2012 MINI Cooper S 60k miles exact.

I have a mildly oily fluid dripping from next to the tire mount and the dealership told me it's a struts hydraulic leak (or whatever) and it appears to have started recently (I verified it, perhaps last night or so). I made the mistake of asking them if both the struts need replacement and the obvious representative idea was it would save me labor cost. Well, the second strut / mount is just fine.

What exactly could be wrong here? Does it really need any replacement or just some tightening that a smart workshop can do? I will try to post pictures soon.

Thank you!

 

It sounds like your shock is leaking. They are filled with fluid, as they age, the seals crack and they leak. Less fluid and pressure means your shock is not working properly. This means that your or tire is not staying in contact with the surface as it should. If this is the case, then yes, it is better to replace both at the same time. They are sealed units. So, you can not simply tighten. At 60K and 7 years, all four corners may be due.

 

Any suggestions for decent shocks? I have looked at Koni and Bilstein so far. I need standard ones not the sports models.