evh5150
3rd August 2010, 13:10
Hi guys,
I have a Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1 (2002) on which the electric power steering recently started to fail to engage. The car is now, obviously, heavy to handle, but remains managable.
I am told that to fix the problem would require a complete changing of the electric power steering system, and not simply one of the relays attached to it. All in all, to fix the problem my mechanic tells me I'm looking at around £350.
Coupled with this problem is that fact that I need the timing belt changed, since I'm up at 78,000 miles. However, with a combined cost of both of these issues reaching up towards £650 on an eight-year-old car, I'm having to think about my options.
I previously had a great experience buying a different type of spare part from a scrappage company (via The Citroen Parts Gateway). That was only a seatbelt, but one of its affiliates, Just Peugeot Citroen, has a "power steering unit" available for the Saxo Desire for £69. Of course, I'm going to ring them to check on the exact nature of the part their selling, but in your experience, would this be something worth doing?
Because of the overall cost, in some ways I am tempted simply to not have anything fixed on it (steering or timing belt), and ride the car out as best as I can before I inevitably have to change it - something which I am loathed to do right now.
I am told that the lack of power steering is not dangerous but merely an inconvenience, and to be honest, I am leaning towards preferring to have the money in my hand, rather than dishing it out in the hope that I can get another 2-3 years out of the car.
Apologies if this post is rather disjointed, but I hope someone out there may be able to offer a little advice.
Regards,
evh
I have a Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1 (2002) on which the electric power steering recently started to fail to engage. The car is now, obviously, heavy to handle, but remains managable.
I am told that to fix the problem would require a complete changing of the electric power steering system, and not simply one of the relays attached to it. All in all, to fix the problem my mechanic tells me I'm looking at around £350.
Coupled with this problem is that fact that I need the timing belt changed, since I'm up at 78,000 miles. However, with a combined cost of both of these issues reaching up towards £650 on an eight-year-old car, I'm having to think about my options.
I previously had a great experience buying a different type of spare part from a scrappage company (via The Citroen Parts Gateway). That was only a seatbelt, but one of its affiliates, Just Peugeot Citroen, has a "power steering unit" available for the Saxo Desire for £69. Of course, I'm going to ring them to check on the exact nature of the part their selling, but in your experience, would this be something worth doing?
Because of the overall cost, in some ways I am tempted simply to not have anything fixed on it (steering or timing belt), and ride the car out as best as I can before I inevitably have to change it - something which I am loathed to do right now.
I am told that the lack of power steering is not dangerous but merely an inconvenience, and to be honest, I am leaning towards preferring to have the money in my hand, rather than dishing it out in the hope that I can get another 2-3 years out of the car.
Apologies if this post is rather disjointed, but I hope someone out there may be able to offer a little advice.
Regards,
evh