth of work ( without asking permission),left the car outside till she collected (it got a parking ticket due to where THEY had parked it,refused to pay as it was not their fault).

Car was taken to an independant garage who said the work was NOT needed ( she kept the parts removed ),got in touch with trading standards & Halfords head office,told H/fords she was going to take them to court for all they had done.

She got all her money back + a £500 voucher & cost of parking ticket even though they still denied it was them who parked the car.Told them where they could put voucher so they gave her £500 cheque instead.

Oh & they said all 4 tyres were right on the limit ( they lasted another 2 years  & she does 15,000 per year ! ).

Mike

[guest3407]

+1 to Bentley, dont trust halfords for servicing/MOT - they will come up with all sorts of work that "needs" to be done

[Eddie Honda]

Get a MOT done where they just do MOTs and not repairs. (Having said that, there are independent garages out there that do repairs and give a fair and honest assessment, if you find one of these, still with them)

Many moons ago, I took my car to get MOT'd at the local telephone exchange where BT also had a motor transport workshop.

Have a look at this guide over at Money Saving Expert  http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot

In fairness to Halfords, they didn't fail it on that, but I suppose it is considered just as bad to sow the seeds of doubt by sticking it down as an advisory. Look at it this way: A pass is a pass. Go somewhere else next year.

[monkeydave]

and now national tires are owned by halfords so prob got the same monkeys working there too

[Hobo]

I would not take my car to Halfrauds or Krap-Fit for any work, Krap-Fit told my daughter she needed new discs and pads costing £350 on her Mazda BT50 pickup when she had had a vibration braking hard on a steep downhill, turned out it was the ABS cutting in, when I checked them there was nothing wrong with them and they are still the same ones two MOT's later.

[guest4078]

BT workshops here used to be open to the public, very good they were too.

[madasafish]

I use Kwikfit for MOTs. No issues.

[guest3407]

Many thanks. much appreciated

[guest4981]

Really appreciate for all of u sharing ur opinions here 

It sounds liked halford is trying to cheat my money! I juz replace a new pair of front brake pad and discs for £220. Perhaps I should visit local garages or BT workshop to see if I really need to replace a new 'Suspension Arm Rubber Bush' in the future!

What about Formula One Autocentres and ATS Euromasters? Are they reliable? 

P.S My car always did all the repair work by them before I decided to change to Halford.

[bill ericay]

Basildon Formula One tried to con my wife out of a lot of money , similar to your Halfords experience.
Brake pads, exhaust, and bent the clutch arm so it slipped all her journey home and burnt out the clutch.
A bunch of robbers, in my opinion .

[Bentleymop]

ATS are as bad as H/fords,they told my daughter he Megane needed a new clutch,2 front tyres,new front pads & handbrake was so loose it wobbled & wiper blades were  scrap.
I took it to a local independant garage who said yes the handbrake was loose but no danger & all the other things were fine but put an advisor for this year.
She has just had the car done at my local garage & total bill was £450 inc lab & vat.
ATS were quoting £1200.

Mike

[Eddie Honda]

Recently, I went to a branch of ATS to get my front wheels balanced.

They did the job and didn't even try to flog me anything else, even though the Michelins on the car are probably from nineteen canteen.

If we look back through the previous posts, I can see a pattern.

A) Fast fit / chains can vary a lot by branch. Some are good, a lot are dire.
B) Female motorists get a raw deal and are seen as easy money.
C) Male motorists that subsequently take cars to other garages get a more honest appraisal of work needed.

I do wonder if the wife/sister/daughter took the same car to a local garage first, followed by a male relative taking it to a chain, whether the experience would be reversed?

[RichardA]

I've been using a Peugeot dealer for MoTs for the last three years, partly for the convenience of being located opposite work and for a while they where offering all makes MoTs for £20 (the last two were still only £34.99).

There was an MoT testing facility for cars open to the public at a local bus depot, but I think that ended when a certain big bus operator took over the company.