im4darush

iTrader: (1)

I am being quoted $175 to replace the rears and $200 to replace the fronts. Keep in mind this is only labor. I am providing the shocks/struts. $375 sound high to you guys just for the labor?

Zrated83

iTrader: (17)

Yeah that seems kinda high. Have you called any other shops to get a quote? I had a shop install my front springs & struts, that cost me $150. Some shops are out to get you, one shop quoted me like $800 If you have the tools, the rear shocks are pretty easy to change out.

naf

iTrader: (7)

Agreed, too high. Rears can be done in about 10 minutes on a lift in a shop, fronts in maybe 30 in the same shop with the right tools.

Do the rears yourself and get another quote for the fronts.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

The front struts aren't hard to do since you don't have to remove the spring like a Macpherson(sp) strut.As long as the A-arm is supported you could do it yourself.But a front end alignment is recommended afterward.

The labor price is high but keep in mind you are supplying the parts.Some shops charge more in this case because they aren't making anything on parts sale.

im4darush

iTrader: (1)

Oh, I've done this job twice before so I know its not very difficult. Even if the shop rate was $75/hour...that breaks down to 5 hours to do the job. Any of you guys ever spend 5 hours on shocks/struts? I think I can do 2 cars in that time.

fire350tpi

u gotta keep in mind its how a shop works, they have to make money somehow :S

Example: battery terminal Service 50$ takes aprox 2 minutes

89N10GTA

iTrader: (1)

techs get paid by the hour. how much per hour are you paying? then i can tell you if it is high. it should be around 2 hours for the front and about 1.5 for the rear. i know i know it's but thats what they get.

hgffrank

About $125 per side front and $100 back is pretty common. $350 total. It sounds high, but running a shop and paying employee's not to mention health insurance and any other benefits does not come cheap. We can complain about it all we want but realistically, if you were that tech, you would probably want that pay, health insurance, tool allowance, etc. Health insurance can easily cost an owner almost as much as wages for each employee, so cost's are much higher than many understand. And when costs are high, prices are high. And not buying the parts there DEFINITELY hurt you on labor cost.
I once(the one and only time)took my 93 Grand am to a garage to get balljoint replaced. Asked what it would cost, $105, asked what it would be if I bought the part myself, $100. Obviously I just got the part through them since the part was $32 at autojunk(oopps..I mean autozone).

Plus keep in mind the car has to be aligned after the work, so thats worth $60 -100 alone if its a proper 4 wheel alignment.

Obviously you dont want to pay too much, but on the other hand if a garage offered to do the job "too" cheap, I would be wary and might even walk out. Some places are cheap and do cheap work. When I pay for work to be done I expect the work to be good and proffesional. Little things like not getting grease on the car, using fender covers, seat covers, gloves, quality alignment equipment, are all things that you much consider.

If I were you I would do the rear shocks myself and have the fronts quoted alone with and without an alignment. You may want to get alignment somewhere else better or cheaper.

89N10GTA

iTrader: (1)