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Shock and Strut Replacement -- Cheap, OEM, or Upgrade?

188 messages,  Last post on Mar 19, 2013 at 7:51 AM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Performance Mods, Suspension

This forum is to discuss shock/strut problems and how to best deal with what is becoming a rather expensive replacement item on cars approaching 60K-80K miles. Are products sold by chain stores just too cheesy to give decent performance? Is it worth upgrading shocks and struts if you are a more or less docile driver? Is OEM a rip-off for what you get?
 
Let's hear your ideas and experiences.

Messages Page 19 of 20

#177 of 188 Re: Shocking [bottgers] by rossewage

Jan 12, 2012 (4:51 pm)

Replying to: bottgers (Nov 21, 2005 6:29 am)
Back in l982, I took my '78 Dodge Aspen wagon to Midas to have new brake pads installed. they called me to say the brake hoses were rotted and by the time I got out of there, the bill was 325.00...expensive for l982 since that was about my week's salary at the time. needless to say, I have never gone back to Midas since then. I have found places like Meineke much more reasonable and without the Midas mentality of trying to upsell you on stuff you don't need.

#178 of 188 Wide Price Difference by alchip

Jun 13, 2012 (4:01 am)

Recently, I bought new struts and shocks for our 2006 Chevy Uplander with 167,500 miles from a local parts dealer. I was shocked at the price difference in buying the parts first, then bringing them to my local mechanic versus just going to the local tire shop. The whole job to replace both front struts and the rear shocks was about $ 850. The local tire shops wanted $ 1,375. The replaced parts were original and held up well, but I'm really looking forward to using my new Monroe SensaTracs. We're trying to make it to 250,000 miles. May need to replace the sway bar next.

#179 of 188 Re: Wide Price Difference [alchip] by obyone

Jun 13, 2012 (11:19 am)

Replying to: alchip (Jun 13, 2012 4:01 am)
No kidding on the wide pricing difference. I went to shockwarehouse.com and found the complete replacement cost for replacing both front and rear to be around $240.00 for monroe sensatrac.
 
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/index.cfm?mode=results&selected_model=223652&selec- - ted_year=2006
 
If you have the rear air shocks, that would increase your cost by $70 to $310. Where did you buy those replacements anyway?
 
And why would you need to replace the rear sway bar? Barring a catastrophic collision, the sway bar should last the life of the vehicle. Now the bushings may be another story.

#180 of 188 Re: Wide Price Difference [obyone] by alchip

Jun 14, 2012 (7:12 am)

Replying to: obyone (Jun 13, 2012 11:19 am)
The replacements were purchased at Advance Auto Parts, on-line. They had a May special (15% off) with a $ 50 off coupon later if I spend another $ 100. I believe the sway bar to be replaced next is in the front which retails for about $ 50. I've had 2 different shops tell me it's time for the sway bar to be done. I must admit, replacing these items is beyond my facilities. I just don't have the bay and tools so I have to trust that others are telling me the truth. So I go for the multi-opinion approach on whether something needs to be done. Thanks for the idea about the bushings. I'll look for that next.

#181 of 188 Re: Wide Price Difference [alchip] by srs_49

Jun 14, 2012 (10:22 am)

Replying to: alchip (Jun 14, 2012 7:12 am)
I agree with obyone about the sway bar. It's just a thick metal bar that twists slightly when the vehicle leans, and really doesn't have a wear out mechanism, short of a total failure (breakage). The bushings are another matter, and it's fairly common for them to wear (that's what the sway bar twists inside of) and have to be replaced.

#182 of 188 Re: Wide Price Difference [srs_49] by alchip

Jun 14, 2012 (7:10 pm)

Replying to: srs_49 (Jun 14, 2012 10:22 am)
Thanks again for the advice. Again, as I mention, I really have not had the pleasure of lifting our vehicle up on a hoist and checking it out myself. What would be really neat is if Edmunds could have videos by make, model and year of vehicle, along with how to do things like replace bushings. I've checked out some You Tube videos on auto repair but they are almost all not applicable to my vehicle.

#183 of 188 Just the struts or whole suspensions by azfar

Mar 18, 2013 (1:33 pm)

I have 2004 civic with 160 k's on it. my ride is very stiff i can feel every single peeble under my tire im thinking to soften my car up. i have got checked my cars tire and suspension and theres nuthing wrong with them except that they may be worn out. now my concern is shuld i jus replace the struts or shuld i got for whole suspensions? would i be able to get some smoothness just by replacing struts ?

#184 of 188 Re: Just the struts or whole suspensions [azfar] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 18, 2013 (3:34 pm)

Replying to: azfar (Mar 18, 2013 1:33 pm)
That depends on the quality of the struts you buy--what you want is a compliant strut, a "touring" grade, not a "sport" strut. Probably for your car KYB is a brand to shop. Bilsteins are oustanding, but very expensive.
 
If the struts don't do it for you, you can install softer springs and even a smaller sway bar.

#185 of 188 Re: Just the struts or whole suspensions [Mr_Shiftright] by azfar

Mar 18, 2013 (5:39 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 18, 2013 3:34 pm)
how are monroe sensa tracs for that purpose ?

#186 of 188 Re: Just the struts or whole suspensions [azfar] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 18, 2013 (8:38 pm)

Replying to: azfar (Mar 18, 2013 5:39 pm)
yeah they'd be okay as a replacement for the factory shock, although I'm not so sure you'd get the same mileage out of them.

Messages Page 19 of 20

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