Advertisement
Please note that it is not permitted to have referral links posted in your signature. Keep these links contained in the appropriate forum. Thank you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
If we do not hit our goal we will be forced to close the site.

Current status: https://keepboardsalive.com/

Annual subs are best for most impact. If you are still undecided on going Ad Free - you can also donate using the Paypal Donate option. All contribution helps. Thank you.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.

Drop links

  • 28-04-2016 05:41PM
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,581 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Brought the 02 Corolla this morning to a garage to get three tyres(NCT is up soon and they're borderline) and to check what was causing the squeel at low speed lately.

    They rang me back to say the drop links were gone, e65 each.
    Tyres they said they only had ones for e105 each and whatever way that all adds up it was costing e500 :/

    My own assumption was e50-60 per tyre and hopefully e100-150 for whatever the squealing was.

    I found it hard to hear them on the phone and wasn't able to ask questions so need a bit of advice.

    What should I do next?.
    *Can I change the drop links and leave the tyres longer.
    *Is that price too high( I saw an older thread on here saying it wasn't a big job),
    *Can I change the three tyres and do the drop links after.
    Would it pass the NCT with that problem.

    Wondering what course I should take, NCT is out in a week and I'd like to have it renewed before my insurance in June.
    I'm not working either so need to ge mindful of money of which I've about e300 this week without being able to add to it until next week.


«13

Comments

  • #2
    Stallingrad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,326 ✭✭✭Stallingrad


    I'd take the car back, put it through the NCT, then change anything it fails on. Then source your tires elsewhere, you can certainly do better than €105 a corner.


  • #3
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,377 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    Hard to know what the price on the tyres is like without knowing the size but for a normal corolla i'd say that's nuts. About 60 a corner would get you decent enough tyres. Drop links again without pricing them is hard to know but as a general rule about 30 each and normally 40 minutes would put them on.


    315 for the tyres
    130 for the drop links
    55 for the labour

    Seems a bit much.


    Also, not sure how droplinks would cause a squeel, not to say they're not wornout.


    Personally I'd test it as is and change whatever after. If it's only those things then it's probably just a visual anyway.


  • #4
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,327 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    is your corolla on 14 or 15 inch wheels. what brand were the tyres he offered?


  • #5
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,525 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    I'd be asking what brand those tyres are. At €105 a corner they should be premium tyres. budget tyres, or ditchfinders, as they are know on here, should be between €50-60 and mid range tyres sould be in between those 2 in terms of price.

    If they are giving you a budget tyre for €105 then I'd definitely be looking elsewhere. Even €105 for a premium tyre for that size of wheel sounds a bit overpriced.


  • #6
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,327 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    droplinks should be €20 each unfitted for that car.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,581 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    is your corolla on 14 or 15 inch wheels. what brand were the tyres he offered?

    They are 15s. I have no idea as I had no intention of paying my total on tyres alone. They said they hadn't any other stock bar whatever they were.

    Anyway just to point my thread isn't about a garage trying to get me to buy dear tyres. My only concerns are is the drop links price dear, can I do one without the other and what would an experienced head do(ie maybe the drop links is fine but I go elsewhere for the tyres and return etc)
    Jayop wrote: »
    Hard to know what the price on the tyres is like without knowing the size but for a normal corolla i'd say that's nuts. About 60 a corner would get you decent enough tyres. Drop links again without pricing them is hard to know but as a general rule about 30 each and normally 40 minutes would put them on.


    315 for the tyres
    130 for the drop links
    55 for the labour

    Seems a bit much.


    Also, not sure how droplinks would cause a squeel, not to say they're not wornout.


    Personally I'd test it as is and change whatever after. If it's only those things then it's probably just a visual anyway.

    It's probably hard to describe the noise properly. I could say screech, squeal etc... easiest description is the car on rotation at say 1-10mph can make a noise once per rotation.
    It wouldnt be too dissimilar to a braking "squeal".

    It only started a few weeks ago and I don't drive many miles per week. I knew the car would need three tyres for the NCT but said I'd tell them to check what was causing that noise. My initial indication wasn't that it would need be sorted to pass the NCT, but an early indicator for something going.

    I guess I'll just to the NCT first, as I suppose I could also need one or two other bits and it's about to run out next week so getting all present issues sorted before than on a budget seems unlikely anyway.


  • #8
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,377 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    gilberto_eire wrote: »
    They are 15s.



    It's probably hard to describe the noise properly. I could say screech, squeal etc... easiest description is the car on rotation at say 1-10mph can make a noise once per rotation.
    It wouldnt be too dissimilar to a braking "squeal".

    It only started a few weeks ago and I don't drive many miles per week. I knew the car would need three tyres for the NCT but said I'd tell them to check what was causing that noise. My initial indication wasn't that it would need be sorted to pass the NCT, but an early indicator for something going.

    I guess I'll just to the NCT first, as I suppose I could also need one or two other bits and it's about to run out next week so getting all present issues sorted before than on a budget seems unlikely anyway.

    Yeah as a rule of thumb I'd just replace blown bulbs and put it through regardless of the condition. At least then you'll get a proper list from them of what's needed. Would be nothing worse on a 2002 car than spending a couple of hundred getting it ready for it to fail on emissions or something that could end up costing you more than it's worth.


  • #9
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,525 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    I'd do the drop links first. If you fail on them it's a €28 retest. If you fail on tires it's only a visual and won't cost you anything.


  • #10
    amikoalien2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭amikoalien2


    just as an example
    http://www.micksgarage.com/search/anti%20roll%20bar%20drop%20links/toyota/toyota%20corolla/corolla%20saloon%202002%20to%202007/1.4%20d/90

    Did the droplinks on my astra last week
    took 30 mins per side ( simple job )

    but a squeak or squeal per revolution of the tyre does not sound to me like droplinks
    As suggested run it through the way it is as it is just a lucky bag of a test depends on who you get on the day


  • #11
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    droplinks should be €20 each unfitted for that car.

    Not all droplinks are created equal :pac:

    €20 droplinks cost €20 and are made from chocolate and last about 6 months.

    €65 droplinks cost €65 and last a lot longer.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    amikoalien2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭amikoalien2


    George Dalton wrote: »
    Not all droplinks are created equal :pac:

    €20 droplinks cost €20 and are made from chocolate and last about 6 months.

    €65 droplinks cost €65 and last a lot longer.

    Ah yes that may be so :-)
    But how much longer will the op get from a 2002 corolla


  • #13
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,377 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    George Dalton wrote: »
    Not all droplinks are created equal :pac:

    €20 droplinks cost €20 and are made from chocolate and last about 6 months.

    €65 droplinks cost €65 and last a lot longer.

    Would you really recommend putting 65€ drop links on a 14 year old car?

    http://www.micksgarage.com/search/anti%20roll%20bar%20drop%20links/toyota/toyota%20corolla/corolla%202001%20to%202007/1.4%20vvt-i/97

    Anything between 19 and 22 quid which is about bang on. I'd honestly be amazed if even the genuine ones cost that much.


  • #14
    amikoalien2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭amikoalien2


    For around 20 should be fine
    Been discussed here before
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056965530


  • #15
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,581 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Would it be a better option so to pick them up myself?.

    At least then I'm only paying somewhere for labour?.

    I've booked the NCT for two weeks, I wont be doing much driving until then so might hold off and see what the NCT throws up on me.

    Would drop links show up in an NCT?.... Can they get worse ie car needs to be towed at some point.


  • #16
    amikoalien2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭amikoalien2


    Its a simple job
    the site listed will do free delivery over 40 yo yo

    Not likley anything is going to happen to them in the next 2 weeks
    but as I said in an earlier post a squeak or squeal per revolution of the wheel is probably not likley to be drop links
    I would probab say something like a flat spot on a tyre had it been sitting unused for a bit
    Have you tried changing it over for the spare


  • #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,581 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    amikoalien2 wrote: »
    Its a simple job
    the site listed will do free delivery over 40 yo yo

    Not likley anything is going to happen to them in the next 2 weeks
    but as I said in an earlier post a squeak or squeal per revolution of the wheel is probably not likley to be drop links
    I would probab say something like a flat spot on a tyre had it been sitting unused for a bit
    Have you tried changing it over for the spare

    There's obviously no restrictions to what ones I can get from that page?.... One size fits all so and price is the concern?.

    No never changed the tyres yet. The front two and one back are in pretty bad nick as well.


  • #18
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    Jayop wrote: »
    Would you really recommend putting 65€ drop links on a 14 year old car?

    http://www.micksgarage.com/search/anti%20roll%20bar%20drop%20links/toyota/toyota%20corolla/corolla%202001%20to%202007/1.4%20vvt-i/97

    Anything between 19 and 22 quid which is about bang on. I'd honestly be amazed if even the genuine ones cost that much.

    What difference does the age of the car make? My daily car is 10 years old this year. Does that mean I should start putting spurious ****e into it?


  • #19
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,234 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Tyres should be available for around €60 a corner. I personally would change all 4 rather than just 3.

    But the drop links yourself and get some local mechanic to fit them. It's a simple job and shouldn't cost more than an hours labour to fit them.

    Is it a squeak or a squeal? A squeak could be a dry bushing or top mount. A squeak is more likely to be brake/wheel related.


  • #20
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,701 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    droplinks should be €20 each unfitted for that car.
    +1
    i get annoyed when i pay more than 14 for droplinks
    65 is crazy


  • #21
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,525 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    George Dalton wrote: »
    What difference does the age of the car make? My daily car is 10 years old this year. Does that mean I should start putting spurious ****e into it?

    What's wrong with spurious drop links though as long as you get something half decent?

    I fitted blueprint drop links to my corolla 4 years ago, they are still on it today and I'm not sure that blueprint are great for these kind of parts either.

    I know that genuine will in most cases last longer but in this case spurious will be fine.


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,234 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    I have cheap Q&H drop links in my Legacy for the last three years, not a rattle or noise out of them and even if they gave up tomorrow, they're still as cheap and easy to fit so will use them again. Genuine Subaru items were over 4 times the price!


  • #23
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,525 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    George Dalton wrote: »
    Not all droplinks are created equal :pac:

    €20 droplinks cost €20 and are made from chocolate and last about 6 months.

    €65 droplinks cost €65 and last a lot longer.

    How can you possibly know that when we don't even know what brand of drop links the garage is fitting?


  • #24
    Frankie Lee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,277 ✭✭✭Frankie Lee


    I've never seen links gone on a 02-> Corolla, €20 ones may well last the rest of the cars life. Even the 03 on Avensis I've only ever seen 2 with links gone and the were both taxis with crazy mileage.
    Does the op hear any knocking over rough ground?
    The crazy price for tyres looks suspicious to me too.


  • #25
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,377 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    George Dalton wrote: »
    What difference does the age of the car make? My daily car is 10 years old this year. Does that mean I should start putting spurious ****e into it?

    There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting certain spurious parts into cars, particularly cars of a certain age. Not all spurious parts are ****e and in some instances the spurious stuff is much better than the genuine parts. The likes of droplinks etc are ideal for spurious and at a 12 year old car I'd say the €20 one would last as long as the car will remain on the road.


  • #26
    Special Circumstances
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,540 ✭✭✭Special Circumstances


    Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »
    I have cheap Q&H drop links in my Legacy for the last three years, not a rattle or noise out of them and even if they gave up tomorrow, they're still as cheap and easy to fit so will use them again. Genuine Subaru items were over 4 times the price!

    I was quoted crazy prices even from limerick motor factors, never mind subaru. Meyle HD got online, grand job.


  • #27
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    What's wrong with spurious drop links though as long as you get something half decent?

    That's the point. They aren't decent. We fit a lot of drop links (as you can imagine) and depending on the customer (note that I said depending on the customer not on the car) we supply various brands from cheap all the way up to genuine. Cheap links just don't last. It has gotten to the stage where we now try to avoid the cheap brands because we were having to replace too many under warranty. In other words having to do the job multiple times but only getting paid for it once.
    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    I fitted blueprint drop links to my corolla 4 years ago, they are still on it today and I'm not sure that blueprint are great for these kind of parts either.

    Maybe you've been lucky or your Corolla doesn't see many bad roads but I have seen plenty of instances of repeated failure of Blueprint links in Corollas.
    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    I know that genuine will in most cases last longer but in this case spurious will be fine.

    Depends on what the OP wants. If they just want to get through the NCT and drive on then fine, if they want a lasting job then spurious won't be fine beacuse in all probability they will have to replace drop links again for the NCT this time next year.


  • #28
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    How can you possibly know that when we don't even know what brand of drop links the garage is fitting?

    I don't know.
    You don't know.
    Colm doesn't know.
    The OP doesn't know.

    Only the garage who quoted for them knows. That was the whole reason I posted in the first place.

    The OP said they were quoted €65 for links. Colm said they can be got for €20. The logical conclusion for someone unfamiliar with the area is that the garage was charging €65 for a €20 part.

    My post was just to point out that this may not be the case. I didn't mean to start an argument :D


  • #29
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    Jayop wrote: »
    There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting certain spurious parts into cars

    I know there isn't. I do it every single working day. That's why I know what I'm talking about.

    Jayop wrote: »
    particularly cars of a certain age.

    Here you go again with the age thing. The age of the car is not relevant. The attitude and financial circumstances of the owner of the car is what matters.

    Jayop wrote: »
    Not all spurious parts are ****e

    True
    Jayop wrote: »
    and in some instances the spurious stuff is much better than the genuine parts.

    Very, very rarely is this the case. Can you give an example?

    Jayop wrote: »
    The likes of droplinks etc are ideal for spurious

    My opinion is the opposite. Based on putting thousands of parts into thousands of cars I reckon that drop links are one of the things that you can't cheap out on if you want a long lasting solution

    Jayop wrote: »
    and at a 12 year old car I'd say the €20 one would last as long as the car will remain on the road.

    You can't possibly make that call any more than I can. You don't know the car or the OP.


  • #30
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,525 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    George Dalton wrote: »
    That's the point. They aren't decent. We fit a lot of drop links (as you can imagine) and depending on the customer (note that I said depending on the customer not on the car) we supply various brands from cheap all the way up to genuine. Cheap links just don't last. It has gotten to the stage where we now try to avoid the cheap brands because we were having to replace too many under warranty. In other words having to do the job multiple times but only getting paid for it once.



    Maybe you've been lucky or your Corolla doesn't see many bad roads but I have seen plenty of instances of repeated failure of Blueprint links in Corollas.



    Depends on what the OP wants. If they just want to get through the NCT and drive on then fine, if they want a lasting job then spurious won't be fine beacuse in all probability they will have to replace drop links again for the NCT this time next year.
    It sees a lot of bad roads actually, maybe I have been lucky but I had a similar experience with an older corolla. I don't doubt that the genuine parts are better and in the older corollas, the genuine rear drop links even look much different than spurious ones but the spurious links where much cheaper and still lasted a good few years.

    Maybe this is the exception rather than the rule and if money was no object I'd buy all genuine parts but I can only give my experience which was positive tbh.


  • Advertisement
  • #31
    gctest50
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭gctest50


    George Dalton wrote: »
    I know there isn't. I do it every single working day. That's why I know what I'm talking about.
    ............

    It's easier to just believe some people are re-incarnated cats and hence :



Advertisement