Ouch, bit of bad luck.

[steluca5]

Just thought I would share my pains with some fellow Clio owners.

Treated myself to some new alloys and tyres as my fronts are pretty bald.

Go to swap alloys over but the front right locking nut is seized. Tried rust stripper, heat, using a jack for leverage. All the tricks. Called the AA out at 1:30am and he managed to get it off after 30 minutes by using one of those little attachments that deform over the locking nut. Great!

Swap final wheel over, go to work...

Run over a nail.

Noticed it when i was in a car park, pulled it out, tried the soapy water over the hole to see if it leaked. Didn't notice anything.

By the time im home its flat, litrally as i drive down my road I can hear it.

Phone the tyre repair place, they are closed but will come out 7am. Due in work at 9. They arrive, tyre is screwed and can't be fixed due to wear on the inside. Fair enough, saw it with my own eyes. New tyre on the way. Late for work.

All finally fitted.

Rang work to let them know I would be in soon. Went to move off, rear brakes stuck on.

Couldn't release them, really badly worn. Towed to a garage.

Just had a phone call for 400 quid for new rear discs and pads fitted.

What a couple days.

On the plus side I did get the day off!

 

[lgonzalez]

Blimey nows that's what you call a run I bad luck :-( that sucks man

 

[deadmau5]

Woah woah woah! Your brakes were probably stuck on because your handbrake cable is damaged and freezes on. Mine does it whenever it gets down to -3. Did you try moving your handbrake lever? Was there any tension in it? No way would both disks and pads suddenly seize like that.

 

[Robo_#1]

£400 for new brakes because they stuck on!? I think you've been mugged off mate. ALL of these cars rear brakes stick on (if not stripped and cleaned annually). Normally all it requires is your brakes free-ing off and away you go. Some manage to snap hand brake cables at the most, possibly your pads were screwed, but £400 to change the whole lot seems excessive and a little coincidental, wreaks of an opportunistic garage.

Did they give you the parts they took off?

 

[Rogue]

I would assume your brake pads have sized due to the cold weather. It's a common problem.

As suggested above, try that. Also, you might want to strip them down and clean them, check the pads and discs yourself BEFORE you buy the stuff.

£400 is ridiculously steep as well IMO.

 

[steluca5]

Yeah i tried moving the lever, many times. The AA guy made me creep down the road and although they did get a little better, I could still feel unusual resistance.

Just to note my rears had an advisory a month or so ago, and where next on my list to replace. It just sucks it all happened on one day.

And no both brakes didn't seize, just the rear left, but since im replacing one...

Thanks though

 

[deadmau5]

Ahh well if they needed doing anyway I suppose it's not too bad.

 

[steluca5]

I think the garage may have made a mistake with the pricing. We are talking OEM parts. He got the pads for 210 for the pair, but said it was 70 a set for the pads. Don't rears usually come in sets and contain 4 pads? This is the only thing I was confused about. Labour was going to be £109. It's worth noting that every time i've used this garage prices have always been fine, and when I come to pay the bill, they are usually cheaper than the quote.

Although i'm good with cars, i'm useless with brakes. I can't strip them, and I dont even understand what bad wear looks like i'm afraid. Plus this is my means to get to work. I want it sorting as fast as possible.

I don't usually ask for the parts after they are done. Plus I believe they do need replacing. It's a tough one. Let's hope the bill is less.

It's going to be done tomorrow.

 

[Rogue]

Just pulled a quick quote out of the members only section.

£256.72 posted from Karl for rear discs & pads.

There's also a set on ebay for £237 delivered: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270724211663?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[steluca5]

Cheers Rogue, but once you put the labour on that it's not wayyyyy different.

I'm not best pleased with the price. But bare a few things in mind...it's already at the garage now. I've already given it the go ahead. He always cocks up the quotes on the higher side.

If i could take my time with this i'd be getting it from Karl and then sorting the best way to fit them etc etc, i've done this toooonnnsss of times in the past. But since i'm having a braking issue it's probably best this time I just go with the flow. And never go back to him again if it isn't 100 quid cheaper than he quoted

 

[Rogue]

Cheers Rogue, but once you put the labour on that it's not wayyyyy different.

It's half your labour cost. That's massive lol

 

[steluca5]

It's half your labour cost. That's massive lol

This is true. And I hate him and hope his own cars blows up, but still, now i'm looking at such a massive bill over the last two days, 50 quid looks like peanuts

 

[Willis]

Put it down to experience mate, the handbrakes on these are known to stick when it's cold.

Even with new bits on, they'll still stick. Giving the brakes a strip down once a year will help keep everything moving and help to prevent it but there's no definite cure. Always try and park on a flat patch and leave the car in gear if you can rather than using the handbrake. It's not ideal, but it avoids this happening. Over the last few weeks there's been a number of people suffer from this, it pops up on here every winter.

As for the prices for new bits and labour... Again, you live and learn. Like you say at least you know it's all new bits on there now at least.

 

[Foxspeed]

rear discs are approx £200 and the genuine renault pads have gone up in price!!!!! they are like £100 approx!!!!! dont know why...

so if all genuine then its £300 parts and a couple of hours labour tops so not a million miles off

if you use a different set of pads you will save £50+ on that so say £250 so there is a saving to be made

 

[steluca5]

Put it down to experience mate, the handbrakes on these are known to stick when it's cold.

Even with new bits on, they'll still stick. Giving the brakes a strip down once a year will help keep everything moving and help to prevent it but there's no definite cure. Always try and park on a flat patch and leave the car in gear if you can rather than using the handbrake. It's not ideal, but it avoids this happening. Over the last few weeks there's been a number of people suffer from this, it pops up on here every winter.

As for the prices for new bits and labour... Again, you live and learn. Like you say at least you know it's all new bits on there now at least.

Yeah cheers Willis.

It will have to go down to experience because only today through searching have I found the leaving in gear trick. Once I get it back i'll do that instead during winter.

I've only had the 197 about 4 months so not had loads of time over winter to get it sorted. Changing alloys was supposed to be the start of getting it all perfect.

I wouldn't mind the brakes issue, if I hadnt just spent much more on some alloys, and then a tyre on top of that. Just thought it might make some peoples wednesdays seem better

 

[steluca5]

rear discs are approx £200 and the genuine renault pads have gone up in price!!!!! they are like £100 approx!!!!! dont know why...

so if all genuine then its £300 parts and a couple of hours labour tops so not a million miles off

if you use a different set of pads you will save £50+ on that so say £250 so there is a saving to be made

Whenever possible I grab a bargain. I'm just writing this one off due to being really tired from the last couple of days. Only so much can go wrong before I just hand over my debit card and start crying in a ball.

 

[Willis]

Get yourself paid up on here anyway, £5/year (User CP at the top of the screen) and you then get discounts from the traders.

Your first purchase of new bits will save you more than the £5.

 

[steluca5]

Get yourself paid up on here anyway, £5/year (User CP at the top of the screen) and you then get discounts from the traders.

Your first purchase of new bits will save you more than the £5.

I will. Give a fella chance to cry.

What's another fiver anyway.

 

[Deaks]

Bad luck bro!

What were the alloys out of interest?

 

[steluca5]

And also....Happy birthday! I will forever hate this date like you will as you approach 30