Anyone know a thing or two about cars?

I'm hoping this isn't against TOS or anything.

just an ebay link

Trying to get all new shocks/struts for my 97 intrepid - Would this do the trick?

Am I missing anything - Or is this the complete package and ready to go? ( Father-in-law can install - I'm not mechanically inclined yet >.< )

Looks like the complete package, but in my experience ( and I've been a mechanic, as well as built cars and raced them for the past 24 years ), you get what you pay for.

If not going for a performance upgrade, I'd wait until I could get OEM or equivalent. Cheap parts, especially suspension parts, tend to wear out very quickly.

2 things apply:

"Buy once, cry once."

"Do it right or do it twice."

a reply to: cynicalheathen

Hmm, okay, thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind.

Are there any other parts to consider replacing, when replacing shocks/struts? I'm also replacing the sway links.

originally posted by: deadlyhope
a reply to: cynicalheathen

Hmm, okay, thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind.

Are there any other parts to consider replacing, when replacing shocks/struts? I'm also replacing the sway links.

Swaybar links, Control arm bushings, any worn item. Might as well do it while you're in there, and that way you'll only need one alignment.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I don't trust ebay for parts as a matter of preference. I get my parts from here.

www.rockauto.com...

a reply to: deadlyhope

Doesn't say Factory parts anywhere does it? If not you're dealing with an aftermarket manufacturer. Not that the parts aren't compatible and all...

Does your "mechanic father in law" know about this yet? Whats he think?

yep that`s all you need one for each wheel,but as someone else said you get what you pay for.
I do all my own work on my vehicles so I usually get the mid range priced parts so I don`t have to replace the parts again in a year or two like I would have to do if I bought the cheapest priced parts.

originally posted by: Tardacus
yep that`s all you need one for each wheel,but as someone else said you get what you pay for.
I do all my own work on my vehicles so I usually get the mid range priced parts so I don`t have to replace the parts again in a year or two like I would have to do if I bought the cheapest priced parts.

Wouldn't the parts you pay for depend on the expected life of the vehicle you are putting them on as well as the amount of wear and tear you expect?

If you are looking at an old car trying to make it through a year or so with minimal driving, then why go overboard on the cost?

It says a one year Guarantee. You need to compare that with a Chrysler site for the same thing. I'm not so sure even why you want to buy the whole units, still and all the given guarantee is uniform for all the individual parts. I don't see that as a confidence for those parts mainly shocks and springs, their wear out times tend to be different.
I'll just go by the age of your car, and say that to replace the whole caboodle is the best idea, but buy the items original to the car.

a reply to: deadlyhope

i know a thing or two

i know those struts are going to be complete #

unity automotive???? come on man

if you have a spring compressor

www.oreillyauto.com... C0035

if not

www.oreillyauto.com... C0035

you can always take yours off and buy the first ones. take them to a shop and have them swap the springs. that shouldnt cost all that much

i bet it would save you as much as 50-75 per side....
figure 89 an hour labor. they could swap out all 4 in less than an hour no problem. probably closer to 30 minutes

if you buy that # off ebay they prob wont fit and if they dont fit they probably wont last

looking at the bottom of the strut mounts in the pics of the links i put up i can tell you that you will pay extra labor for the alignment. theyre gonna have to do some work to those holes to get your caster adjusted so dont expect to get the advertised prices of a 49.99 alignment.
dont fret though even if you didnt change your struts they just set the toe for that price anyway.

hell these days a lot of shop wont even mess with caster or camber adjustments if there is no factory call for it. i dont know about a 97 intrepid. when i was doing them (15) years ago we did the work. made adjustments to the holes. used shims. used air bladders it right. these days they just tell you they cant do it and send you on your way.

good luck man

a reply to: smurfy

most people buy the entire unit because they have no way to compress the spring.

like i said above though. take it to a shop and save a few bucks.

a reply to: ketsuko

I always expect my vehicles to last forever so far none of them have but that`s why I buy the best parts that I can afford so that I don`t have to replace them so often in case one of them does last forever or lasts at least another 10-20 years.
if I was planning only keeping a vehicle for a year I wouldn`t do any work on it as long as it kept running.

a reply to: TinySickTears
you really havent got a clue what youre talking about.
i dont like to be rude, but 'know it alls' who dont know anything really bug me.

originally posted by: Rikku
a reply to: TinySickTears
you really havent got a clue what youre talking about.
i dont like to be rude, but 'know it alls' who dont know anything really bug me.

ok.
if you say so.
dont care to argue

op, listen to rikku

see ya

dont care to argue

cant argue.

originally posted by: TinySickTears
a reply to: smurfy

most people buy the entire unit because they have no way to compress the spring.

like i said above though. take it to a shop and save a few bucks.

Yes I get you, mabye what I left out is that a franchise garage have all the electronic bell's and whistles these days to make everything correct, start to finish. The other thing is what are the actual component parts costs on say a prestige or sport vehicle against a family car from a big manufacturer. at one time often the same thing...different price.
Having said that re your local garage, a good one will have a manual for the car, or maybe more relevant, a set of standards...apps gleaned online, or a zerox/phone call to the manufacturer for the job in hand.

a reply to: ketsuko

Tough one, it's an old car I want to get rid of once it putters out.. But it hasn't yet. It's still reliable - So I'd like to put reliable parts on it - But what that means, I don't know. I don't want to spend a thousand bucks on parts, I can tell you that much.

a reply to: TinySickTears

So, I don't know a thing or two.

I linked monroe struts..

So did you?

I think I'm definitely missing something, though.

a reply to: Rikku

Well I don't mind you disagreeing with someone else on my thread, but I'd prefer that you provide the solution rather than just call out others, you know?

a reply to: JinMI

Hmm, I understand your preference - But, for the record, your website part numbers match the part numbers that show up on the ebay page where I want to buy my parts anyways.

I wonder if there's actually a difference?