My 2005 Vectra C estate was diagnosed with both front coil springs broken, as there was a clunking/twanging like noise when the steering was turned from one way to the other. Both springs were subsequently replaced..... the result? Clunking/twanging noise still there and no other discernable effect. I too had not noticed any effect on the ride or handling at all whilst the springs were broken... or after they were replaced. I feel that I've been ripped off.... need to find a better garage methinks!!

This is becoming much more common across all makes. I suspect sleeping policemen and the ongoing deterioration of British road surfaces plays a part.

HJ has mentioned on numerous occasions that modern coil springs manufactured in Europe are prone to failure because of the way they are made, the ends of the springs not being finished off properly allowing corrosion to take place. Knowing this I was not very surprised when I was told mine had broken but you're right, a contributory factor has to be the state of the roads and here in rural West Wales they are particularly bad. They were in poor condition before the winter we've just endured, now they are even worse and even taking extreme care it is all too easy on a narrow lane that's streaming with water to crash into a pot hole that was invisible. The thing is that it costs about £70 to repair a single pot hole , or so I'm told. We've got hundreds, possibly thousands, and the council aren't going to spend the sort of money entailed in bottoming that problem on roads that carry as comparitively little traffic as do our local lanes so we're stuck with the problem. The upside is that it's more than worth the cost of a couple of broken springs or the odd damaged tyre to live in such a beautiful and peaceful place.