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General Floyd Update

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General Floyd Update

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Charlotte

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Thought I'd give you all an update - Took him to the local brake/tyre shop as brakes seem a bit iffy....

Needs....

Rear drums - worn & need replacing

Rear shoes - To be replaced at same time

Handbrake cable - damaged on o/s

Track rod end seals need replacing....

£260.00 :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Apart from that the mechanics were happy to see him & said he's in good condition overall
 
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£260 is a bit too much really. For that work we would charge around £180 all in.

We specialise in Fiats so do these kind of jobs all the time.

SP Autos.
 
hi charlotte,
um.... obviously this isnt good news BUT do please take the car somewhere else and get a second opinion.Just check the paperwork i gave you as well for the work i'd had done against the mileage since (were the brakes done then ?),as i really had NO problems with him braking.
To be safe has to be the most important thing and i wouldnt chance that kind of stuff for a second, but do remember youre driving a panda without ABS not a modern car :(
keep me posted ....
gina X
 
Hi Charlotte!
I know Floyd really well!
He's a great Panda in excellent condition!
I'm a bit concerned that you're getting quoted for this work unnecessarily.
As tyre/brake places are RENOWNED for false quotes etc - please get a second opinion from a RELIABLE source or mechanic.

ALso, Panda brakes never really compare to those of modern cars so please be aware that when you drive a modern car and then a panda - the brakes aren't going to feel the same and this leads to a false impression that they are faulty.

Panda handbrakes are ALWAYS poor and if you live on a steep hill then this is going to be a bummer - true - new drums and shoes will improve the situation - I always leave Red in gear when I leave him as do most panda owners - he still passes his MOT on his handbrake even though it's not brilliant.
So, my message to you is get everything DOUBLE CHECKED especially if you can get a FORUM member to have a look at it!

Good luck!
 
Yeah, if it was a 'Kwicky' type garage then they could be just making work. But it's not worth risking it with brakes - better to get them sorted if there is a problem and any work at a garage can quickly mount up these days. I don't know if you are any good with little jobs or if you know anyone who is? The parts themselves are easy to get from any factor and are cheap. It's dead easy to replace the drums yourself, for example. I'm not great myself but I've managed to renew all front and rear brake parts. The shoes are not easy though till you've done the job once.

As others have said, make sure the work really does need doing first!
 
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Handbrakes are not the strong point in the Cinq either...

My 750s brakes and handbrake never felt too bad but I guess it is what you are used to- if you are used to 'modern' cars it takes a while to adjust - when I jumped in the Renault after driving the Panda I used to nearly put the missus through the windscreen!!!

MARTIN
 
my panda hand brake is brill but the cinq well!!! after coming back from a show in the summer Paula parked the cinq on the hill outside my dads house while we emptied the panda. i turned round to see the cinq rolling down the road!! me and my mate ran after it and grabbed the back bumper but couldnt stop it so i stuck my foot in front of the rear wheel that soon stopped it:p thank god for steel toe caps:eek:
 
Richard only you could think of doing that, being a mechanic you would know these sort of emergency tricks. (first fit steel toe fronted safety boots )then run after car but don't jump infront it may not stop it, only use on rear wheel. WARNING please do not try this at home Richard is a skilled mechanic with years of training in this sort activity.
 
allen fletcher said:
Richard only you could think of doing that, being a mechanic you would know these sort of emergency tricks. (first fit steel toe fronted safety boots )then run after car but don't jump infront it may not stop it, only use on rear wheel. WARNING please do not try this at home Richard is a skilled mechanic with years of training in this sort activity.
Click to expand...

did you mean to put "richard is stupid" :p
 
allen fletcher said:
Richard only you could think of doing that, being a mechanic you would know these sort of emergency tricks. (first fit steel toe fronted safety boots )then run after car but don't jump infront it may not stop it, only use on rear wheel. WARNING please do not try this at home Richard is a skilled mechanic with years of training in this sort activity.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a disclaimer to me!!!:D
 
Quote from Motormech in Digbeth



Hello,
To supply and fit new hand brake cable would cost about £40.00+vat.
To supply and fit new track rod ends would cost £50.00+vat.
To supply and fit new rear drums and shoes would cost about £85.00+vat.
Cheers.
Paul.

:D
 
Apparently it is the fault of the shoes and drums and not the cable that gives Pandas their poor handbrake qualities.......
 
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