As some of you know, I'm in the mkt for coilovers; and I'm leaning toward the Bilstein PSS9s...

I recently started pricing what it's going to cost to have these babies installed and dialed-in, and I was quite surprised at the price - over $1,200!!! .

As you can tell, I'm in the Bay Area where most things are well above the nation's average, but I was expecting (not sure why) something in 500 dollar price range...

Can anyone else comment on prices they've paid in their region? If this is what I can expect to pay, then I guess I'll need to keep the wait going a bit longer .

Thanks!

 

coil overs, are about 1000 bucks or so. install is EASY, wheels alignment is 40 bucks and so on. if you cant install them your self some place might charge you like 2 hours of work. maybe.


later

chris

 

personnally i wouldnt go with bilstiens, the springs i have been told arent that good. h&r is a bilstien strut with a h&r spring pretty much and is a very good setup. Kw suspensions is what i am doing. really good kit and is about 1200 bucks for coil overs not dampering adjustment, but who needs that. just a heads up. most coil overs that are full strut setup's most likely will not be below 1000 bucks, i payed just over that for my KW and i got a 25% discount for a good buddy. FYI

chris

 

mini-madness selling i think kw for 1200 bucks or so


chris

 

The quote was for 12 hours of labor (my MCS would be there 2 days!). I was thinking about doing the install myself, and then drive it in for an alignment. But then I would need to do a decent alignment at home for the drive to the shop, right?

I'm cool with the price of these coilovers at around $1,650... The reason for this thread is to find-out the price of the install, alignment and corner balance that others have experienced. I was quoted today 1,200 bucks for such a service... At this shop, this would be price if the coilovers were Leda, H&R, KW or anything else for that matter...

 

Tony for that amount of dough, you can fly me up, feed me and I will
set up the car for you free

peter

 

Thanks for the validation Peter that the quote is a high one. If you could fly up with some scales also, I'd be glad to consider that option

Gosh, between hearing that, and then the dentist telling me that my wife's replacement crown and related work would cost about 4k, after insurance, it was not exactly a great Friday...

Peter, is it reasonable to install the coilovers myself, and align them well enough without special tools to then drive her into a shop for an exact alignment and balance? I'm trying to avoid the install charge...

 

Yes Tony that quote is high. I paid $270 for corner balancing and an alignment -- The quote for corner weighting is 2 to 3 hours, and about $80 for the alignment. I took me 2.5 to 3 hours to install the Bilsteins myself, but I have done coilovers numerous times.

 

Thanks dpayne1 for chiming-in! I'm guessing that if I do it at home (and I'm willing to try), I'll need a spring compressor?

 

Yes, you will need a way to compress the stock springs to remove the tops and you may have to compress the new springs to get the tops on. I use a set of $10 spring compressors that are just adequate, but they work.

Search the how to's and read up on the install. Start with the rears (2) 13mm upper bolts, and a 21mm lower -- make sure you get the right shock on the right side and pay attention to how the tops line up where they attach to the car. You will need a hex key and some creative socket use to get the tops off and on. If you have an aftermarket sway bar its a great time to check it and the links. Then move to the fronts. The drivers front can be difficult but mine wasn't bad. The directions with the bilsteins are very good. If you decide to DITY I'll pm you my phone # and act as your lifeline.

 

Alright then, between well-written instructions, being a DIYer at heart, and dpayne1's phone number as a last resort, I feel rather confident.

Let me locate some ideal spring compressors for rent, or something adequate for purchase, and I'll give it a shot. I do want to find another shop for a quote on the remainder of the work though...

I have the H-Sport lower rear control arms, so I'm set back there, but I have nothing for the front, at least yet. Is it ok to proceed with this install at this time, or must I wait for front camber plates to do this correctly? The minimum drop with these Bilsteins is 1", and that is probably what I will try, at least initially, if that makes a difference in reference to this question...

Good points... I will check the rear sway bar and drop links. I have the H-Sport rear sway bar, so I'll lube things-up while I'm at it, and I'll probably install some aftermkt links as well...

I appreciate the information!

 

I bought a more than adequate spring compressor at Autozone, I forget but I bet it wasn´t 20 bucks..... a power tool to remove the top nut on the front struts particularly will save you a lot of grunting and groaning......

 

I recommend you start testing ride height with the spring height adjuster nuts in the front in the upper 1/4 of the range (raises the chassis) and the rears in the upper 1/3, having set them there before mounting the coilovers to the car. make sure you grease the threads. It is a ***** to turn those nuts while on the car. set the ride height to your liking, make sure LS and RS are the same, using a driver weight in the front seat and measuring to the ground from a fixed , symmetrical point on the frame near each wheel. Make sure you bounce the car after setting changes and roll it back and forth a foot or two before re-measuring. Drive the car for at least several hundred miles to loosen things up and set the springs before getting serious about corner weighting which is a lesson unto itself.

last tips: take your car to a pressure wash and clean out the area under the fenders, before you start. (I actually remove the wheels and use a bucket and brush...not many DIY car washes in NYC. when removing the fronts, break loose the top nut, but leave it in there. pop the coilover from the hub first (i use a heavy rubber tip mallet on the hub casting-don't smack the wrong thing!), then remove the three bolts holding the upper bearing assembly and drop the works. Pay attention to the routing of ABS and brake lines; be ready to ease the fit of them in the new brackets by a little bending. It is better to do one side at a time so you can keep L and R clear and you have a model still intact to look at. Overall, it's not so tough...except for that driver's side stock strut removal (jack up the axle to compress the spring and shorten the coilover length and figure a way to hold it there with a compressor, nylon strap, etc.).

if you are going to get camber plates, this is the time, as you have to remove the front coilovers and the spring nuts to install them. You will probably be fine without them, but, if you are going whole hog...

 

As always, a very helpful group! I'm copying and pasting these notes/tips into a Word doc to print before I tackle this.

Not having a very flat surface on which to work (and soft black top like material as well), I can see some issues proceeding at my home. I suppose I can do this at a friend's or at my parent's house, but then I have to haul tools with me, and most certainly not bring one that I wish I would have. And given what jlm said, I will get the camber plates beforehand and have them ready to go.

This is all helpful information in how I should prepare. It appears that I'm still not quite ready to place my order, and that is fine. Thanks again!