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

158 messages, Last post on Nov 04, 2009 at 7:41 AM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

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.

Outline

Messages Page 2 of 17: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; ...; 17; Prev; Next; Last

#4 of 158 I can understand.... by bottgers Nov 21, 2005 (1:29 pm)
....the higher operating costs, but why on earth would it take a tech 2 hours to replace front struts and 3 hours for the rears? Struts are a pretty simple, straight forward part that's basically just held in place with a bolt at each end. It seems to me it shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes per strut. If that were the case, the price wouldn't be so astronomically high. Replies to this message: alcan (Nov 21, 2005 3:00 pm)
#5 of 158 Re: I can understand.... [bottgers] by alcan Nov 21, 2005 (3:00 pm)
Replying to: bottgers (Nov 21, 2005 1:29 pm) Yoou didn't get a price for removing and reinstalling the strut assemblies, you got the price for replacing the struts. After the strut assembly is removed it has to be installed in a strut compressor and taken apart, then the springs, lower spring insulators and upper mounts transferred to the new struts, and reassembled. After that's done and the struts are re-installed, an alignment is absolutely necessary. And if you can find anybody who can replace struts in 15 minutes, including bringing the car in, hoisting it, removing the old struts and installing the new ones, road testing, parking the car, and processing the paperwork in 15 minutes, then please send me his phone number. I'll hire him in a blink.
#6 of 158 I didn't realize.... by bottgers Nov 22, 2005 (5:17 am)
....there was that much involved with strut replacement, but I still can't see it taking an hour for each front, and an hour and a half to do each rear. At any rate, I really didn't start this discussion to talk about every technical aspect of replacing struts, I'm actually hoping to have people post the places they've found that have the lowest prices for having this done.
#7 of 158 Anyone? by bottgers Nov 24, 2005 (6:44 am)
Am I to believe no one has had their shocks/struts replaced before? Replies to this message: guiermo (Dec 17, 2008 7:31 pm)
#8 of 158 What's it gonna take.... by bottgers Nov 25, 2005 (5:11 pm)
...to generate some interest in this topic?
#9 of 158 one idea by Mr_Shiftright HOST Nov 25, 2005 (6:14 pm)
I think most people like forums that are marque-specific when it comes to discussing repairs unless they are really big ticket/complex components like transmissions. We might try changing the title of the forum, like the one on Brakes...if you'd like.... Shifty the Host
#10 of 158 Sure.... by bottgers Nov 25, 2005 (8:11 pm)
....I'm open to suggestions. Any ideas for a new title? Replies to this message: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 26, 2005 8:37 am)
#11 of 158 Re: Sure.... [bottgers] by Mr_Shiftright HOST Nov 26, 2005 (8:37 am)
Replying to: bottgers (Nov 25, 2005 8:11 pm) Um....what about this? Shock and Strut Replacement: Cheap, OEM, or Upgrade?
#12 of 158 Sounds good to me.... by bottgers Nov 27, 2005 (8:58 am)
....make it happen. Thanks.
#13 of 158 Cost ideas? by roseb Dec 01, 2005 (3:00 pm)
Hello, I recently took my 1993 Volvo 850, into my regular (and to my knowledge trustworthy) shop for an oil change and inspection. I was told that I need strut mount, struts, and rear shocks replaced. Their extimated cost for this was $1,500. Does anyone know if this is within the normal cost range? I'm planning on calling another mechanic and asking for a second estimate, just to make sure. Replies to this message: Mr_Shiftright (Dec 02, 2005 9:34 am) 431dan (Mar 09, 2006 2:04 pm)