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Ben
29-09-2007, 12:41 PM
I know this is Mk5 specific, but i thought it would be best placed here as many people may not read the Mk5 section, also it maybe generic for other models.

Had it 3rd longlife service thi morning and a few areas need attention.

Wishbone bushes need replacing at a cost of £35.48 each
Anti roll bar needs replacing at a cost of £64.55

3hrs labour for the work is £268.50

Total cost £474.71:aargh4: ouch!

they also mentioned wipers - £10.19 each - no labour - but i knew about the wipers.

What are my options?

I'm not mechanically minded, but i don't mind getting my hands dirty alongside someone who knows what they are doing. I don't have the confidence to do the job myself nor do i have the facilities or equipment. I need my car for work so the job would need to be done of a weekend.

I will be looking in to a specialist.

Any other help or advice.

MOT is Feb 2008

I read somewhere of different types of bushes, what effect do these have and is it worth looking in to them?

golf tdi 02
29-09-2007, 01:08 PM
ben ben ben er hello you have got me tel no mate mine needs some of that as well

Ben
29-09-2007, 08:08 PM
Rich, thanks for the offer, i'll be in touch at some point. In the mean time..

I need information please folks

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb105/golfmk5gttdi/quote005.jpg
I have sorted the wipers

The part numbers i've been quoted are as follows:

Wishbone bushes 1K0199231J and 1K0199232J both parts at £35.48 (left & right)

ARB (Anti Roll Bar) 1K0411303AL £64.55 (as it is only 1 part number, i'm assuming that it is a new ARB that comes with bushes).

Now I've be doing some research and come across the following ...

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?id=424251

and

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?id=178304

I'm also looking at www.vagcat.com (http://www.vagcat.com) trying to identify the parts (struggling).

Please help.

onzarob
30-09-2007, 09:42 AM
If you don't feel happy doing the work yourself take it to a local garage and get them to do it, save you allot of money and allot of small garage do take pride in there work.

Trick is to find a good small garage. This is what i did with my cambelt, when my Cat split, I couldnt get at the bolts neeeded a ramp.

My garage didn't mind me getting the parts myself from VW;)

Golden Girl
30-09-2007, 07:40 PM
Looking at the labour charge you must have been to a VW retailer. You need to find a VW specialist who will not charge you nearly so much in labour.

I'm in Hampshire so recommending the one I use would be pointless but that is definately the way to go.

Ben
30-09-2007, 07:59 PM
what i really want to know is should i stick with VW OEM parts or spend a little extra on something a bit better?

Sam
01-10-2007, 10:58 AM
What did you have in mind as the "something better".

Obviously uprated anything is always going to be better, but it depends on who you're going to use.

What you've said needs doing looks fairly straight forward, but I do know you've said you're not really mechanically minded. I'd find someone willing to fit parts you've supplied. That way all you'll pay is labour.

golf tdi 02
01-10-2007, 11:10 AM
yes the poly bushes will last longer and make the car feel more solid ie harder ride stiffer anti roll bar you get the idea ??

Loofer
01-10-2007, 04:52 PM
yes the poly bushes will last longer and make the car feel more solid ie harder ride stiffer anti roll bar you get the idea ??

A bit off topic(ish)... how does one make the ride softer/more comfortable?

I understand that it would mean the handling wouldn't be as good... but I can live with that.

I've started another thread about my ride being overly stiff... I'm guessing it's bushes.

Oh and I would always use and indy... my local is happy for me to get my own parts and I have confidenc in him doing a good job.
Dealers £90/hr
Local £35/hr

Ben
01-10-2007, 05:55 PM
Went to VW on the way home to find out what these parts actually looked like, I saw their computer screen and i found the same one in www.vagcat.com (http://www.vagcat.com) and the bit i need are hightlighted in red.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb105/golfmk5gttdi/repairs.jpg

Item 3 apparently is an aluminimum block with the bush inside it. I failed to understand what he said about the other part:confused: but i think it is bushes related.

Ben
01-10-2007, 07:46 PM
Right,

I've located a supplier for the bushes, http://www.powerflex.co.uk/index.asp and a diagram of where they go so i know what i need.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb105/golfmk5gttdi/bushlocations.jpg

Does anyone have any experience of this product?

onzarob
01-10-2007, 08:03 PM
Power flex have been around for years, i think blue is the best option for road cars and they get progressively harder.

Harder = better handling, poorer comfort;)

a good option though, you will find that front suspension bushes go more often these days, due to the amount of traffic calming bumps and the way people drive over them;)

Ben
01-10-2007, 08:03 PM
What does an anti roll bar do?

Well, i found this on www.carkeys.co.uk (http://www.carkeys.co.uk)

"Performance And Styling
Anti-Roll Bars

The basic function of an anti-roll bar is, as the name suggests, to limit the extent to which a car leans in corners. In a performance context, however, they are more often used to tune the car's handling.
Greater roll stiffness means a reduction in grip on the axle to which the bar is fitted and a corresponding increase in grip at the other end of the car - so, for example, a larger anti-roll bar at the rear will promote oversteer (or reduce understeer, depending on your view of how the car handles to start with).
Changing anti-roll bars is therefore a way of adjusting a car's handling without worrying about the springs or shock absorbers. The ultimate here is an adjustable anti-roll bar, but these are not often found outside the world of motorsport".

Having read that, i think i'll take the following action if required.
If i'm required to change the ARB, i'll replace it with a VW OEM one as it won't 'alter' anything. It seems that if you change one then you should really change the other to match.

onzarob
01-10-2007, 08:15 PM
What does an anti roll bar do?

Having read that, i think I'll take the following action if required.
If I'm required to change the ARB, I'll replace it with a VW OEM one as it won't 'alter' anything. It seems that if you change one then you should really change the other to match.

Suspension is a tunable item, same as an engine. You will find hundreds of threads on lowering VW's and allot are based on looks. to make a car handle well it a compromise between performance and comfort.

Unless you have a specific problem would keep it standard and replace with standard components.

When i bough My MK1 Cabriolet there were a few with very expensive coil-over shocks, lower etc. I bought the one with standard suspension as it had the best ride;)

Ben
01-10-2007, 08:22 PM
Ummm, I think i'm settled on just fitting uprated bushes, purely for the longevity of the product as it is my very best intension to keep the car for several more years.

onzarob
01-10-2007, 08:26 PM
Wise move and avoid traffic bumps!!!

golf tdi 02
04-10-2007, 11:06 AM
195-65-15 tyres will give a softer ride than 225-45-17in. new bushes will make car feel more solid and not loose.when you go over pot holes it feels solid not a clunk or bang ??
get the idea??

:beerchug::beerchug:

Ben
13-10-2007, 05:58 PM
Through thought, i'm decided that its the rubber of the bushes that wears out and not the metallic components that house the bushes, so i've located a set of front wishbones and console bushes and an anti roll bar and i've also purchased a set of powerflex bushes, this way i can fit the new bushes to the components before the car needs to have any bits removed, then its just a case of a 'simple' transplant.

Ben
13-10-2007, 10:47 PM
Oh and i also have my new haynes manual which has helped wonders just by reading it. the wishbones seem a simple job, the ARB is a little more involved though, still possible.

onzarob
13-10-2007, 10:56 PM
Can't beat a Haynes manual, I have an extensive collection. good for you giving it a go. My advice, Take your time and make sure you have the right tools to hand. (makes for easy work)

In my experience getting nuts and bolts undone is the greatest problem, get some plus gas/wd 40 . a good wire-brush to clean threads etc is a god send.

Good luck and welcome to the oily hands club;)

Ben
13-10-2007, 11:03 PM
Can't beat a Haynes manual, I have an extensive collection. good for you giving it a go. My advice, Take your time and make sure you have the right tools to hand. (makes for easy work)

In my experience getting nuts and bolts undone is the greatest problem, get some plus gas/wd 40 . a good wire-brush to clean threads etc is a god send.

Good luck and welcome to the oily hands club;)

i need to get some new nuts and bolts - it says to replace the ones that are removed. VW parts should stock them.

onzarob
13-10-2007, 11:07 PM
i need to get some new nuts and bolts - it says to replace the ones that are removed. VW parts should stock them.

Which ones? sometimes they are over cautious;)

Ben
13-10-2007, 11:23 PM
All that are disturbed, especially the nylon ones that hold the lower ball joint to the wish bone (3 on each side) and the bolts that hold the steering rack on.

golf tdi 02
14-11-2007, 01:38 PM
experiance will cut some of the time down ie once you have done a few they get a lot easier but many thanks to haynes manuals ;);):biglaugh:

Ben
11-01-2008, 06:09 PM
I have an update on this....

whilst down Listers Stratford having this http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=23635 sorted, i explained to them the excessive play the Listers Coventry advised i spent £474 getting fixed.

When i phoned them earlier just for an update, not expecting the car to be ready, they said they have checked the bushes and all appears to be ok, however there were two other bushes in the wishbone that needed replacing and they have replaced them for me as they are covered by the warranty!!!! (this is the 2 year extended warranty i bought when i got the car from this dealer)

Now how good is that service? pretty brill in my book.

So, i now have a pair of front wishbones and console bushes, a bag of nuts and bolts and a set of front powerflex bushes i need to shift!