Lucida Falling Apart :(

[CindyTheFunbus]

Hi all,

I bought my Lucida in August M (reg) 95 Estima Import. We were told the advisory on the MOT for the drive arm was slight wear and that he had already bought the part but it wasn't a right now job?

We have had no problems with car except two new front tyres It has done 110kms so not a lot in mileage for its age. January my exhaust decided to split in two, we live fairly rural so the roads are not great and the profile on the tyres have made the car slightly lower than normal which doesn't help either but she does ok slow and steady.

I have ordered the part for the exhaust and a friend in the village is a retired mechanic due to knee problems but has offered to do what he can work wise for us which is great. City Link have currently lost my parcel so am now having to make a claim to get a refund grrrr.

I had posted regarding a grinding noise from my Lucida. Which at first seemed like a change of pads and discs so bought those and got them fitted. When fitting them it was noticed that the NSF caliper had seized hence the rapid decline on my brakes (so will be needing to replace these again). The caliper has now un-seized and is driving fine at the moment.

Then after the car being sat so long due to the snow and not being able to get out. The tyre had deflated so as my husband changed to the spare so we could get it pumped back up he noticed the rear driver side coil spring had snapped!

And then to top it off on the way home we got caught in a flood puddle and now there is a grinding/clicking noise from the front drivers side over the wheel arch I would say when I turn full lock on to the right???

Answers on a blooming postcard on what to do here guys? If any one can tell me the kind of labour times i am looking at for each job that would be great as I dont want to be ripped off if I have to take it to a garage. I have already had 3 different time scales for the coil

I have my MOT in less than a month and the tax is up at the end of the month. I am not flush by any means! I have been given prices on used parts with warranties for the caliper and the coil inc vat and delivery £66 which i think is a steal, maybe I am wrong. I am not a car fanatic and don't pretend to know more about cars than I do but I would live some help on costing this one up!

[CindyTheFunbus]

Can the coil, exhaust, drive arm/rack ends, caliper be done from home by a mechanic or do you need garage?

[bothwell_buyer]

all do-able at home. Coil springs breaking are common across most cars nowadays. And I can tell you loads of stories on sticking calipers.

The exhaust is just the beast up high enough safely!

The issue with a sticking caliper is it often results in pad materials getting welded onto the disc so you end up with front brakes that pulsate = new discs. In the good old days, discs could be skimmed - the minimum disc thickness is cast into the inside of the disc.