Buying Advice Needed

[gumby6371]

My D8 is just about to tick over the 170,000 mile mark and to be honest the noise from the suspension on the crap roads by me confirm the mileage.
She's had new ball joints and drop links on the front which have helped but not cured the noise, so I thought bite the bullet and go for shocks and springs.....however.....a quick browse on euro car parts and I might as well weigh the car in for scrap, shocks, springs, bushes etc all round just aren't worth the outlay on what I paid for the car even choosing the cheapest options. Is there a better place to buy or do I live with the noise ?

[steve_earwig]

Oh that sort of buying advice I thought you were after another motah

The bottom line is: is it safe? If it's safe then turn the radio up but if you're driving a death trap can you make it less so without forking out more than the car's worth?

Don't ask me about prices, I'll only get depressed looking at how cheap everything is in the UK now

[Gary406]

well rather than just assume its the shocks and springs why not find out the cause of the bumpy knock ?

it might only cost a few quid to put right and not the whole expense of shocks / springs ...

have the anti roll bar bushes been checked ? could be the cause and not much to fix. in fact i have a pair you can have for free....

double check the big bolt on top of the strut and the 3 torx bolts. mine was loose before which caused a bumpy knock ....

[gumby6371]

thanks for the responses, what I might do is get a garage to have a look at it on a lift, let them quote, thank them for their time and fix it myself

[Gary406]

yep done that a few times myself before..

have you had car jacked up and checked wheels for play ?

[gumby6371]

not had a proper look myself, I meant to have a look when it had new rubber on at the weekend but the helpful fitter did it before i had chance to give it a wiggle. I've only got a little jack in the boot which I don't trust except in emergencies !!!!

[Gary406]

the little jack will be fine. your not taking the wheel off ....

its only to get it 1mm off the floor so you can wiggle the wheel to feel for any slight play ..

[gumby6371]

UPDATE Had to take her in at the weekend to get a slow puncture fixed and while I was there I took advantage of the free check. He popped the covers off the top mounts and rocked the front wheels back and forth. Sure enough the top mount on the drivers side was moving all over the place. Pinned it down to bushes on the lower arm. Typically you can't change just the bushes it's the whole arm so I'm looking pricing up a replacement as we speak, MOT in a couple of months so I'll get it done soon.
Any advice on whether they should be changed as a pair? I didn't see any movement in the other side but if I can get a pair at the right price and then of course There is the ball joints as well......all money I don't have but if it puts the handling right and gives me a smoother quieter ride it's worth it!!