Mitcham Common's open road and the Eastfields side streets
BMW owners in Mitcham tend to drive two quite different kinds of road. The A236 across Mitcham Common is open and quick, and speeds creep up between the junctions. The streets around Eastfields and Vestry Hall are the opposite: terraced, parked on both sides and full of tight turns. A car that does both gets a mix of wear, with tyres and front suspension taking most of it.
BMW front suspension uses a pair of arms on each side, and the rear bush of the thrust arm is a known wear point. Tight manoeuvring, kerb contact while parking and the occasional sharp pothole all work those bushes hard. The first signs are usually a knock over bumps, a shimmy through the steering under braking, or the inside edges of the front tyres wearing faster than the outside. We check for play with the car on the ramp and look at the tyre wear pattern, which often tells the story before the knock becomes obvious.
Tyres themselves are worth a look too. Faster runs across the Common mean the tyres need to be in good order, and many BMWs are on run-flats that cost more to replace. If the wear is uneven we will recommend an alignment check after any suspension work rather than simply fitting new tyres that will go the same way. If a tyre is already close to the legal limit, we will say whether it makes sense to replace it at the same visit. As always, anything beyond the service is explained and put in writing before we touch it.
The route is a simple one. Follow London Road to the Cricket Green, take Cranmer Road, then head south on Carshalton Road across the bridge by Mitcham Junction station. Past Beddington Corner the road becomes London Road into Hackbridge, and we are at Soho Mills. Allow eight minutes or so. Repairs carry our 3-month workmanship warranty, and collection can be arranged.