Repair Costs

[cleagarr]

Hello!

First post here - I have a 1986 1.9 petrol Syncro (former German fire service radio truck) and have had it serviced today at Halfords (good deal, Tesco Clubcard vouchers etc.) and have been presented with a list of "Red" items that need sorting. The intention was to use this list to source my own parts and get a local garage to fit them. However, looking through the list I'm surprised at the costs involved - not at how expensive, but at how cheap. For example, they quote £119.03 to fit two new rear coils, yet online I can only see them for £89 each - should I be worried?

Below is the list of "red" items and I wonder if an expert (or educated Syncronaut) could cast their eye over and see if the prices are a) reasonable and b)realistic i.e. will I be getting decent parts? It is worth noting that I will not be off-roading in the near future...

S+S
- Drop link missing - £74
- Coil Springs rear - £119.03
- Suspension arm - £214.63

Brakes
- Both front hoses - £ 104.36
- Rear wheel cylinder leaking - £ 124.02
- Brake pipe (rear) - £35

I would be really grateful for any help here - Syncro/camper virgin etc etc!

Cheers
Chris

[Syncrobaz]

All sounds non Syncro specific stuff, don't you have a friendly VW garage near you? (NOT Halfords)!!

Some of the quotes sound a bit 'excessive'

[cleagarr]

All sounds non Syncro specific stuff, don't you have a friendly VW garage near you? (NOT Halfords)!!

Some of the quotes sound a bit 'excessive'

Cheers, Syncrobaz. As I said, it was a case of getting the oil change etc. "for free" with the Clubcard so went for it - also knew they would produce a "to do" list"!

Will try the local VW service centre but wonder what difference it would make, ultimately, if these parts aren't Syncro specific? Also, which of the quotes seems most excessive to you? As I said, I really appreciate the reply as I am really new to this game but in the space of a few weeks have fallen in love!!

Cheers

[hugomonkey]

a rear wheel cylinder costs about 15 quid from brickwerks
a braided brake hose set costs about 53 quid
and a rear brake pipe costs about 3½ pence
so i would say that the brake prices are excessive
get on to brickwerks and price the whole lot up and update your profile with your location so someone can point you in the right direction
what is wrong with the suspension arm??

[silverbullet]

I'd bet the prices are all "each" and 2wd. If you own a syncro, you've GOT to be a hands-on owner or it will cost you very dearly indeed. Rear arm will have the usual spring pan rot, spring will have shed a pig-tail. Your wagon is over 25 years old, you need to find an old-school local VW garage for your MOT's at the very least.

[Aidan]

I'd go back to them and ask them to provide the VW part numbers for the parts they are quoting for as a lot of it is obsolete from VW and not many alternative suppliers other than Brickwerks do the syncro specific prices and ask how quickly they can obtain said parts
if they can find a rear trailing arm new for £214 I want to know where from

[cleagarr]

Thanks for the responses.

Aidan, the full description of the suspension arm reads, O/S/F lower arm ball joint boot split, so you're right; not the whole arm replacement- my mistake.

It would seem that sourcing my own parts and getting them fitted might be the best/cheapest option and perhaps have a look at which bits I can do myself... In that light I have a couple more questions;

1) Is this: http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... ory_id=173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the drop link I would need?

2) Is this: http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... ory_id=173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the correct part for the boot joint?

3) Does Anyone know a vw breakers or a good place for general parts local to me - Oswestry, Wrexham, Shrewsbury etc?

Thanks again for the help - much appreciated.

Chris

[Aidan]

which front lower arms do you have, cast or pressed steel ?
ball joint is same for all T3 vehicles, buy the best if there's a choice of quality the syncros tend to find the weakness in any parts that aren't best quality
I'm the closest syncro friendly trader to you, but I don't have a lot of good used parts in stock, depends what you want/need
I don't have any good used droplinks, armyphil had my last one, but they can be repaired with care
GSF Shrewsbury now open for basic stuff some of it is good some of it is cheap stuff now, used to be better
You want to get a copy of Bentley manual - I know where there's a paper copy for sale, but available as pdf from various sources

[hugomonkey]

remember your club discount at GSF

[cleagarr]

which front lower arms do you have, cast or pressed steel ?
ball joint is same for all T3 vehicles, buy the best if there's a choice of quality the syncros tend to find the weakness in any parts that aren't best quality
I'm the closest syncro friendly trader to you, but I don't have a lot of good used parts in stock, depends what you want/need
I don't have any good used droplinks, armyphil had my last one, but they can be repaired with care
GSF Shrewsbury now open for basic stuff some of it is good some of it is cheap stuff now, used to be better
You want to get a copy of Bentley manual - I know where there's a paper copy for sale, but available as pdf from various sources

Thanks again. I don't know if the arms are cast or steel - how would I find this out? I guess as it is an early syncro it would be cast? Brikwerks sell early and late ball joints so I guess I need early. They are £27 each for the lower and £26 for the upper - I could buy upper and lower for both front wheels and still be paying less than halfords quoted to fir one lower!

If I buy the drop link from Brikwerks should I also buy the bush set (bearing in mind that the drop link is currently missing I guess it will need these too?)

Do you have any decent rear coils?

Cheers

Chris

[silverbullet]

Lower control arms: Early type are fabricated, two pressings welded together with an obvious horizontal seam front and rear. Later forged (aka cast) ones have two rows of pockets in the underside.

[Aidan]

rear springs are cheap enough from Brickie, none here for sale they break their pigtails, see other posts about springs below

[Plasticman]

please keep away from Halfwits, be more chance of mc dee's fixing it right
mm

[tforturton]

I tend to agree with metalmicky. I never go to Halfords, or KwikFit for that matter. They may have cheaper deals on tyres or services, but they are totally geared up to sell you something else - even if you don't really need it. So if you go in for tyres, they tell you your brakes are worn, or your wipers need changing, or something else. It's like those garages that offer MOTs for £25 - yes, the test might cost you just £25, but you can bet they'll make a whole lot of money pointing out other things wrong with the car. NEVER send your wife to KwikFit - she'll come back with a nearly new car, and a massive bill.
I got tired of all they "Would you take a look at this, sir", or "Our manager would like to point some thing out to you, sir", when i knew damn well my car was just fine. Don't go there - they exist solely to take your money off you.

[PC52]

Considering you're in Ellesmere and Aidan is LLanfyllin, I think you have sourced a very local expert on the matter of syncros and their beloved ownership.

May I suggest giving him a quick ring and taking a trip to see Aidan, (after he's rebuilt my gearbox).