Front suspension tie bar ball joints

Failed the MOT on split ball joint dust covers and decided to replace the whole ball joint as it looked an easy job and the ball joints were less than £30 the pair (Flea bay).
Got the new joints and gave them and the car to the local garage to fit. 4 hour labour later it was done.... 4 hours! The job should take 2 at the most but apparently on my model 2003 the ball joint rivets that have to be removed are made of high tensile steel - possibly work-hardening stainless - the earlier ones are normal mild steel (I am told).
It would have worked out cheaper to buy the whole tie bar complete with ball joint.
It would have been even cheaper if I had just had new dust covers as the ball joints were still OK even at 108,000 miles. Split ball joint dust covers have come in as part of the new MOT rules this year (section 2.4.G.2).
Just a word of caution to anybody with ball joint problems - check that you can drill out the old rivets before going down that route.

Thanks..........

should not have taken more than 30 mins each had they got the drill going backwards my son-inlaws dad did a simular thing trying to drill into a brick with the drill going backwards (in reverse) and was at it for half a hour until I realised what he was doing

Just done my own on a 2001 freelander 35 mins, removed bottom wishbone took the grinder to the rivet heads and punched them out.