[C5 X7] Rough cost estimate for repair.

[the-termin8r]

Hello,

I love my C5, but I'm looking at a very enticing upgrade. Gave it a quick reg check and its last MOT came up with an advisory reading "Nearside rear anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))." Does anyone know a ball-park firgure for a repair of that linkage? I'll probably be booking a test drive and if I like it I'd strongly consider buying it. My thinking is that I'd be able to haggle the price down a bit based on the repair cost.

Thanks.

[GiveMeABreak]

The rear ARB drop links (4) are only £74 inc. VAT for the part (4)...

..., but if it's the ARB bearings (10) on the second diagram, they are not replaceable and it will need a new ARB.

I don't have a time (labour) for this job alone - so you'd need to call a dealer for a quote to replace.

[the-termin8r]

Thanks for the reply. I can probably haggle for 100-200 in that case.

I wanted to ask another question. Would it be possible to swap the RD45 in my current C5 with the NG4 in the one I'm looking at should I buy it? I know I'd be losing fucntionality and I'd need to transfer trim panels between the cars, but my concern is more for the loom. The NG4 is missing literally the only thing I need from the HU: bluetooth audio streaming. I could bodge phone connectivity over one of those FM to BT things or over a TRS to RCA cable, but I'd like the wheel controls to work.

[GiveMeABreak]

I'd have to say not practical at all.

The NG4 is a double DIN system, and may use the Services module which you probably won't have, will require different fascia, a screen the harnesses, different aerial cables etc. etc....

Why don't you just bung all your music on an SD card and stick that into the front of the NG4 - I used a 32 Gb one and never managed to fill that up with music. As for everything else the NG4 has much more - jukebox for copying over CDs if required, DVD playback, Bluetooth phone and internal Phone with separate SIM card, RCA Video and audio in, voice commands, Navigation, etc, etc.

[the-termin8r]

Understood, the loom was my concern. If it was as simple as just swapping fascias that wouldn't be an issue as I'd take the ones from mine. It would have only been a colour disaster. Thanks again.

[GiveMeABreak]

That's without all the telecoding required in multiple places...

[wheeler]

The rear ARB drop links (4) are only £74 inc. VAT for the part (4)...

ONLY £74 for a drop link??
Anyone that would go to a dealer & pay that price for a drop link needs their head read.
I would imagine you can get a decent high quality aftermarket brand for at least a third of that price

[the-termin8r]

Citroen aren't what they used to be. I got bloody fleeced 80 quid for a pair of original wipers last year. Front wishbone replacement set me back 1.5K. It's criminal.

[GiveMeABreak]

The rear ARB drop links (4) are only £74 inc. VAT for the part (4)...

ONLY £74 for a drop link??
Anyone that would go to a dealer & pay that price for a drop link needs their head read.
I would imagine you can get a decent high quality aftermarket brand for at least a third of that price

Generally I only provide donating members with current official part prices - on the basis that they can then make their own decisions and undertake their own research into aftermarket alternatives - as I don't have the time for that.

I'm not defending dealers, but time and time again it has been shown that dealer prices are not always the most expensive. I've also had plenty of experience with OEM parts being cheaper than aftermarket alternatives. But it also depends on whether you want to fit cheaper parts or originals - that has to be a personal choice. I just fitted Brembo discs and pads all round as I was not happy with the quality, wear and state of the original Citroen parts.

[the-termin8r]

Did you fit the Brembos on your X7? If so, how much did it set you back? I'm happy with my X7's stopping performance, but I'm curious.

[GiveMeABreak]

No, on the Aircross - I was just using that as an example where I was disappointed with the poor OEM parts quality. But as for cost, the Brembos were a lot cheaper and much better quality than the originals.

[wheeler]

Agreed that some dealer prices surprise you & can sometimes even be cheaper.
Some manufacturers are better than others. Back in the early 2000’s none of the motor factors could beat Vauxhall dealers for service parts, brakes & suspension parts, not on trade anyway.
As for the drop link. That’s complete robbery. Even for a dealer. The last droplink I bought for a PSA car was under £10 + vat (trade) for a decent brand one.

[GiveMeABreak]

Looking back at the X7 rear ARB Drop Links, I quoted original parts, but their exchange ones are a more reasonable £13.38 each.

[wheeler]

Thats a bit more reasonable

[the-termin8r]

Just a quick update, ended up getting a quote from Citroen for about £200 for the whole job. Though I ended up not picking the car up, everything looked fine on the surface, but it threw up some 40+ fault codes when I probed it with Diagbox (some of which looked quite nasty).