S3 failed MOT on rear spring

[vrbob]

Hi,

Quick question really... Put the S3 in for MOT today and it failed which isn't great. According to the MOT tester one of the rear springs has cracked. I spoke to Southampton Audi Parts dept and they quoted £50.24 + Vat for a new spring (Do the springs differ or are all the S3 springs the same?).

Now first off would you replace just the broken spring or do both sides??

Second what sort of labour cost should i be looking at for the work??

Lastly should i upgrade any of these parts as they need replacing n if so any ideas as to what to replace it with (i still wanna keep as much comfort as possible). Also is there any other parts i should look at replacing when the springs are done?

Cheers

 

[Aky]

I'd do both rears so both springs are the same. Labour I can't imagine being more than £50 its a pretty simple task. Maybe GSF would be able to help, possibly something in the classifieds section on here?

I think TT springs are the same aswell so try TT-Forum.

 

[vrbob]

Cheers for the speedy response Aky.

I will have a looksie on the T'internet to see what i can dig up and the classifieds too.

Yeah i agree i will change both springs. Is it a job that you could do at home with basic tools or is it better off getting a garage to do it??

Lastly should i do a springs upgrade on the car as the rears are gonna be replaced anyway, if so what sort of springs should i be looking at (i will keep the stock shocks for now at least) if i wanna keep as much comfort as possible but still inprove the handling??

 

[Aky]

Dunno but I'd be changing fronts and rears if I was upgrading the springs and I'd probably do the shocks at the same time. Depends on how much you want to spend. If my memory serves me right your motor has cost quite a lot of money to keep on the road

 

[vrbob]

Your not wrong it has cost a fair bit to keep going as of late......

But as i have had it remapped now i may as well keep chucking cash at it!!

It needs the spring doing as it won't pass the MOT without it done. Don't wanna spend too much but what sort of cost (parts n labour) would i be looking at to replace either just the springs or both shocks n springs??

Just found this kit at my local tuners garage.....

http://www.vag-tuner.com/acatalog/A3_8L1.html

Is that the sort of upgrade for the whole lot??

 

[Aky]

Looks reasonable, but I'd be tempted to get some different springs, I've got Eibach however a few like H&R I spent £1000 including fitting but I got ARB's aswell. Don't forget fitting & wheel alignment will be about £200

 

[vrbob]

That all sounds good but getting expensive especially as i wasn't expecting this cost!!

Think i may just have to go for a spring kit at this rate. Or even just get the rears done n wait till i have some more time n money for a suspension upgrade!!

Will make a few calls today once i have had a cup o coffee

Cheers Aky for all your advice

 

[vrbob]

If i can get hold of some standard rear springs how difficult is it to fit them??

 

[fingermouse]

the rears are suppose to be a doddle and its a common faliure for them to snap

 

[vrbob]

As i am not too mechanically inclined i have my S3 booked in at a local independant garage next monday to get both springs done for £170 total.

 

[rodenal]

£170 is an awful lot for springs mate, they're about £30 each from GSF, can you not barter them down a bit.

It's an hours labour max for both springs

 

[Dave83]

I had a noise coming from the rear of the car and when i jacked it up and went under to have a look i found two broken rear springs ! By the amount of rust on them it had happened a while ago. Got them replaced by [SIZE=-1]Eibach under warranty, thank god.
[/SIZE]

 

[vrbob]

£170 is an awful lot for springs mate, they're about £30 each from GSF, can you not barter them down a bit.

It's an hours labour max for both springs

Put it this way the place i got the mot done wanted £370 to replace both!! i have written a complaint letter to thier MD to say how bad their service and quote was.

Southampton Audi wanted £231 to do both so £170 at an independant didn't sound too bad especially as the springs from Audi are £50.24 + VAT each (i did look on GSF but couldn't see the springs anywhere), As the springs are colour coded for specific models eg the S3.

I just want it sorted quickly to get it thru the MOT so will bite the bullit and go for the £170 option as i need my car for work.

 

[grathies]

As i am not too mechanically inclined i have my S3 booked in at a local independant garage next monday to get both springs done for £170 total.

Mind me asking mate? I used to work for Peter Coopers in Southampton so knew alot of the Southampton Specialists, just curious really

And you do find that some models of the same car are spec'd with different springs, can go on PR Build Codes or Coloured Dots on the spring itselfs

Springs were a real ball ache to sort!

 

[rodenal]

Don't get me wrong it's not terrible, it's maybe just because i'm used to fitting things myself.

They maybe don't list the springs on the website but they definately sell them - i think they're under A3 quattro

Anyway good luck with your retest! lol

 

[vrbob]

Mind me asking mate? I used to work for Peter Coopers in Southampton so knew alot of the Southampton Specialists, just curious really

And you do find that some models of the same car are spec'd with different springs, can go on PR Build Codes or Coloured Dots on the spring itselfs

Springs were a real ball ache to sort!

Well after my experience with Abtech i can't really go back there so i am using Monks. He is a nice guy and helpful its just a shame he works in a hut in a field basically or i would use him more.

I did check about the colour coding of the springs with the parts guy on the phone at Southampton Audi. Cos i could see pink dots on the springs when i looked under the car. He said that from the reg number he could tell what springs would be needed so i went with that.

Where do you go for any mechanical work Grathies??

 

[vrbob]

Don't get me wrong it's not terrible, it's maybe just because i'm used to fitting things myself.

They maybe don't list the springs on the website but they definately sell them - i think they're under A3 quattro

Anyway good luck with your retest! lol

I would of had a go at doing it myself as i am not completely useless when it comes to cars ( i managed to fit a few modification to my Scooby without too much trouble). Suspension strikes me as something you dont wanna screw up so would rather pay the £70 extra to get someone who knows what they are doing to do it right first time hopefully.

As for GSF i did look under A3 quattro for them but at that point i was already worried about this color coding of them so thought it best to go direct to audi to make sure i got the right part for the S3.

I have until March the 18th before the MOT runs out so yeah hopefully it should be sorted for the retest.

 

[grathies]

Well after my experience with Abtech i can't really go back there so i am using Monks. He is a nice guy and helpful its just a shame he works in a hut in a field basically or i would use him more.

I did check about the colour coding of the springs with the parts guy on the phone at Southampton Audi. Cos i could see pink dots on the springs when i looked under the car. He said that from the reg number he could tell what springs would be needed so i went with that.

Where do you go for any mechanical work Grathies??

Ive used Abtech before and been ok, always a time when their not tho which you found out!

Monks are good and have been for quite some while

In southampton, well Hedge End, there is Laver Auto Electrics who are like behind Coopers and that Sparshats Used Car Centre, Steve there has owned a few S3s so knew his stuff

I normally take mine to VW cause I worked there, if not the other place I trust is in Gosport, VW Service Centere in the Sanderson Centre, bro worked there ages ago and Ive been using them since I had my first car!

 

[vrbob]

Ive used Abtech before and been ok, always a time when their not tho which you found out!

Monks are good and have been for quite some while

In southampton, well Hedge End, there is Laver Auto Electrics who are like behind Coopers and that Sparshats Used Car Centre, Steve there has owned a few S3s so knew his stuff

I normally take mine to VW cause I worked there, if not the other place I trust is in Gosport, VW Service Centere in the Sanderson Centre, bro worked there ages ago and Ive been using them since I had my first car!

Yeah i will stick with Monks for now as he seems to be reasonably priced and never tries to squeeze that extra little bit of cash out of you like alot of other garages.

Thanks for the info about Laver always good to know someone who has had a few S3's

Wish i had some contacts that worked in a garage as that would be very helpful still at least the way i am going i am eliminating systematically eg Abtech (not to say they are all bad i may just of had a rare bad experience with them).

 

[grathies]

Ive always had a good relationship with Abtech, but you do get the odd case of things going wrong

You tend to find helpful and reliable garages by yourself as you go. Clockhouse Auto Engineering are also good, their Horton Heath way if I remember rightly, just down the side of the Jet fuel garage, they always did alot of VW/Audi

 

[vrbob]

All is good!!

I now have another years worth of MOT, only thing they said on the MOT sheet was that the front bushes are wearing so should be replaced before the next MOT. Is this a difficult / expensive job??

Thanks for the advice peeps

 

[S3 Jock]

Do you knwo which bushes are worn - there are many up front.

If you din't fancy doin the rear spring, then you wont fancy changin bushes. Some are easy, others are a bit more involved. Worth doing ASAP then getting a full wheel alignment.

 

[vrbob]

I don't have the sheet infront of me but i think it was wishbone bushes.

 

[S3 Jock]

The bushes aren't too expensive if you are overhaulign the wishbone yourself. But paying a garage the time to do it might make it cheaper to just replace the wishbone.

The work to remove and refit a wishbone is really very little, but removing the old bushes and fittign new ones is where the time lies.

 

[vrbob]

Is it worth doing all the bushes at once?? if so would this kit be any good off ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270215718643&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

Any ideas what sort of amount of labour in hours it would take to replace them all??