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[smartvista]

Hi All
        I have a 2006 Purestyle from new, 130000 miles, failed MOT on Rear Suspension Bushes, Steering very stiff and leaking sump. Quoted £300 for new back axle ( can't get bushes on their own), £400 for steering rack and £80 for sump plus labour. Does it make sense to try and repair or do I get rid. Has been an excellent car and would be sorry to see it go. What does anyone think?
                     Smartvista

[Brabs]

Hi there! You haven't said who quoted for these parts. Have you tried sourcing them from a breaker? Maybe eBay? I'm thinking that the only tricky one to change would be the rack. Other two fairly easy DIY.
 

[Ocracoke]

Why would you need a new back axle for bushes? Seems a fairly hefty expense just to replace some bushes (which ones exactly?). Steering rack... I can see examples on eBay for around £150.

[cecil]

http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4691.msg55090#msg55090
I have been quoted for a rear axle as well. If you read the link it is not an easy job.

[Alex]

Manipulating laws that say x percent of a car needs to be recyclable combined with manufacturers greed has given rise to whole systems and sub-assemblies being sold as complete units instead of individual parts.

So you end up changing the whole back axle for 2 bushes,a whole steering rack for a bent track rod arm, a new piston if you only need piston rings because they don't sell them separately and examples can continue.

It's the same with all new cars these days.

[smartvista]

Hi Brabs
             the quote was from a small country garage I use, who are very good. they were told by parts suppliers that you could not get the bushes, but did say it would be possible to change them if available. MOT failure note says it's the Trailing Arm rubber Bush, nearside and offside rear axle. Found these http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/control-arm-bush/smart-forfour-1-1-64hp_v19323_g251.html
but not sure if these are what I require.
   The steering system failed because it is excessively tight. It was oiled/lubricated three years ago, when another garage I used noticed it was a bit tight although I hadn't noticed. This time I new it was faulty because after you turned a corner you had to straighten the steering wheel up yourself.
 Hi Ocracoke, I have come across other makes of cars where you have to buy a complete sub-assembly to replace a 50p faulty component, it's very annoying.
                                                       Smartvista

[CrazyG]

Regret to advise that the link to the bushes you quote
that are available from www.mister-auto.co.uk are precisely
what they say they are....control arm bushes, which
are for the front suspension lower wishbone/control arms...
which have 2 bushes in them....NOT rear axle bushes.

Replacement rear axle bushes can be obtained....
ascecil mentioned in the topic that I posted up.

They are made by SuperFlex and are part #SF471-4017K
However at £151.10 they are not cheap...BUT....
they work out cheaper than buying a whole new rear axle,
and the labour costs to remove the old axle and strip it down
and to then fit the new axle and the parts from the old axle.

It is not a DIY job, in fact it is quite a job even for a good garage
to undertake.  Perhaps best if you show them my thread/topic as the
hardest part is fitting the new bushes.  Some sort of piston ring type
compressor would make the job easier....or a tapered sleeve tube.

As for the sump...if it is just the seal that is 'gone' then £80 seems
about right....labour cost/time to drain sump, remove sump, remove
all traces of old gasket, fit new gasket, refit sump, refill the oil.
(Based on £60 p/hr minimum labour costs)

Steering rack...not cheap. Source one s/hand....from a similar
year and engine sized Colt (not the CZT). They're more readily
available than a ForFour one would be.
Try to get one with a warrantee/guarantee if possible...or with
low mileage....ebay perhaps.

[mr singh]

Regret to advise that the link to the bushes you quote
that are available from www.mister-auto.co.uk are precisely
what they say they are....control arm bushes, which
are for the front suspension lower wishbone/control arms...
which have 2 bushes in them....NOT rear axle bushes.

it depends on which on you have looked at

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/control-arm-bush/moog-me-sb-5154_g251_a134ME-SB-5154.html

SPECIFICATION
Fitting Position  both sides rear axle
Fitting Position  rear

but that being said, the bushes are available BUT its getting the old ones out and the new ones in is the hardest part... although i recall using a tool for X-Type rear trailing arm bushes which allowed us to replace a similar bush without removing the whole trailing arm assembly. if you removed the arm the job would take about 3 hours for 1 arm, using the tool to do the job with the arm on the car was about 2 for BOTH.

a took kit like this would possibly do the job, even if you have to modify it to work

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-PRESS-AND-PULL-SLEEVE-KIT-REMOVE-INSTALL-BUSHES-BEARINGS-GARAGE-TOOL-/191793999889

[Alex]

That's still for the front wishbone, just the rearmost bush.  MERCEDES-BENZ : part of 4543300707 - part of 4543300807

When the time will come I will replace complete wishbones and rear axle, metal fatigues overtime as well not just rubber.

I know it seems a much bigger expense, but the complete units last so much longer than pressed in aftermarket bushes and pivots, it's false economy to keep replacing bits.

[4g15turbo]

The part is available, can get them from Mitsubishi every day. 

[CrazyG]

Wow...if that is so 4g15turbo, can you advise the part number for the
Mitsubishi Colt rear axle bushes, as well as an idea of the cost please ?

[basilbrush]

I would try a secondhand Colt axle beam there are a few on Ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Mitsubishi-Colt-REAR-BEAM-AXLE-SUSPENSION-FRAME-SUBFRAME-Low-Mileage-/191861904907?hash=item2cabdc560b:g:KDIAAOSw37tWC7BL Worth examining before buying if you can to check for rubber degradation and no separation from the housing.

[Gareth79]

Small point, a leaking sump isn't an MOT failure (it might have been an advisory?), but obviously worth doing if they advise.

[mr singh]

Small point, a leaking sump isn't an MOT failure (it might have been an advisory?), but obviously worth doing if they advise.

i have to agree and disagree. any oil leak is an advisory but you dont have to fix it... i had an oil leak on my 1.1 but in the 5 years i owned it and it was picked up on a health check and a couple of MOT's, i never repaired it. it never left any deposits on the road where it was parked... it might not even be from the sump. it could be the rear main crank seal that is leaking, meaning gearbox and clutch off, big job for a seal thats about £20, you may as well do the rear main seal when the clutch needs replacing. it could be the front crank seal behind the crank pulley... easier job but fairly involved, both of which left will leave a residue on the join where the sump meets the engine block.

if its not loosing oil or leaking any deposits on the road then leave the oil leak.

[smartvista]

Hi
      after a lot of thought I have decided to bite the bullet and get it repaired, looked at getting another car, Fiesta, new Smart Forfour, but put off by all the gimmicks they are fitting now. Prefer simple things, wish they would bring back wind up windows. I will let you know how it goes, won't be straight away as I have use of another car at the moment.
             Smartvista