Hi guys and girls.

I went for my MOT on Saturday and it failed :'( Aparantely the bush on the front offside suspension was dead. £66, and a new suspension arm/bush later it passed yay!!!

Anyway the mechanic suggested a few things:
1) Front nearside rollbar is clunking and needs sorting
2) Rear tyres cracking, need replacing soon

Any ideas if the rollbar job is something I can do at home? Also, can you possibly let me know of a good set of tyres to get for the rear please.

The car seems to be really sluggish lately. I am thinking of taking it to Fiat for a service, but before I just want to know if there's anything I can do. It's slow at start when pulling away, then after a few seconds it really kicks up and acelerates fast. Also when overtaking I always have to drop her now as she has next to zero kick at low revs.

ANy ideas would be much appreciated.

I would try the simple DIY things first:

STP injector cleaner
Reset the ECU with the battery out.

Hope this helps.
Paul.

i suspect the roll bar problem will be with the vertical links (one either side) they fit to the end of the roll bar and up to the suspension strut, easy job really and about £20 for a link ( non genuine ) but also had the little buggers where the whole roll bar slides to the side and rubs the subframe not major just bar it back over. you could buy one of the updated roll bars that have 'stops' fitted to prevent this but it means a whole new roll bar and its not the kind of job you will want to do.

Does the roll bar have a tendency to rub on a particular side? I've got a problem that I think is the roll bar rubbing - it only happens at slow speed but when I turn the steering wheel either way I get a creaking sound. I've put my hand on the linkages with someone else at the wheel and there is a definite vibration on the drivers side.

i think they normaly move to the nearside you can put your hands in to feel if there is a gap between the roll bar and sub frame and to see if its the same both sides, i think if you go full lock you can actualy see if there is a bright mark on the subframe where its rubbed.

I take it that's with the car at about head height. I can barely get my head under the car to see past the wheelarch inners. I think I'll go see the local kwikfit place.