Front Control Arm Bushings

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I’ve got a 2007 Suzuki SX4 - and - I’ve got some front control arm bushings that, I’ve been told by I think 3 different (reputable) mechanics that they need replacing.

Rather than just blindly post (like I usually do… LOL), I took the time to read some other threads here in the past. And… one thing that came up… is that surface tears are common. I was told mine have tears. But I don’t know how deep. The thing is this… they’ve needed replacement for at least two or three years now. This is a vehicle with almost 213k on it… so… as they say, these things happen. But, the tears I have in mine could be pretty deep by now. I’m just not exactly sure.

Unfortunately, the ONLY way I can afford to do this right now, is with a “Car Care” credit card I got at a local national chain shop… and… I know I know I know I know… (you don’t have to tell me…)… for what it’s worth, this one location gets GREAT reviews and has a well-seasoned staff (20+ years experience).

From reading the comments… all I can say is this… I have had SOME trouble getting it aligned properly. And I’m about 31k miles into a set of tires. I was told by one mechanic that it is NOT life-threatening, but obviously… it does affect how the tires meet the road.

Here’s the question. If I do this repair… that’s gonna max out the rest of the available credit I have on this card (I had to use half of the credit to get front wheel bearings done recently).

Should I go ahead with the Front Control Arm Bushings… or save my available credit for a rainy day (when I might need it for an emergency).

The terms are 6 months same as cash… so… hopefully I’ll be able to pay it off later without a hitch. Not the way I want to go… but the only avenue available to me right this moment.

2

By waiting your tires will probably wear faster. That is money wasted. And if you live where the roads get slippery, you may have control problems. That would be the safety issue.

3

A Suzuki with 214,000 miles. Is this car really worth the repair given your financial circumstances? You’ve let it go this long, it can probably last until this thing stops running which may be relatively soon. Normally I don’t write things like this but the car is worth nearly zero. Since Suzuki is out of the US market (assuming you are in the US) parts will be more and more difficult to find. Maybe you can save those payments for a newer car.

4

Cracks mean nothing, it is only if the bushings are worn enough to let the control arms move around that they need replacing. The trouble is, we can’t tell from here and you don’t know. You can ask a tech to show you the movement but you probably still won’t know.

Given the value of the car and the state of your pocketbook, I wouldn’t do this repair unless you feel the car handling squirrely.