156 Ball Joints

[aggie57]

It's unusual for me to be posting in the 900 series section but my Dad has a 2000 156 which has failed it's 6-monthly roadworthy test in New Zealand due to worn lower front ball joints.  He has shopped around and the best he can do locally is $NZ470 each plus fitting.  That's around $AU350.

Is that reasonable?  He's happy (well, resigned to) pay that but I just want to make sure it's the right dollars.

Thanks in advance.....

Alister

[Paul Gulliver]

6-monthly roadworthy test

How many public servants does that take to administer

[aggie57]

Yeah - every car tested every 6 months!  Last time, no issue.  This time, both ball joints dead.  Huh??!!

[wankski]

are you talking about the lower suspension arms which carry a ball joint? if so, you can get them for around 70quid O/S...

if needed quickly more locally arese spares do em.. for $280AUD... it's pretty pointless payping for the labour and not doing the top wishbones (cheaper at $115)... if high mileage you may be looking at the dampners too unless they check out ok..

as an aside, 6mo is completely asinine?! even france has a 2yr mot, which i think is reasonable... uk is like anually right? why does NZ need 4 times as frequently as france? insane.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Because the average age of the fleet is much older in NZ.  France and the UK have access to far cheaper new vehicles than we do in Aus or NZ.  It's insane that there are NO checks in Victoria other than when you purchase.  That said, once a year would probably be sufficient these days, and it's only annually until the car is 6 years old.

They have tightened up the process recently (it used to be exceptionally easy to get a dodgy WOF), but you still see plenty of shitboxes around, even with a 6 month WOF.

[Paul Gulliver]

Because the average age of the fleet is much older in NZ

Thanks Sheldon,

I had forgotten about all those Austins & Wolsley's  with wooden spokes in their wheels down  Invercargill way

[aggie57]

Thanks guys - appreciate the help.  I just got off the phone with Dad and he's joining the ranks of internet buyers.  136 quid for a pair plus postage and he can get the local guy to fit them.

Most of the old cars over there now are second hand Japanese or european from Singapore and Hong Kong.  Most of those old Austin's and Wolsley's have all been restored and sent back to the UK at huge profits!

Actually, that old car stuff has some of its origins not just from the cost which has always been pretty high for new cars but also from the time when you couldn't buy a new car in NZ unless you had funds from overseas.  So people would buy new Holdens, drive them for a year and sell them at a profit.  That's how we ended up with a new car every year or two in the sixties.  My father would take the old one down to Mansell Motors in Upper Hutt and leave with a new one and a cheque.  Makes you weep now!

[colcol]

I have been told that the top control arms rattle and get noisy before the bottom ones, but if you are going to do the bottom ones, then its just a bit more work to do the top ones, i think that the control arms are very well priced, thats why you don't stuff around putting in new bushes and ball joints into the control arms, its out with the old and in with the new, as the 156, 147 and 166 has the same suspension as the 164, all the development and tooling costs would have been well and truly paid for by now, but tell me this, how does the place you are getting the work done react to people supplying their own parts as this is quite a good earner for the service centre to supply the parts at their prices, its like one place told me years ago the customer supplying their own parts was like going down the fish and chip shop with your own spuds and fish and saying cook this for me please, Colin.

[aggie57]

Understand that point of view Colin but then again how do they justify charging $470 per part when the same thing can be delivered ex. UK within a few days for less than $200 including freight?  It's the Harvey Norman argument.

My business operates in a competitive international market so I know exactly how this feels.  Granted it's B2B and not B2C however we accept that clients can buy product elsewhere and the services from us.  Similarly clients generally understand that if they buy both from one place we have more flexibility on packaging a deal for them.

In this case if there was a 25% or so variance I'd probably say buy local. But over 100%?

[wankski]

totally agree aggie... what i've found is most mechs are happy to install an imported part...

it's not the mechs making a massive margin, but what the distributor in Aus charges... many actually tell you to buy the part O/S.

the main issue is warranty. Sure you get one on labour, but if there is an actual problem with the part, u pay again to extract and again to reinstall as they have no responsibility for the part. But if you buy it from them they are obliged to rectify FOC under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

That is what we ought to be mindful of. On big ticket items, like cam belt it may not be a good idea. Indeed i'd be surprised if a specialist agreed to do so...

[aggie57]

Well, this didnt turn out as expected.  Yes the lower arms were 68 pounds each but EB Spares quoted....what for it.....455 pounds to freight two to Kiwiland.  Huh?  Maybe it was a private charter.  I've never paid anything like for shipping of parts like that.  Oh well.....thanks anyway guys.  Appreciate the help as always (seriously).

[Neil Choi]

I am guessing 455 pounds pays for the armed guard for the parts (which flies first class).

[colcol]

On the 156 Ebay site, there is a place in Australia that have 156 \ 147 and 166 bottom control arms, both for $300 and the upper arms for $130 and free delivery, it would cost you that much in parts and labour to rebush and fit new balljoints to your old arms, if your mechanic is happy to fit parts you bring to him, then thats great, but sometimes when something goes wrong it all turns messy, the message here is do your homework before you buy something, great savings can be had by spare part places that are not looking at becoming millionares over night, the ones that moan about ebay and the internet, match their prices and service or look at another career, Colin.

[Steve S]

Lower arms are about $200ea from Mal at www.fiatparts.co.nz

Probably a similar price from Gavin at Euro Italian in Albany.

[aggie57]

Thanks again guys - I suspect my father misread the freight quote from EB.  Lesson for next time.