It goes against the maker spirit, but after watching some videos, and knowing my limits, I don’t feel like tackling the job of replacing the struts/shocks on all four corners of my 2005 Mazda3. My usual place for getting stuff fixed came back with an estimate that Teh Internets tell me is way high, so I’m looking for another recommendation. Thanks!
I tend to work with 2 groups when it comes to automotive work.
Honest 1 in Castle Hills
Great shop owned by two women, Robin and Kimera. They really go the extra mile and if you want to wait on the work they have a super comfy area to wait with nice drinks and snacks. Or, if your not to far away they will drop you off and pick you up when the work is done. I think they also just bought 3 loaner cars as well.
If you want a shop that is good next to the space,
Dennis Road Automotive
This shop was suggested to me by my transmission guy Phil. They came through for me last year and knocked out some major front suspension and brake work for me the day before I headed out on my trip to PGI in La Porte, Indiana. Great shop, but don’t expect pick up service or a spot to wait.
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Check Hamm’s Automotive in Lewisville.
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This is one of the best shops I’ve ever worked with. They’re on Garland Ave in East Dallas.
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And if you are in/close to far North East DFW (Plano, Allen, McKinney, Richardson, Lucas, etc.), then I’d suggest EBA Automotive Repair. They did a near impossible job for me last year, right the first time. I’d go back in a heartbeat…
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I’d suggest you re- think this - and tackle it at the space.
You can go the route where you re-use your springs (more work but if it were my car I’d opt to keep the made in Japan springs(germany in my case) vs the made “who knows where” (that was to make Luke happier).
Or - you may opt for already assembled shocks and springs (yes, a strut is a shock absorber) and then it is more like plug and play.
I always emphasize quality over price - but it is your car - your choice.
Make it an evening - and I will help you.
My guess is F&R installed at a typical shop is around $1000-1200 plus and alignment (as long as they are not electronically controlled or pneumatic-i.e. air shocks)
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I was just on rockauto-aND they carry KYB preassembled shocks/struts for your Maz3
They are not the cheapest…but KYB has been a factory shock supplier to many many Asian cars and trucks for decades. Other brands like Moog & Monroe have never been a factory supplier to any imported car.
If you “do it yourself” you know exactly what you are getting for your money…not something that happens all too often at places like Firestone, Goodyear, Christian Brothers, Midas, etc.
KYB carries a life time warranty that you will never need under everyday driving.
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Hi Tom,
Thank you very, very much for the kind offer. I really do appreciate it. I had considered doing it at the space but was gently reminded that every time I tackle anything bigger than an oil change it either spirals out into a week-long quest to fix anything and everything I see that may need fixing within the next 100,000 miles, or I injure myself, or I break something on the car even more expensive than what I’m trying to fix. And sometimes all three. And usually it hails while the one car is taking up the entire garage and the other(s) are parked outside.
For the sake of my marriage, I’m gonna let the pros handle this one and stick to oil changes and the occasional tire plugging.
Thanks,
James
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Mr. Moose is ASE certified. His driveway rate is $50 hr.
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Haha depends on the job. If he has to drag his whole box to a driveway he’s going to grumble and charge mileage. It’s all charged in book time so honestly he makes plenty…now if I wanted to watch he’d probably charge extra because I ask lots of dumb questions that kills ze mood lol.
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James,
Shocks and struts on your car are not that difficult. I would suggest planning on sway bar links at the same time.
I am curious - what have you received for prices so far?
A good time frame would be about 3- 5 hours for the work - if you go with the pre assembled ones(KYB).
(I used to turn wrenches for a living - call me an ex pro (before there it was called “ASE”)
The first quote I got was just north of $1200 for KYB shocks/struts. Using quick-shocks or whatever they’re called in the front. Includes alignment. Seemed a bit steep to me from what I’ve gathered in various Mazda forums. I’m on the phone pretty much all day today but plan on calling for some more ballpark quotes in the next day or two.
For $600 I’d install KYBs, and do toe only align per linear line of sight (yes its possible, no not as accurate as laser). I did on my car, you should see how little wear are on the tires after 10k miles. If camber/caster good, and they should be unless of incident or egregiously bad replacement part fitment, toe would problably do it. But with extra change, I would think alignment at a shop would be an easy thing. I was going to do that myself, but after how straight and true my car ran after installation, I opted to skip it.
It would take me about 1 week to get the KYBs, and I would need ~$350 CC deposit to order parts. I have card reader linked to my business account. It would take me a day to put in the shocks once they arrived.
Give it some thought. I’d welcome the chance to help a fellow maker.
the KYB quick struts are about $120 each
add labour to that and an inflated retail price and $1200 is “normal” retail.
Rears are $40 each
I can source them locally(plano) from my wholesale distributor for the same cost as Rock Auto - so you can avoid the shipping costs (but you do have to pay sales tax).
For $320 in shocks - $800 is a fair amount of money to spend on other things in trade for some hands on sweat equity.
Oh, deposit can also be local bank check, really any payment method that makes you comfortable. I just wanted you to know CC was an option as well as I have a reader.
James
If you opt to do it yourself - you may pick up/pay for(in person) the shocks from my wholesaler in Plano.
I’ve sent a few Space Members over there for parts, no biggie.
Oops, didn’t mean to go all public with numbers and all. Been staring at screen too long.
Yeah, it looks to be surprisingly cheap to put hands on KYBs. And I would be happy to help, you know, do something strange for some change…like install some shocks.
Now that I am out there with it, @TLAR I have seen probably the same prices you are looking at. I do prefer the ones with springs loaded, but it appears that’s only happening in the front, and at a nice step up in cost. The back are shocks, not struts.
BTW, my Mazda has new sway bars, and yes new sways could be done on Mazda 3. My price was for shocks/struts, and was actually planning to press the springs since it appears that the cheap option for KYBs is to do it this way. If we want to swap out springs and sways, and/or anything else, I think it makes sense to know this information as it will affect costs involved.
So may we inquire as to plans as far as springs, sway bars, or any bushings/bearings that also need replacement? Its a good time to do these things once things are pulled apart. It may make sense to get a good look at condition of items up on DMS lift. The condition of bellows and mounts should be looked at in the case where we are hoping to reuse as much as possible. My mazda was an 01 and I wound up replacing most suspension parts in that car. But it had been abused/negelcted. Even so, there are a few bushings, some on control arms even that are still on there today, just didn’t need replacing.
My price for jswilson64 was for already assembled front shocks (strut /shock) with mounts and springs - that is a complete assembly for his application. The rears are usually very simple and straight forward.
There is no need to ever replace a “sway bar” for normal street driving. The end links occasionally yes.
Semaphore - I clearly remember helping you on your Lexus that weekend at the space when you couldn’t get the control arm to line up to install the bolts…