I wouldn't
General How much is too much?
- Thread starter purplepanda64
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General How much is too much?
On that theme, I took a newly-purchased XC70 to our local Volvo dealer for one of their X-point checks for free.
Their suggested bill of fixes came to c£2K more than I'd paid for the car
Why not? Free advice is free advice, no?
The Halfords and KwiK Fit i've used in the past didn't want our business, they gave us good advice and a big price for a job so we'd go elsewhere, so everybody was happy.
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My experience is that those two outlets serve their advice with a large helping of upselling (especially, tyres, exhausts and suspension/brakes). Just my experience.
I did unfortunately have to get some tyres and an alignment done at KF once - I had to show the technician how to loosen the tie rods and the tyres were scrubbed within 2 months after. After some discussion I did get the tyres replaced but never will go back...
If it was stranraer I'd have offered to go look at it
The screwdriver through your silencer also comes with "no immediate charge"..
But they do happen to have
a "special promotion" this week
LOL, well i guess it depends on the exact store.
But what is the special promotion?
20% off fitted silencers..
A mate of mine took his car in to Halfrauds for a so-called "free aircon check"—they charged him for work he didn't authorise and gave the car back scratched.
I've always been OK with Halfords and Kwik Fit, on the basis they don't do any work at all.
I'd be much less inclined to trust ATS though, I sit in their office and wait for tyres to be replaced and I can tell from the phone calls I get to listen in on that they're not the best.
I'd be much less inclined to trust ATS though, I sit in their office and wait for tyres to be replaced and I can tell from the phone calls I get to listen in on that they're not the best.
Personally, my views on Pandas (169 & 319) are that they're very well built, being galvanised, and 1.2 engine is tough.
Major corrosion, engine and transmission issues are unlikely, which counts a lot for me as I tend to run older cars.
But they were built down to a price with a lot of cheap components that can fail with age. At 10 years old, yours is now at the age when those things are failing.
Parts are cheap, labour is expensive. I think you need to be able to do your own maintenance to run an old Panda economically. Even more so with a 100hp.
Is there a local or uni car social you could join to learn? Or maybe a course?
I'd suggest (personal order of preference) Mazda 2, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris, Kia Picanto/Hyundai i10 would spend less time in the garage.
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Regarding the noises, throbbing noise could be anything (although I wouldn't have thought alignment or tyre wear). Wheel bearing would be low continuous rumble, if front then worse when cornering. Does it change with road speed or engine speed?
Squeaky brakes is disappointing with new discs, pads, shoes & cylinders. I'd be tempted to take it back.
Only thoughts are new pads can sometimes squeal, or if the old drums were put back on, they might have a rusty lip on the inside that's catching the new shoes.
Squeaky brakes is disappointing with new discs, pads, shoes & cylinders. I'd be tempted to take it back.
Only thoughts are new pads can sometimes squeal, or if the old drums were put back on, they might have a rusty lip on the inside that's catching the new shoes.
That.
I wouldn't keep a Panda beyond 10yrs old unless I could do all my own servicing and repairs. Fortunately it's a straightforward car to work on.
As far as rust is concerned, the core bodyshell is good for 15yrs+, but some of the bolt on bits, particularly the sump & rear twist beam, corrode badly and are unlikely to last that long without additional protection.
The 1.2 engine is bombproof unless run with insufficient coolant, but there is a metal pipe in the cooling system which is also rust prone and likely to need replacing at some point in the car's life.
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