How hard/costly is suspension swap?

[equ]

So - as I've posted in the other forum - I'm looking to buy an a4. Possibly the only real missing is a sports suspension (and don't give me the - get an s-line answer. If you thought the zhp is overpriced, the s-line is 3.4k for mostly bits of trim).

To begin with I'm happy to try to live with stock suspension (for ski clearance, NYC roads etc). Likely, I'll find it too soft with too much sway. I won't go track level and likely no need for adjustment. Just sth firm for the street. Is it a big deal to change? It's just a change of shocks, springs and then an alignment right?

Am I dreaming if I think it's ~$800 and 1 day at a shop?

[Plaz]

So - as I've posted in the other forum - I'm looking to buy an a4. Possibly the only real missing is a sports suspension (and don't give me the - get an s-line answer. If you thought the zhp is overpriced, the s-line is 3.4k for mostly bits of trim).

To begin with I'm happy to try to live with stock suspension (for ski clearance, NYC roads etc). Likely, I'll find it too soft with too much sway. I won't go track level and likely no need for adjustment. Just sth firm for the street. Is it a big deal to change? It's just a change of shocks, springs and then an alignment right?

Am I dreaming if I think it's ~$800 and 1 day at a shop?

In/around NYC? Probably. The number I'd pull from my posterior would be about $1100 and 2.5 days at the end of it all, for some decent Konis or something, and an alignment.

But I'm not the expert.

[JST]

So - as I've posted in the other forum - I'm looking to buy an a4. Possibly the only real missing is a sports suspension (and don't give me the - get an s-line answer. If you thought the zhp is overpriced, the s-line is 3.4k for mostly bits of trim).

To begin with I'm happy to try to live with stock suspension (for ski clearance, NYC roads etc). Likely, I'll find it too soft with too much sway. I won't go track level and likely no need for adjustment. Just sth firm for the street. Is it a big deal to change? It's just a change of shocks, springs and then an alignment right?

Am I dreaming if I think it's ~$800 and 1 day at a shop?

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/Susptabl.jsp?autoMake=Audi&autoModel=A4+2.0T+Quattro&autoYear=2006&autoModClar=Base+Model

The budget way to do it would be to get the sport suspension bits from someone who'd ugraded.

[equ]

What sucks is that you can order sports suspension for $250 on 2007's. But they come with no maintenance, a nasty 4-spoke wheel & shifter unless you spring for the overpriced s-line (I also don't want 18's in this car). Finding an 06 was hard enough - let alone an 06 in a nice color.

$1100 is not terrible - but I guess par for the course. But 2.5 days? :eek:

[Plaz]

What sucks is that you can order sports suspension for $250 on 2007's. But they come with no maintenance, a nasty 4-spoke wheel & shifter unless you spring for the overpriced s-line (I also don't want 18's in this car). Finding an 06 was hard enough - let alone an 06 in a nice color.

$1100 is not terrible - but I guess par for the course. But 2.5 days? :eek:

Get a second opinion. That's strictly the view of my gut feeling through the spectacle of my ass. :lol:

[Rob]

I just spent about $2500 to replace the stock suspension bits in the 328. That included struts (not inserts), shocks, rtabs (one was torn in half, one was torn in half and half was missing), control arms, bump stops (the originals were just . . . gone), and a few other bushings and bits here and there. Granted, that's a lot more than just stiffening the car up to improve it's handling. But it also only included heavy duty bilsteins - sport shocks would have made the cost jump considerably. I also think the price for the repair would have been $3k if I hadn't earned the discount price level for work done by this shop. on the other hand, although they had the car for two days, they didn't get the parts until 3 the first day and it was ready by 3 the second. One day at the shop is plenty for what you are thinking of if the mechanic is competent.

But I think your $800 estimate is really low if you are including springs. My experience is all for BMWs though. I could be as off base as Plaz in the other direction.

[equ]

I actually went to tirerack before I posted (or JST suggested) and got the $7-800 ballpark for parts. Add a few hundred labor and why not be around $1000? :dunno:

This car is at 20k miles - hopefully it doesn't need too many other parts.

[Rob]

Well, new springs are more than a few hours of labor, aren't they? I suppose it depends on the labor rate. Even good independent shops are something like $85/hour these days around here - there are cheaper alternatives, but the trust factor starts to go down pretty far too. If you figure a full day, or 8 hours, of labor, it will be something more than $1k. But probably something less than $1500. I wish my repair had cost that much. :)

[rumatt]

Are you into DIY? You can do much of it yourself, if you wanted.

I guess living in manhattan makes it hard. I've got the tools, but I don't know squat about Audi's, so I'm not sure how helpful I'd be.

[Plaz]

Are you into DIY? You can do much of it yourself, if you wanted.

I guess living in manhattan makes it hard. I've got the tools, but I don't know squat about Audi's, so I'm not sure how helpful I'd be.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to try to swap out a suspension on a car parked in a space on the side of 86th street, or whatever. :lol:

[Sharp11]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to try to swap out a suspension on a car parked in a space on the side of 86th street, or whatever. :lol:

Can you imagine? The parts would disappear faster than you could get 'em in :lol:

Ed

[rumatt]

Can you imagine? The parts would disappear faster than you could get 'em in :lol:

:bustingup

[Pinecone]

A lot depends on how you go about it. If you just swap springs and shocks, the struts have to be removed and disassembled, re-assembled and re-installed, then align. Several hours of work.

If you put together complete struts to swap in/out, it can be done in under and hour, then align.