Zac why is my Fiat 500 banging?!?!?!

[Banshee]

........Was the question I was asked by my little sister a week ago. I jumped in it and took it for spin round the block and crikey!!!!! She wasn't lying!!!

Seemed to be coming from the rear left of the car and more prominent over speedbumps at slow speeds and flat fast roads with potholes and normal uneven surfaces.

I got underneath and grabbed the shocks and they moved a little, springs and bumpstops fine and everything else seems intact so ordered a set of shocks, there wasn't a lot out there but managed to do a bit of research on a cheapish set called "Drexler G-Force" seem to get good reviews so went with a set of those for £30 delivered. Ordered at 6pm on a friday night and arrived at 10am Saturday morning as the seller was "in the area" Can't beat that for service

Fitted them last night, and all is well again, even gave her a lesson in what she should check under the bonnet and where for fluids etc, she's only 19 and her boyfriend is a bit of a sap, my brother is more than capable of helping her but chooses not to and Mom and Dad are divorced so no chance of him helping

I feel bad for moving so far from home, I feel like my fingers not on the pulse like it used to be. I worry what goes on when I'm not there and worry that if I was then I would be able to resolve some issues before they even become issues. Not just car related stuff just "life" stuff too, she's been making some poor choices recently and I wish I was there to put her right I never thought I'd be worrying about stuff like this

Anyways her car is safeish for now, she needs 2 rear tyres as well which she is going to get done today after her Maths exam

Here's what you all wanted to see

[terranosaurusdoug]

Yep thats knackered.

People learn from their OWN mistakes mate, may be a good thing you're not around too much 'cos you two would probably argue and fall out. I'm no big succes mate, I've made my mistakes but I'll offer this advice and hope it helps, be there for her and make sure she knows you are there for her and that you think about her, that is a very big deal

Pea soup

[Lazy-Ferret]

Originally Posted by terranosaurusdoug

Yep thats knackered.

People learn from their OWN mistakes mate, may be a good thing you're not around too much 'cos you two would probably argue and fall out. I'm no big succes mate, I've made my mistakes but I'll offer this advice and hope it helps, be there for her and make sure she knows you are there for her and that you think about her, that is a very big deal

Pea soup

+1

At least this way she knows you are there for her..

Great job, although the shock actually looks bigger than the car...

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by terranosaurusdoug

Yep thats knackered.

People learn from their OWN mistakes mate, may be a good thing you're not around too much 'cos you two would probably argue and fall out. I'm no big succes mate, I've made my mistakes but I'll offer this advice and hope it helps, be there for her and make sure she knows you are there for her and that you think about her, that is a very big deal

Pea soup

Originally Posted by Lazy-Ferret

+1

At least this way she knows you are there for her..

Great job, although the shock actually looks bigger than the car...

Thanks guys

Suppose the only way you learn is from your own mistakes Just like to feel like I'm doing my bit, you know......

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by Banshee

Thanks guys

Suppose the only way you learn is from your own mistakes Just like to feel like I'm doing my bit, you know......

I am 10 years older than my Brother and going back to when he was 17 years old I used to do most of his car maintenance (even though he was fairly mechanically able).
It was something I enjoyed anyway but things came to a head a few years later when he ignored my advice over a repair to a brake caliper dust seal.

It was a hard choice but I decided I was not going to be his "free mechanic" any longer when he expected me to fix his seized brake caliper whilst he was on leave from N.I. over Christmas 1979.

This was made extra difficult as our Father had had a stroke so his ability to help was severely curtailed due to a partial loss of of use of his right arm. I half gave in and fixed his brakes not on Christmas Eve but on New Years Eve instead.

Since that day in 1979 I have never done any work on any of his vehicles and we have become closer friends especially over the last 20 years following the death of our parents. The age gap has in reality narrowed, he is now 59 to my 69 years so we are both well past the half way mark.

Ironically I suspect he will have no recollection of the "Brake Caliper Realisation Moment" if I asked him about it today.

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

Ironically I suspect he will have no recollection of the "Brake Caliper Realisation Moment" if I asked him about it today.

You should!!! Who knows what memories it will stir up

[micken]

Originally Posted by terranosaurusdoug

People learn from their OWN mistakes mate

I'll offer this advice and hope it helps, be there for her and make sure she knows you are there for her and that you that you think about her

Two really good comments there.

To some extent we've lost the first bit in our nanny society and it's not helping folks to learn, take on resposibilty and be more self sufficient.

Just my 2p's worth