It's been awhile since I last graced this forum with my presence
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
One, though not the main, reason for my absence is down to declining health and fitness, making spanner-spinning often too tortorous to comtemplate, restricting my DIY activities to light, fluid and tyre checking mostly so not really had any (admittedly selfish) technical reasons to drop by
I'm not sure where I left off here but the xantia has been very kind to me over the year(s?) since my last visit to this forum. For example, the MOT last year failed on one lower arm bush, one droplink and with advisories for the other droplink and a hard (but not a fail) rear suspension. To get the ticket, I managed to replace only the necessary with a view to repairing the advisories sometime before the next MOT (which was last week).
However for the reasons given above, over the last year I never did feel up to the jobs and as this year's test drew closer, felt I had no choice but to either pay a garage to do the work or put her out to pasture and seek a replacement xantia.
I'd already purchased the second droplink and rear spheres and with trepidation, took her to the MOT station to see what other work might need doing.... but I admit I wasn't really prepared for the reality.
They failed not just the rear but all four corner spheres, the droplink of course and an offside inner hydraulic pipe which they quoted as being a 5-6hr job
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
I was sort of hoping this garage was just trying to put me off giving them the work (you know how some folk are shy about Citroen hydraulics) so trundled off to the main stealer for some friendly advice. The spares counter quoted £55+ for the pipe and the service desk confirmed it may well take 5-6hrs, depending on which pipe and what scenarios of troubles are possible to run across during the disassembly. Their best offer was to book it in for a diagnostic/pressure test @£90+the dreaded.
At this point (it'd been a long morning for me) I was feeling very deflated (at the possible costs), sad (at the thought of retiring 'ERO') and sore/tired due to my illness so it barely registered in my mind when the service desk's last words of advice were seemingly last minute afterthoughts, informing me of a Citroen/Pug/PSA Indy in Hampshire.
As I dragged my heels through the stealers car park back toward 'her', the sun had burnt through a very cold and foggy morning and my mood improved slightly as I gladly accepted the gentle hug from the warm rays. With my head still drooped though, I noticed a neglected penny on the floor and my memory cells automatically recited a rhyme my mother used to say when I was boy... "see a penny, pick it up..." Well I was feeling very sorry for myself and too sore to stoop down so I didn't break stride at first but then I told myself "you gotta be in it to win it, right?", spun around,reached to the floor (with an ache and a groan) and pocketed that one pence
![Anxious 8-[](./images/smilies/eusa_shifty.gif)
By the time I was keying up the motor, my defeatist attitude was losing it's battle and I decided to drive (back) to Hampshire and seek out this Indy garage as a last ditch attempt to save ERO from the knackers yard. Even the painful thought of driving on hard suspension didn't deter me, though each bump had me doubting the wisdom Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch and you get the idea
![Crying or Very sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)
So I found this garage and snuck ERO into the only spare parking bay, alongside a black xantia, behind a red ZX and in front of, not one but two DS's (see pic below). Has my luck really changed? Well, the sight of those motors put a smile on my face anyway
It was a small garage, barely deep enough to house the car lifts and maybe five/six cars wide with a tiny "office". An mid-aged gentleman was working on an engine bay in front of me while a younger lad was at a workbench to my right. I approached "Richard", whom I assumed might be the owner and began my hard-luck story.
What happened next, made my spirits soar. "We make up our own hydraulic pipes here and depending which one it is, I charge £40 maximum including fitting". "I'll charge you £30 for fitting 4 spheres and I can supply the front ones for you for £32 each and it'll be £20 for fitting the droplink". I mentioned I could get the spheres for less, "...so £90 plus VAT, how does that sound?
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Pray [-o<](./images/smilies/eusa_pray.gif)
![Pray [-o<](./images/smilies/eusa_pray.gif)
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
I was gobsmacked. I really couldn't believe it. When I got home, I readily ordered the front spheres from the same ebay seller I'd bought the rears from - some £54 the pair delivered which arrived next day.
![Applause =D>](./images/smilies/eusa_clap.gif)
This morning, Richard was on my door to collect ERO at 8:45am... and he returned at 5:45pm with the keys and a smile. "She's riding smooth again though you'll probably suffer motion-sickness now, he quipped" With the added cost of an LHM top-up, the total bill presented came to £112.44. With no change, I gladly let him keep the £120 I presented and as it was my birthday recently, was even (just) flush enough to further tip £10 for collecting and delivering the car.
Sorry this is such a long post but I feel this man (and his business) deserves the highest praises, not only for his unbelievably competitive price, but his outright honesty, not to mention his presumed specialist skills with these sometimes quirky and strange cars we so love.
As such, I'll be adding full contact details in the Recommeded Garages section though this pic alone should make them traceable. Places like this are such a rarity and would be sad to lose through lack of visibility/publicity etc.
Wish ERO luck tomorrow morning on the re-test please.