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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / August 2007Shocks
My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?) given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments? > My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original > shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not > leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?) > given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments? The ones on my 99 has a good 60K miles on them and they are fine. My guess is that the 40K is sort of like a worst case thing and how worn they get depends on road conditions and all other sort of variables. The smart thing is to have them checked from time to time and if other things require the area being worked perhaps have them changed regardless of condition if they have a lot of miles on them. This strategy of course depends on labor costs vs. parts cost so it may different in the US than over here. Kind regards Bruno > My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original > shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not > leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?) > given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments? The dealer is ignorant about Miatas, not unusual at all. Leakage is not the only mode of failure, nor even a common one. I'll bet they passed someone's bumper bounce test, too. You know better, though...better than to let a dealer mess with the suspension! :-) > The dealer is ignorant about Miatas, not unusual at all. Leakage is not > the only mode of failure, nor even a common one. I'll bet they passed > someone's bumper bounce test, too. You know better, though...better than > to let a dealer mess with the suspension! :-) I replaced a set with 120,000+ miles on them. They were leak-free and they compressed and rebounded, but the new shocks made a huge difference, shocking even..... The new shocks were the KYB adjuatables, but I am sure that even using OEM shocks would make an improvement after 10 years and 100,000 miles. I replaced the shocks on my last Miata at 22,000 miles with Konis and the improvement was very noticeable even at that mileage. I immediately followed that with JR sways, some new RE-71's and the Lanny-alignment and it suddenly became the most controllable car I had ever owned. Pat >> The dealer is ignorant about Miatas, not unusual at all. Leakage is not >> the only mode of failure, nor even a common one. I'll bet they passed [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Pat Given that the dealer wanted $1100 for the job including $123 per shock (now that's shocking) and I can get 4 KYB GR-2's which are probably better than the OEM shocks, for around $210 for all 4 on E-bay, it was an easy decision to wait. > Given that the dealer wanted $1100 for the job including $123 per shock (now > that's shocking) and I can get 4 KYB GR-2's which are probably better than > the OEM shocks, for around $210 for all 4 on E-bay, it was an easy decision > to wait. The $123.00 per shock I can understand, that is why they are the stealership and we are just lucky that there are aftermarket alternatives for Miata shocks. Mazda is lucky that some people insist on OEM parts and don't care what it costs. But $608.00 in labor? Strange that they didn't at least try to hook you, as that is a major dollar amount per hour. The labor rates at your dealership are outrageous, yet they are basically honest. Weird.... Pat >> Given that the dealer wanted $1100 for the job including $123 per shock >> (now that's shocking) and I can get 4 KYB GR-2's which are probably [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Pat $89 per hour. They had no chance to sell me the shock replacement, but they didn't know that. They *are* honest, as far as I can tell. Town North Mazda, Richardson, Texas. They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that they don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time. Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This is in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I listened to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-( > $89 per hour. They had no chance to sell me the shock replacement, but they > didn't know that. They *are* honest, as far as I can tell. Town North > Mazda, Richardson, Texas. Wow, $89.00 per hour for over 6 hours of labor on a job that will probably take them 3 hours. I can see why you passed on that one. I wish someone would pay me $600.00+ to replace their shocks, though I might feel an obligation to kiss them after screwing them that hard. :-) Seriously, I can do a shock job in my driveway without a lift or power tools in that amount of time or less, and I charged the last person $150.00, though it probably would have been closer to $200.00 for most people. Shocks are simple, just tedious, especially without a lift. I have done it 3 times now and had no problems other than forgetting that little white plastic piece.......twice. > They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that they > don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time. > Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This is > in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I listened > to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-( That happened to another person I know. Because of that, I consider the water pump replacement to be mandatory when I do the timing belt, except in my latest case where it snapped at 27,000 miles. Pat > They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that they > don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time. > Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This is > in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I listened > to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-( They make a little off a new water pump added to a timing belt job. They make a lot off what's basically a second timing belt job, which they probably knew you'd be back for in a few months. You have a funny concept of "honest." >> They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that >> they [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > probably knew you'd be back for in a few months. You have a funny > concept of "honest." I see your point, but I don't think you have enough evidence to support that. What motivation did they have to tell me I don't need shocks? Are the hoping I'll wreck the car and buy a new one from them? >> They make a little off a new water pump added to a timing belt job. They >> make a lot off what's basically a second timing belt job, which they [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >that the miata is one of many cars being maintained. Add to that kids and >whoa, it's amazing what kind of decisions you can sometimes justify ;-) Chris 99BBB (coming up on 1st t-belt change ......grrrrr) A set of the KYB GR-2's are on the miata.net classifieds, never installed for $150.00. They are located in Arizona, so shipping to TX shouldn't be that bad if you feel like checking them out. http://tinyurl.com/yrsqcg Pat >A set of the KYB GR-2's are on the miata.net classifieds, never installed >for $150.00. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Pat I've contacted the seller. Thanks. |
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