memGS300

I could really use some advice on how much time/labor/$$ is involved to change out OEM shocks, struts, and coils for KYB/Eibach combo. One shop wanted $580.....unbelievable.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Usually 4 hours at most. Depending on the rate, around it's about $200-300 at most.

AshburnM3

one hour per side is the going rate.

SirBev

iTrader: (1)

It's going to be about $100 a corner guy labor doesn't really mean labor : In the case od just about always labour includes overhead and profits for the shop that your getting the work done for....

memGS300

Thanks....how do I get these ind. shops to stop going by the Alldata info that tells them 3 hrs for front and 3 hrs for rear??? Aren't the independent shops hungry for business?

SorrGwa

iTrader: (1)

is that $580 + alignment?

id estimate 2.5 to 3hr's to lower the car, so based on that, look at what their shop rate is.

unless they did some rough marking of the rear camber bolt, you will need an alignment when the whole suspension comes back together.

PHML

iTrader: (33)

$400 sounds right.

tom steele

400 isn't bad it quite a bit of work...

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

400-580 seems aweful high IMO.. I got charged 200.00 to put my coils in a few years back. Is a S/S combo more labot intense?

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

If the shop has a real spring compressor (not the stuff you find at autozone), then the labor isn't much more. To disassemble and reassemble, it takes maybe and additional 20-30 minutes at most.

memGS300

Thanks guys..it's going in today for balljoints, springs, shocks, alignment. Will do the tie rods when mo money comes in. My mechanic is $65/hr and very familiar with Lexus's...hope he has a spring compressor. Will keep you posted on final tally.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I would defintitely hold out until you get the tie rods, otherwise you're going to spend another $70 or so on alignment. What you save now will only going to cost you more in the end. Tie rods should be about $110 a pair or something like that.

memGS300

Thanks Gsteg...but it's too late. I had to draw the line on cash outlay and go ahead. Still, my mechanic only charges $40 special rate for alignment using the Hunter Laser Alignment machine that they use for Lexus.s

OK...here's what I spent. Labor manuals called for 1.6 hrs/per shock or strut set up. I spend $300 total on replacing coils and struts/shocks. Not bad in my opinion. Then another $110 for balljoint labor, and $40 for alignment. I think very reasonable considering it's the local body repair shop for all area Lexus's and the mechanic is VERY good. Maybe I could have saved with some backwoods "garage dude" but I thought this was quite fair.

GS_OREO

You can still change the tie-rods without getting an alignment. Just have to mark the thread where you took off the tie-rod.

sam430

iTrader: (10)

do the shock yourself.

Tip: cut the potruding bolt off the shocks right above the nut. You can just pull the shock out without unbolting many parts.

Assuming you will be trashing the oem shocks...even still, after cutting it, it's still useable.