Big Maintenance Bills Coming Up - Any suggestions?

[MarkMas]

I have had the QP looked over carefully at its service and there are quite a few things that need to be sorted (it is nearly 10 years old), including replacing drop links, a rear shock absorber (so both, I suppose) and a wheel bearing. If I were mechanically-minded, I suppose I could buy used parts and fix things myself, but as it is, I'm going to have to ask my current favourite Indie (Ftech) to fix a lot of stuff, costing several thou.

But does the forum have any suggestions for cost savings?

 

[2b1ask1]

All those parts are available from Superformance based near Harlow, seem to offer good prices. I wouldn’t bother with second hand except possibly recon shocks. Nothing difficult to fit there with basic skills and tools. The hub bolts to Chang the wheel bearing do get stuck on occasions.

 

[Wanderer]

Shockers will be skyhook won’t they?

 

[outrun]

Garry just did the rear shocks on his facelift QPV. He got them with good forum discount from Ross at Meridien. I'd think about calling him and pricing up the parts which I expect you can get for less than your mechanic would want as you'll probably put more effort into getting them for decent prices. In his case, the shocks where going down and then not recoiling back due to wear so the rear end of the car was wandering around unhappily. I believe there are several part number so you need to be careful to source based on chassis number only. As Fordy says, nothing on your list is hard to fit so the labour cost should not be extreme.

 

[MarkMas]

Shockers will be skyhook won’t they?

Actually, no, my 4.2 QP is a non-Skyhook one (quite rare apparently, and mixed opinions on whether that's good or bad).

 

[Wanderer]

Actually, no, my 4.2 QP is a non-Skyhook one (quite rare apparently, and mixed opinions on whether that's good or bad).

Does it not have a sport button?

 

[Ebenezer]

Do you have Sports GT shocks then - Bilsteins?
Eb

 

[MarkMas]

Does it not have a sport button?

Yep, SPORT button changes the gear changing point, but presumably does nothing to the suspension. I think it also changes the ASR priority from stability to traction.

 

[MarkMas]

Do you have Sports GT shocks then - Bilsteins?

Dunno! Presumably not, since it is a plain old QP, not a Sport or Exec. Ftech says I need Part No. 306178 which has superceeded 243984.

 

[Keano]

I replaced both my rear shocks but only one was leaking. Still have the other one..... 2009 4.2

 

[Corranga]

Do/can Bilstein rebuild them? I believe they do for other cars.

I tend to keep an eye on eBay for things I plan to do on my cars, or service items, then stock pile stuff as it comes up cheap, then either hand it to my trusted indy garage with a box of bits, or take it apart in the winter and spend a couple of months putting it back together. Does need some time though.

As an example, I got a new genuine oil filter for my 4200 for £20 just yesterday.

For the Elise I must have saved a good few hundred on parts, though I appreciate that's a more common car with greater part share.