[Musikmann]

My RF strut is leaking and my LR shock is too. My shop, run by Mopar trained techs, is trying to sell me on some EZ Struts and NAPA shocks. Quote was about $1000 for the job. They said the car will not pass the state safety inspection the way it is and I have until 6/30/13 to do something.

Obviously, it is a bad idea to put $1000 into a $2000 car (1994 Acclaim w/185k). I checked with a dealer and OEM shocks and struts-only are about $300 in parts.

Question: Would you guys try to find salvage yard parts (the way I am leaning) or take a chance by buying the OEM parts and pay them more labor for disassembly of the strut assemblies?

I have been told by a dealer parts rep that some of the rubber might disintegrate when they are disassembling the struts and I'll end up buying more parts anyway, providing they are available from Chrysler. Further, he said the price I was quoted is "reasonable".

Thanks in advance,

Musikmann

 

[Musikmann]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I neglected to mention the quoted labor/parts prices which follow:

Strut - Sensa-Trac @ $327.38 ea

Shock - NAPA Response - Rear @ $44.70 ea

Labor: $88.72

Total: $904.05 including sales tax

 

[Musikmann]

Thanks for the additional information guys. I know another tech who can do this work and no doubt for much less. A friend of mine is the manager of an Advanced Auto and he can get me the parts. An alignment was mentioned and Starfire_MK2 was correct, that will add more money to the total job. I'll look into the ball joints and tie rod ends. I got a quote from Goodyear, also high, and they recommended tie rod ends.

 

[Musikmann]

Chuzz, I just looked at the Advance website and their Monroe quick struts (the only ones they offer for a 1994 Acclaim) are considerably higher than those I found at Rock Auto. I'm talking $190 vs. $110 at RA for Monroes. Heck the most expensive Moogs were $140 if I remember correctly.

I just logged on here to ask for brand and supplier suggestions. Someone earlier mentioned Rock so I mainly wanted to ask about brands. Rock had 3 brands of quick strurs and a number of shocks for the rear.

I might look at a couple more places but so far, I am sold on Rock Auto. Thanks for the feedback.

Labor for this job is at least 2 1/2 hours, so they are burying it in the parts cost. But $35-$40 each for decent shocks is typical now. And quick struts, if available (they never made them for the Daytona) include new springs, seats, bellows, strut bearing, so $400 for a pair is normal. I paid a dealer $1000 for front strut assembly replacement (all parts) back around 2007 in my last car. The bottom strut bolts wouldn't budge, I broke a socket on them. So I had to have the job done.

Bob, the NAPA garage where I got that quote (Chrysler trained techs at my dealer that is now closed so that's why I have been using them). They want $327 EACH for the quick struts, whatever brand those are.

I'm glad I asked you guys on here because the one guy is trying to rip me off. The partner Dewey is more fair but was otherwise occupied when the other partner Tom prepared the quote. I think Dewey might have had some other ideas.

 

[Musikmann]

My original alternator went out. Dewey's brother works for a slavage yard and found me a Denso from a 1998 Voyager that is still working, it's been over a year on that. So that is the main reason I was thinking about used parts. At the moment I don't know if this yard will have compatible parts but I'm at least going to ask about it.

 

[Musikmann]

Did quite a bit of price shopping with all the usual suspects. I found Rock Auto was the most reasonable on the quick struts @ $104.79 each for Raybestos. The tech told me I needed inner tie rods and ordered the same brand in those @ $19.01 each. They had less expensive ones but these were on close out and both struts and tie rods were professional grade. I like to match things as close as possible.

Now I still need rear shocks but I don't see that Raybestos makes them. As I mentioned earlier, I can still get MOPAR shocks through the former Dodge dealer. If I remember those were only about $35 each.

If not MOPAR which brand would you guys go with? I just want to get the closest match with the Raybestos front end.

 

[Musikmann]

I went ahead and ordered the Mopar rear shocks @ $35.00 each. They are the firmer variety, the regular ride are no longer available. This might turn out to be a mis-match but the parts guy said they should be fine.

 

[Musikmann]

Monroe or KYB are both good brands. I stay away from Gabriel after their shocks rotted out completely in 4 years (I could crush the body of them with my hand); and their front struts were defective.

Rock Auto had Raybestos (least expensive @ $104.79), Monroe ($114.89) and Moog ($140-something). I saw Gabriels on the Autozone site @ $165.99 ea and now I'm glad I didn't choose those. A couple places had KYB too but those were more money than the Raybestos. I hope I didn't makes a mistake in going for the cheapest on these things.


AllThumbs, I already have $250 in front end parts alone and I don't know what the labor charge is going to be. Since I spent another $70 on the rears I'll probably be into this job for about $400 plus the alignment.

 

[Musikmann]

Thanks for the tips B10alia.

I already have all the parts from Rock Auto, they ship really quickly. The quick struts came yesterday and the blades and tie rod ends today. I ordered these over the weekend so they didn't ship from IL and TX (2 different warehouses) until Monday. Hopefully they are what I ordered and I'll have them installed before my state inspection is due June 30. I'll update this thread after all is said and done.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed.

 

[Musikmann]

Rear Mopar shocks in at former Dodge dealer, will pick up Tuesday after Memorial Day.

 

[Musikmann]

Went to pick up the shocks and the boxes looked too long. They turned out to be air bags and they said either someone slapped the wrong sticker on the boxes or it was a picking error. That happened Tueday and they have been re-ordered.

 

[Musikmann]

Rear shocks in, ready to rock and roll. Just need to set a service appt.