How many stupid mistakes...

[Seeker]

...can you make in 24 hours? Apparently, I seem to have a natural ability.

My 11 year old Yaris was due its yearly service and MOT. It's only done 39k miles (500 miles since last MOT - I don't use it much!). I let the main dealer do it because it normally passes.
It passed but a suspension bush was collapsing on the drivers side and the passenger side wasn't much better, no play though.
Mistake #1, overlooking the fact it passed, I wanted it fixing. (rational thought having ceased)
Mistake #2 the bush isn't available separately from Toyota, you need the whole arm, I gave the go ahead. (Why? they told me the insane price :rolleyes: )
Mistake #3 - both sides (confirming that I had completely lost the plot)

It was only during one of those 3am self conversations that I thought, someone must make the bushes, surely...

The car is ready, payment due and I paid the £750 for 2 arms + installation, intermediate service and MOT.

Mistake #4, once I had the part number of the arm, I checked (out of a sense of self flagellation) and yes, you can buy a bushing kit for £34 per side (not from Toyota of course), instead of the £175 approx (I don't have the paperwork in front of me) per arm that I paid.

I am so stupid (and poorer).

[Ruffy]

I think you're being too hard on yourself.

You now have a properly safe car, not borderline issues and uncertainty. The old bushes would only have gotten worse, probably deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. Not taking significant risks with the condition of your vehicle is a sign of a wise man.

OK, so perhaps the extra cost for the whole arms rather than separate bushes is maybe a tad on the harsh side but how much to have the cheaper ones fitted without risk of damaging them? A £750 bill from a main dealer for something more involved than a quick look around and basic inspection or oil/filter/plug change servicing strikes me as pretty good these days!

What price peace of mind?

[redtrummy]

Seeker you need a good one man band to fix the car. Recently our Civic silencer rotted through where front and back box meet. our guy cut the ends square and then fabricated an inner pipe and used a couple of exhaust brackets to hold it all together, cost £30, he checked it all through and said the rest was sound. I have bought parts off the net and he will fit them. Guess I am lucky.

[Bibio]

you must have a handle on the side of your head.