5-year service, ouch ouch ouch

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GilesGuthrie

GilesGuthrie

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CMDRTheDarkLord
My Espace is having its 5yr/45,000 mile service.

This includes a complete fluids change, air-con recharge & check.

And the car needs new brakes (it's on the original brakes), front & rear, discs & pads.

Because of the ravages of Edinburgh driving, it also needs a new steering control arm, and both rear springs replaced. And, because a pothole cracked an alloy, it needs the tyre-pressure sensor transferred to the new replacement (eBay) wheel, then tyre fitted and put on the car.

Nothing too out of the ordinary, apart from the fact that the city trashed my suspension. But the £1,400 bill is something of a kick in the nuts.
 
New springs after 5 years? Your city must use some sort of heavy-duty salt, although it sounds like the road is constructed out of some sort of grayish, but hard, Swiss Cheese.

Why would an A/C need a recharge? It's pretty much a closed system, so unless it was intentionally purged (sometimes a condensor might get removed to facilitate another repair, like a timing belt) if there's a leak, it should be repaired, otherwise you're always going to need recharges.

TPMS sensors are a PITA, IMHO. More trouble than it's worth for people who can't be bothered to notice their tires every day or note a strange pull from the wheel.
 
It's the speed bumps that have done for the springs. They're ****ing everywhere. Them and the potholes. And the salt.

I was under the impression that a/c needed recharging about every 5 years anyway? Something about the charge also serving as a lubricant for the condenser? Anyway, it's the second car I've had that's got to this age and needed it.

I've found the TPMS sensors really useful, since there's a significant correlation between correct inflation and fuel use. I compare the readings when the car is cold and warm, and at different times of the year. In Autumn I add about 0.2bar of pressure to the tyres, and then in Spring take it out again. I'll check it on long journeys on warm days to make sure the tyres aren't going over 2.8bar. It's a lot less hassle than going to a garage to check the pressures, and probably more accurate than a home guage.
 
Well that makes me feel better about how much my mother paid for the 3yr/30k service on her C4. Was pretty horrified when she phoned me and said it came to £700, though that was at least including 2 new tyres. I honestly thought she'd been ripped off, but maybe that's just the price of owning a vaguely modern car.
 
Can't say I've heard of people replacing their springs because they're "worn out". Sure they aren't replacing shocks/struts?
 
Kwikfit are really cheap for AC refills... I had the Porsche done last summer and it was something like £45. Loads cheaper than anywhere else.
 
Eric.
Can't say I've heard of people replacing their springs because they're "worn out". Sure they aren't replacing shocks/struts?
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They weren't worn out. They were broken.

Stotty
Kwikfit are really cheap for AC refills... I had the Porsche done last summer and it was something like £45. Loads cheaper than anywhere else.
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Kwik-Fit are cheap for some things. But when they MOTd the Espace in October last year, they said the brakes needed doing, and offered to do it for me for £670. I thought that was a bit steep so declined their offer.

Good thing too, as the Renault dealer has just done the same job for £456.
 
Ok, so that's just downright unsafe that your springs broke at 45k miles.
 
Stotty
Kwikfit are really cheap for AC refills... I had the Porsche done last summer and it was something like £45. Loads cheaper than anywhere else.
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I have to agree. They were also particularly nice and didn't charge me when they tried to do it to mine and discovered there was a leak. Which I suppose they shouldn't have since after it my AC still wasn't re-gassed, but it did waste their time.
 
Eric.
Ok, so that's just downright unsafe that your springs broke at 45k miles.
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I don't know what's most surprising about it: that the springs had broken, or that I had no idea that the spings were broken. The car certainly wasn't unsafe. If it had been affected to the point that it was unsafe, I'd have noticed the problem and had it dealt with outside of the standard service interval.
 
Pupik
TPMS sensors are a PITA, IMHO. More trouble than it's worth for people who can't be bothered to notice their tires every day or note a strange pull from the wheel.
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I strongly disagree. Last year, I ran over a piece of SS tubing, which lodged itself in the tire, acting like a straw. The TPMS light came on a few miles later, and the tire blew out shortly after that. While I didn't do the smart thing and pull over immediately when the light came on, I wasn't caught by surprise when the tire let go. TPMS may encourage people to not check their tires, but it could be a life-saver if you run over something while driving.
 

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