Prices?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Prices? Hey, I got an estimate of $450 from a shop to replace just the front shocks. Now, mind you that's me suppling the shocks and they doing only the labor. Does this sound like a fair price?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
What shocks? If they are adjustable spring perches some place charge more. Are they aligning it also?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
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From: Orlando, FL
Anyhow, they are blistiens
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Dallas, TX
While it is a bit of work I wouldn't pay someone that much to do it. If you have a good set of tools you can do it yourself w/ a spring compressor.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Believe me if I had the tools I'd do it myself but I'd still have to pay someone to do an alignment.
I already saved some bucks by doing the rear shocks myself.
So you think $450 including an alignment is a bit too much?
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Yeah that's too much. You don't need any crazy special tools other than spring compressers. You could take out the coilover assembly and bring it to the shop and just have them swap the spring on and off for you.
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On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
What would be a fair price for this sort of service with an alignment?
12 Second Club
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 112
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From: SW Kansas
I got a quote a couple of weeks ago from an alignment shop and they said it would be about $240 to install front konis and an alignment. $450 is way to much. I'd shop around and see what some other shops charge. Stealerships are going to be more expensive most of the time.
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 192
Likes: 13
From: Glen Rock, PA
Seems about right. Mitchel shoes 3.2 hours for the front shocks and 1.2 hours for the alignment.
We charge 88 an hour, which around here is normally a little cheaper than the ships, so at 4.4 hours times 88 your looking at 387.20.
Labor not taxable but then youve got shop fees, ours are capped at 30 bucks, so if you came to me and i wrote it up like a dealership normally does (no alignment package, just the labor rate) you'd pay 417.20.
450 seems about normal for a ship.
now Id reccomend going to a different shop though where you could get a warranty on your alignment and itd probably be cheaper, I know firestone does lifetime alignments, (so you never have to pay for one again on the TA).
But if you have basic mechanical skills and tools, Id pull the whole assembly myself, run it to a shop that has a spring compressor, have them throw the new shocks on for like 40 bucks (thats what I charge), and then afterwards run it up to them for an alignment, and save a whole mess of money.
We charge 88 an hour, which around here is normally a little cheaper than the ships, so at 4.4 hours times 88 your looking at 387.20.
Labor not taxable but then youve got shop fees, ours are capped at 30 bucks, so if you came to me and i wrote it up like a dealership normally does (no alignment package, just the labor rate) you'd pay 417.20.
450 seems about normal for a ship.
now Id reccomend going to a different shop though where you could get a warranty on your alignment and itd probably be cheaper, I know firestone does lifetime alignments, (so you never have to pay for one again on the TA).
But if you have basic mechanical skills and tools, Id pull the whole assembly myself, run it to a shop that has a spring compressor, have them throw the new shocks on for like 40 bucks (thats what I charge), and then afterwards run it up to them for an alignment, and save a whole mess of money.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Thanks, I was wondering what the hours said in a Chilton or Mitchell?
So, I guess it's not too bad a deal given it's a dealership quote? Yea, I could do it myself I just don't have the time to mess with it. Plus I need to get the pinion seal replaced and that's another thing I really don't have time to mess with.
So, I guess it's not too bad a deal given it's a dealership quote? Yea, I could do it myself I just don't have the time to mess with it. Plus I need to get the pinion seal replaced and that's another thing I really don't have time to mess with.
Seems about right. Mitchel shoes 3.2 hours for the front shocks and 1.2 hours for the alignment.
We charge 88 an hour, which around here is normally a little cheaper than the ships, so at 4.4 hours times 88 your looking at 387.20.
Labor not taxable but then youve got shop fees, ours are capped at 30 bucks, so if you came to me and i wrote it up like a dealership normally does (no alignment package, just the labor rate) you'd pay 417.20.
450 seems about normal for a ship.
now Id reccomend going to a different shop though where you could get a warranty on your alignment and itd probably be cheaper, I know firestone does lifetime alignments, (so you never have to pay for one again on the TA).
But if you have basic mechanical skills and tools, Id pull the whole assembly myself, run it to a shop that has a spring compressor, have them throw the new shocks on for like 40 bucks (thats what I charge), and then afterwards run it up to them for an alignment, and save a whole mess of money.
We charge 88 an hour, which around here is normally a little cheaper than the ships, so at 4.4 hours times 88 your looking at 387.20.
Labor not taxable but then youve got shop fees, ours are capped at 30 bucks, so if you came to me and i wrote it up like a dealership normally does (no alignment package, just the labor rate) you'd pay 417.20.
450 seems about normal for a ship.
now Id reccomend going to a different shop though where you could get a warranty on your alignment and itd probably be cheaper, I know firestone does lifetime alignments, (so you never have to pay for one again on the TA).
But if you have basic mechanical skills and tools, Id pull the whole assembly myself, run it to a shop that has a spring compressor, have them throw the new shocks on for like 40 bucks (thats what I charge), and then afterwards run it up to them for an alignment, and save a whole mess of money.
That sounds like a lot of money to me.Of course that why they call them the stealership.Any body that has done our cars can do a shock install on one side in app:30 to 45minutes(ish) if he doesn't have any problems.That's what my front end guy and Strano told me on the front install for koni's and how ever long it takes for the front alignment.I was told about an hour or less for the alignment.It all depends on how sharp the guy is and if he has any problems.Look around and get some other estimates.
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
30 to 40 minutes?!
Your crazy. I mean really think whats involved. Sure 3.2 may be a strectch but they have ways of coming about labor quides, average time between a new tech, mid level tech and high level tech. I know my way around the front end of a F-body and have done a few front shock swaps, but there is NO way I could have it done in 30 minutes or close to it, and if I did I wouldnt be confident at all in my work.
If you took your Fbody in for front shocks and in 30 minutes the handed you back your keys, do you really think youd feel like the job was done properly.
**** a proper oil change with a rotation and thorough inspection almost takes half an hour.
Your crazy. I mean really think whats involved. Sure 3.2 may be a strectch but they have ways of coming about labor quides, average time between a new tech, mid level tech and high level tech. I know my way around the front end of a F-body and have done a few front shock swaps, but there is NO way I could have it done in 30 minutes or close to it, and if I did I wouldnt be confident at all in my work.
If you took your Fbody in for front shocks and in 30 minutes the handed you back your keys, do you really think youd feel like the job was done properly.
**** a proper oil change with a rotation and thorough inspection almost takes half an hour.
No my mechanic couldn't do it in a total of 30 minutes and hand me the keys.Strano and my front end guy said about 30 -45 minutes a side.I watched him do it and it took him about 45 minutes ish per side and a little over an hour for the alignment.He also had no trouble with the install,but this guy is the best.My friends car was a bitch because everything was rusted so it took longer.I should be done in about 3 hours or less if there are no problems.But like I said my front end guy is the best.
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
No my mechanic couldn't do it in a total of 30 minutes and hand me the keys.Strano and my front end guy said about 30 -45 minutes a side.I watched him do it and it took him about 45 minutes ish per side and a little over an hour for the alignment.He also had no trouble with the install,but this guy is the best.My friends car was a bitch because everything was rusted so it took longer.I should be done in about 3 hours or less if there are no problems.But like I said my front end guy is the best.
Second, it takes like 5-10 minutes to get your car onto jack stand safely, so I'm not sure how anyone could remove and reinstall spring/shocks in 20-30 minutes. If anyone could do that, I would certainly buy ANOTHER set of Koni's and watch them fail.
I was wrong after thinking about this.I was quoted about 45 min. to 1 hour per side for the shock install by Stranos mom and my front end guy + the alignment time.He did mine about a year and a half to two years ago.They said if a guy is good and he doesn't have any trouble.It took him about 3 and a half hours from what I remember it but every job is different.My point was that $450.00 seems a
lot to me.
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
lot to me.
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
Last edited by transwiz; Sep 2, 2009 at 08:55 PM.
I was wrong after thinking about this.I was quoted about 45 min. to 1 hour per side for the shock install by Stranos mom and my front end guy + the alignment time.He did mine about a year and a half to two years ago.They said if a guy is good and he doesn't have any trouble.It took him about 3 and a half hours from what I remember it but every job is different.My point was that $450.00 seems a
lot to me.
_________________________
2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
lot to me.
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2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
jack up your front end remove the shock spring as a whole and take those and your new front shocks to a local hibdons or big o and slip the tech a 50 and make sure you mark the top mount so the shock gets clocked right when he puts it in. then take home and put back on.