Xantia Front lower arm bushes - CHEAP CAUTION

[Skull]

I bought some bushes off e-bay they seemed OK on fitting and passed MoT on offside, within a couple of weeks I fitted nearside as tester had said it was on the way out, but only 1,500 miles later they are both shot ....

I have changed these myself before and got 3 years out of similar ones off ebay.

Seller has said he will refund on return/inspection but no compensation for time/hassle/tyres ruined as the warranty only applies to professional mechanics
Plus I will probably destroy any 'evidence' when I remove the bushes

The attachment OSF TYRE.jpg is no longer available

Skulls tyre OSF

I have a video of the slackness in situ but AVI is not recognised when I tried to load on here. Got iphone video mp4 but again not recognised mp4 file.

Skulls tyre NSF

Skull's bushes

Skull's bushes

[lexi]

Ebay bushes with no real pedigree are a risk. But bushes from Ebay with Lemforder or TRW or other top marque label are another matter.

[Skull]

Ebay bushes with no real pedigree are a risk.....

These ones are from Cadbury's

I forgot to mention that the sellers' advert had KIT IS HEAVY DUTY TO LAST LONGER, DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE CARS

Thank god for that or they'd only have lasted 250 miles

[Timmo]

Against all advice from here, I ordered a cheap set of lower arm bushes, ball joints and drop links from ebay for the Xantia way in our ownership for the mot, fitting wasn't overly problematic, felt okay when done, pressed test, all good, 6 weeks later when picking something up in the local town in the wet I could feel the car pull harshly to the side when the turbo boosted, had the same before on the old bx 16v, got home, jacked up and checked, sure enough the bushes had gone, ordered lemforder for all the ones I replaced prior, didn't have to touch them for the following 7 years of ownership!
Generally now lemforder parts are not so easy to get for the C2 or the partner, if I can get Febi/bilstein I will, trw or Monroe next in line,

[Skull]

I've sent the round bushes off to the seller for them to investigate for their 2-year warranty .... bought a pair of QH Wishbones ... two rights arrived car's already been off the road for a week got some second-hand tyres coming but they will cost me £30 to get fitted - when you're on a tight budget this little carry on is quite a dent not to mention the labour / inconvenience of having the car off the road ....

[Timmo]

I used to look for a set of wheels with tyres to save with the fitting costs! Last lot I got for the Xantia came from a berlingo, £60 for 5 on marketplace, swapped for scrap ones when I scrapped it and sold the wheels for £80

[Skull]

Timmo yes I normally do the same

It's amazing how cheap you can get a rough set of alloy wheels for with half decent tyres on ....the set that were on cost me £80 with great tyres apart from 1 puncture but they weren't my regular size so I just opted for 2 second hand tyres this time (Goodyear Vector 4 Season with 4.5mm / 5mm tread for £40 + £30 fitting) so I'm up to £150 for tyres plus whatever I get back on the alloys .....

[oscar]

Hi go have a look for likes of Proflex polyurethane bushes once done never do again plus positive handling.

[Skull]

Contacted Proflex previously who don't offer a bush kit for the Xantia, even their universal bushes aren't suitable ....

[Skull]

Back on the road now but because the parts supplied were wrong it's taken 3 weeks to get sorted and cost me £170 IF I get a refund for the bush kit or £220 if they dodge the refund .... could have been worse .... 6 points, a fine, or a crash - not proud to have been driving on these and am relieved to be legal again ....