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Car question... need advice.

Mayfriday0529

Diamond Member
my car needs work on both the shocks and struts. What should i do first? front or back first?
I'm not very car savvy just computer savvy.

The NY state car inspection is due in May and I know my car probably will not pass on those two things. They told me that last year and still haven't got it done.

The estimate was $500 for each so about $1000.
 
I thought shock and strut were interchangeable terms. I've never heard of anyone just changing 2 shocks, but if you had to pick, I would say do the front first. Also I'm not sure if the condition of your shocks are any concern to the inspection guys...I believe they're more interested things like working lights, wiper blades, and emission levels.
 
Originally posted by: mitaiwan82
I thought shock and strut were interchangeable terms. I've never heard of anyone just changing 2 shocks, but if you had to pick, I would say do the front first. Also I'm not sure if the condition of your shocks are any concern to the inspection guys...I believe they're more interested things like working lights, wiper blades, and emission levels.

thats what i thought too.. didn't know they even tested your shocks/struts
 
Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Do it yourself

I don't do car repairs. I don't have the space or equipment to lift the car. Plus its cold outside...

then take it do the person who you would have do the work and ask them

/end thread
 
Originally posted by: TheGizmo
Originally posted by: mitaiwan82
I thought shock and strut were interchangeable terms. I've never heard of anyone just changing 2 shocks, but if you had to pick, I would say do the front first. Also I'm not sure if the condition of your shocks are any concern to the inspection guys...I believe they're more interested things like working lights, wiper blades, and emission levels.

thats what i thought too.. didn't know they even tested your shocks/struts

that's why i'm asking. I'm not too familiar with car stuff.
I guess if both parts are together then the question is whether to do front or back first since I might not have the $$ to do both right away, but maybe within a couple weeks of each other.

I found this website stating what its checked besides the emmisions test for NY state. NY state requirements
 
What is year make and model. $1000 is way to high for 99% of cars out there that have front struts and rear shocks.

And why would that cause your inspection to fail? I did car inspections in NC and unless they were dangling off the car that would not cause it to fail.
 
$500 each?!?!?!? Are they laced in drugs or give you a hummer while going down the road???? What they hell kind of car do you own that the shocks are $500 to install, I could see maybe the struts depending on the car for there would be an alignment involved but shocks WTMF are they MF'N smoking and putting up your ass for $500???????

Were talking one top ****** nut and 2 lower bolts, and $30 pair of shocks, one top nut back on, 2 bottom bolts back on done, no alignment needed, no lube, no pole smoking, WTF WTF WTF WTF WTMF $500, drive down to my house, we will go buy you your shocks, HELL we will even spend big bucks and go all out on the good sh!t and spend $80 on the pair, I will let you use my garage, my tool, I will show you want to do, and between the gas you used to drive here, and the shocks you bought, will save you $300.

And now on the struts, Maybe, maybe $75 a pop or even a pair if your no picky, if your lucky you have a car that all they have to do it take them out of the housing and put them back in, put them back on your car, a $79 alignment, and your done, labor about 2 hours max at $75 so around $375-$450~.

All I have to really say is shop around, who every you went to is blowing smoke straight up your ass if they want to charge you $500 to put some rear shocks on, and if money is tight, get the second, or third opinion, and get the rears first because they are the esiest, and cheapest ones to do, except where you took your car and got a estimate of $500 per side, ****** insane.
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
What is year make and model. $1000 is way to high for 99% of cars out there that have front struts and rear shocks.

And why would that cause your inspection to fail? I did car inspections in NC and unless they were dangling off the car that would not cause it to fail.

2002 Nissan Sentra with 106,000 miles. I never done shocks/struts service on it. Bought the car used with 50,000 miles.

I guess i'm not completely sure if the car would fail inspection, but I was advice last year in May that shocks/struts should be done on the car. Now while driving i really feel the bumps on the road. I think i should get it done anyways.
I did my inspection at Meineke last year, their quote was about $400-500 for front and the same for back. They said it would take a day for each.

This is why i'm here for your advice...
If someone asked me if going to bestbuy and spend $80 dollars to install RAM was a good deal i got insane... but with cars i'm a dummy.
 
OH and why are they bad btw, who says they are bad?? Please dont tell me the same people who gave you the $1000 estimate 😛

Are they leaking, they dont have a damn thing to do with ride height, have they/you done the bounce test to see if they indeed need to be replaced? Dont know the bounce test? Its simple. Because most shocks are gas filled then oil filled, this is the only way of knowing really what shape your shocks/struts are, unless your going down the highway and someone yells at you saying your tire is bouncing up and down as your going down the road. Im sure everyone see a car or two doing this going down the highway, hit a bump and the tire actually gets airborne and keeps bouncing like a basketball being dribbled.

Put a knee on the front right on the car, put your weight into it and start to bounce the car up and down using your weight and your knee a few times, then get off the car, it should bounce no more then one more time on its own and level out. Do this for the other 3 corners of the car. If it bounces more then one time before leveling, dont be a pussy at this either, I mean bounce the piss out of the damn car 😉, then they are weak, or gone all together. If not leave well enough alone, and go spend the $1000 on beer and hookers, or send me a few bucks for saving your ass $1000 🙂

I should say when it levels out: It bounces one more time slightly lower then when you were doing it, then 2-3 more tiny up and down up and down bounces and thats it. This would be considered normal and a good working shock/strut, no alarm to have to go buy new ones.

If it just bounces up and down several times, one slightly lower then the next 5-6 times or even more, they are bad.

I hope this helps you, and I hope to god you never go back to who ever gave you that $1000 estimate, that really is way out there.
 
Good god man ... I had all 4 struts replaced in my old Volvo 850GLT with top of the line Bilstein gas models for a little over half that price!
 
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