I need help in knowing what problem I have with the car and roughly how much it would cost?

Tiny
LEWG13
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 FORD FOCUS
  • 70,000 MILES
I drove into a kerb and took it to an auto centre where they looked at the car.
They told me the front drivers tyre looks to have been driving flat. Alloy wheels are also cracked and buckled. Dangerous to drive. Front passenger tyre worn on inner edge. Advised to be taken to body shop and checked on jig laser alignment tool.
What would be the worse problem I will have with the car. How much would it roughly cost?
Saturday, November 16th, 2013 AT 4:54 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,741 POSTS
You know we can't see it or inspect the damage over a computer. Body shops are set up to do that and give you an estimate.

Ford front-wheel-drive cars have always had very poorly designed suspension systems that are known for terrible tire wear. The wear on the inside edge is proof of that. That doesn't occur from hitting something. That occurs over many miles of driving with the wheels that can't be adjusted for proper alignment. Ford builds their cars to run on the edges of the tires so they ride smoother than other brands and models. That's how they sell a lot of them.

You may need to start with a tire and alignment shop. They will inspect the steering and suspension system components first, then look for the cause of anything that is preventing the alignment from being set as good as possible. If there's sheet metal damage, you'll be referred to a body shop. Those people know how to measure between specific points to determine what needs to be pulled back to where it should be, then the car will need to be aligned. I've been watching a friend run a frame straightening rack, and fixing your car is no big deal to those guys in the body shops.

Independent alignment shops have a lot of aftermarket parts available to improve the alignment over what the car came with from the factory. Even when there hasn't been any damage, Ford products should be inspected at least once per year. They have more trouble with steering and suspension parts separating leading to loss of control and crashes than all other manufacturers combined. You also never want to ignore a clunk or rattle. Some causes are not particularly serious, but some can send you into the ditch or oncoming traffic.
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Saturday, November 16th, 2013 AT 12:29 PM

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