Is my garage recommending work that they have already done?

[Mr Penguin]

A few months ago I had a problem with my car steering, and the garage recommended that I replace the drivers side ball joint. I said I might as well get both done (the car has done quite a few more miles than a ball joint should last so no reason to think that it didn't need to be done). I was billed for two ball joints plus two hours of labour (I have the invoice in my email with a line for two lower ball joints, based on the part number).

I've taken the car for a service and MOT today and they claim it needs a new near side lower ball joint. I've only done a few thousand miles in the car, so am I right to think that I'm either being ripped off now, or was ripped off before?

[SteBrown91]

just produce the previous bill and see what they say. Could just be a part has prematurely failed.

[HustleRussell]

Lower ball joint and track rod end ball joints are different components entirely.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

they've done the increasingly usual situation of looking at your cars prior MOT history, noting the advisories and then either, looking at those advisories and confirming they are now a fail, or not even bothering to do that, (as in this case) and just saying your ball joint is knackered.

Just tell them you had them replaced last time. They'll soon find something else to fail you on.

[tim1830]

HustleRussell said:

Lower ball joint and track rod end ball joints are different components entirely.

This

[GhostWKD]

tim1830 said:

HustleRussell said:

Lower ball joint and track rod end ball joints are different components entirely.

This

Thirded. Track rod ends were what you did before, lower balljoint is likely in the wishbone