I can't keep up with them!! They seem to start rattling within a few months of fitting them, I reckon I'm going to put some in the glove box ready for next time!
I'm assuming its more down to me buying cheap tat off eBay than anything else, so this time I bought a pair of Motaquip ones (off eBay.... ) in the hope that they last a bit longer. We'll see.....
Absolutely definitely only buy genuine or very high quality ones. I normally keep an eye on eBay and just buy genuine front ones to keep in stock when they occasionally sell for £20 - £25 each. They would normaly go for around £45, but if you keep an eye out for them then you can find them cheaper
I looked through the car's service history, its only had one owner before me, and the guy had kept every invoice from new. No sign of the links having been replaced in the 70k miles prior to my buying it!
It reminds me of a bit of a story from the pen of Terry Pratchett. One of the reasons wealthy people are wealthy is that they spend money carefully. A good pair of boots (on the Discworld) cost 100 dollars. A cheap pair of boots (that leaked after a year or so) cost 20 dollars. After ten years the wealthy man had the same boots, dry feet, and had only spent 100 dollars, while the poor man had wet feet, gone through ten pairs of boots, and had spent 200 dollars.
James ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
Don’t want to divert the thread or anything but can worn drop links cause a 'creaking' noise? As some of you may know my C5 creaks when rocked from side to side.....
On my focus the worn out drop links manifested itself as a definite knocking sound with sharp thuds.
Cheap drop-links and steering and ball joints are a massive false economy.
I always check eurocarparts and Gsf for the best quality branded ones they have available and buy them with one of their mega discount codes running.
Recently swapped mine, one of those parts that saving a few pounds does not save you money or time in the long run (the same is true on the lower joint/bearings) .....always use top grade ones or OEM.
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider 3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
They seem to start rattling within a few months of fitting them, I reckon I'm going to put some in the glove box ready for next time! 
) in the hope that they last a bit longer. We'll see.....
