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Thread: MOT failure - broken rear spring

  1. #1
    Regular Member Hue Jarse's Avatar
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    Vehicle : Vectra Estate

    Trim : SRi

    Engine : 1.8 VVT (Z18XER)

    Year : 09

    Default MOT failure - broken rear spring

    Took my 09 reg SRi estate (26000 miles) in for an MOT today. I wasn't really expecting them to find much wrong but alas they discovered a broken rear spring. It was just a single turn off the bottom of the spring so I hadn't noticed any adverse handling or a change in ride height.

    Now I know this is quite a straightforward job but, while I don't mind working on the car in the summer months, I've got to that age where I don't really enjoy crawling about under cars at this time of year, and so agreed to let them change the rear pair for me. In any case they can get them cheaper than I can and I've always found their labour charges reasonable, plus I won't have to worry about a retest fee. (How many more excuses can I come up with for not doing it myself?!)

    Anyway, they tried to get hold of some for this afternoon but both their usual auto-factors said they didn't stock the SRi estate versions so they're coming from Vauxhall tomorrow.

    I know there are a few folk on here who would shout "don't use Vauxhall springs" but are they really that bad? The chaps at the garage said they don't see noticeably more Vauxhalls with failed springs than other makes.

    Incidentally, they also reckon they see more broken springs after a period of snow and ice.

  2. #2
    Regular Member Keif's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hue Jarse View Post
    I know there are a few folk on here who would shout "don't use Vauxhall springs" but are they really that bad?
    Yes, yours are four years and 26000 miles old and one has broken.

    Aftermarket springs are ALOT stronger than standard Vauxhall ones.

    It's well documented on here about the poor quality of Vauxhall Springs.

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    Default

    i heard a bloke at work talking about springs breaking in really freezing conditions , he says they get so cold that when you move the car they snap

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    Vehicle : vectra

    Trim : sri

    Engine : cdti 150 auto

    Year : 2007

    Default

    My cars on 75k and has 2 receipts for broken springs , when it happens again it will be a set of aftermarket jobs or even cheap coilovers. Saabs from the gm era also suffer from the springs made from cheese problem

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    Very cold weather can affect the springs on any car but Vauxhall do seem to be particularly bad. Mine had a broken rear spring, got one from a factor for £50 (don't know if that's good or bad) took about 30mins to replace. My brother has an 06 plate SRI with 45,000 both fronts have been replaced.

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    VX springs are OK, but as with most parts on a car, you can buy better/uprated/heavy duty/whatever which will last longer.

    I think when i was looking the other month (my front one snapped), all the ones that are "better" on here according to members, also happen to lower your car too (i looked at lots of threads and came to find this, although there may be recommendations on uprated ones ive missed that dont lower your car), and i didn't want to replace all 4 to lower the car, as i've decided not to go down the modding route most on here take (although i'd love to mod it, i've spent so much money trying to fix mechanical issues without success, i've given up on it).

    Anyway, the mechanic i took it too after hearing i was going to get some springs from ECP, recommended some from midwest motor factors that he always uses for customers as their supposedly a thicker coil than the standard ones. They turned out to be k-flex springs and i think (according to ebay) they might just do them for your motor. The link below is obviously from an irish seller, but you might be able to find them elsewhere if you want them.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-KYB-re...item3a7635ec65


    Note: i can't really say i have any review on them yet as there still new on the car since i barely drive these days (wonderful being self employed working from home), so i can only go on a mechanics recommendation. Once they break on me, i'll know how long they do actually last i suppose

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    Engine : Z18XER

    Year : 2008

    Default

    Mine just failed the mot on rear broken spring too, the last couple of inches. Cost me £40 for pair of springs(exclusiv hatchback) and £30 fitting from a guy at work.Nearly got thr springs from dealer and trade price from there was £63.

  8. #8
    Regular Member Hue Jarse's Avatar
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    Vehicle : Vectra Estate

    Trim : SRi

    Engine : 1.8 VVT (Z18XER)

    Year : 09

    Default

    Well, it's now got two new rear Vauxhall springs fitted so we'll see how it goes. To be fair, although it was quite low mileage when I bought it, it is an estate and it has got a towbar and I have no idea what sort of life it might have had in it's first years of life.

    The spring had broken near the end where it goes quite a bit thinner than the main body of the spring.

    The garage gave me back the removed "good" spring to keep as a spare. They also reduced the original quote as "it didn't take nearly as long as the official guide time".

    This is the bit that had broken off.

    brokenspring.jpg

  9. #9
    Regular Member wright8672's Avatar
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    Vehicle : vectra

    Trim : SRi

    Engine : 1.8

    Year : 2003

    Default

    i checked the MOT history on my Veccy yesterday and it has failed previously for front & rear broken springs.

    edit:
    rear @ 78K
    rear again @ 84K says alot about Vx springs
    front @96K

    now on 106K.
    Last edited by wright8672; 9th February 2013 at 10:59. Reason: info added.

  10. #10
    Regular Member DTi Elite's Avatar
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    Vehicle : Vectra

    Trim : Elite

    Engine : 1.9 cdti 150

    Year : 2007

    Mileage : 145k

    Default

    MOT rules were recently updated regarding springs , they now tell us that a spring which has broken at its end , remains in place when jacked & doesn't need helping into place when lowering the jack is now a pass & advise , it also states that cut springs which meet this criteria are not a fail either .
    not ideal in my opinion but the rules are the rules .

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