Technical Panda Multijet EATS Front Tyres,Shocks, Bushings etc ?!

[ytareh]

My car has had shocks at around 90k and 135k .I got new shop4parts radius arms when last front shocks were fitted (same supplier) .Todai I saw the insides of my front tyres were like slicks despite outsides being 45-65% unworn ?I got two new front tyres just now and they showed me the back bushings in radius arms were totally gone .
Does relatively heavy diesel engine cause all this - and the fact tracking doesn't seem to be right for more than a month or two ? I drive some bad rural roads daily .
Interested in opinions /experiences .Thanks .

 

[fpan]

Shocks at 90k and then 45k later, it's not exactly eating them, they are consumables.

Saying this, my wife's 120d is still on the original shocks at 101k and still handles great.

You get what you pay for they say so I don't expect the Fiat parts to be of such good quality as e.g. japanese equivalents.

My water pump started having a tiny leak at 30k or so, ridiculous, isn't it?

 

[AndyRKett]

I would argue something was drastically wrong with the wheel alignment back when the work was done, the camber is severely out and that's not something that would be caused by the worn rear arm bushes, neither is the multijet engine particularly heavy by comparison to other engines, did they change the springs with the shocks? Did they fit the components for a petrol derivative not designed for the extra weight of the diesel, did they fit and align the top mounts correctly?

Lots of ifs and buts but the tyres should have worn like that and neither should the bushes in the arms

 

[richardllew]

I have done 100,000 miles in my MJ and it has no suspension or brake components changed except for one anti-roll bar drop link.
It does wear the inside of the front tyres, even though the wheel alignment is OK and the camber is just inside specification.
I do believe the extra weight of the diesel engine does make the front tyres wear as your's.
I tend to do front to back tyre swops to minimise the wear problem.
However my tracking does not vary noticeably, and my tyre wear isn't quite as bad as yours, so maybe you do have some wear in your front suspension/steering

 

[ytareh]

I'd have strong suspicions that shocks were badly fitted .Springs not replaced and bump stops either not refitted on one side or badly worn .
How hard are radius arms, track rod ends and drop links to fit ?do some of them require 'separate' jacking to fit ? I'd be wary of shocks due to spring clamp requirement t .I've done brake discs and rear shoes in last year after half a lifetime just doing oil changes etc.

 

[panda panda]

when I had a oilburning Yaris it used to wear the insides of the tyres too - i did losts of town driving though and the garage said that it was just the way they worn!
To be honest I would take it to the main dealer and hopefully get a decent job done and with some comeback if it gets worse.

 

[ytareh]

A FIAT main dealer?! They've a worse rep than most independents and often with good reason .