Nov 18, 2019
Your car’s suspension system is designed to give you a smooth ride, working hard to cope on uneven road surfaces or when you hit a few bumps. Your car’s suspension is part of the chassis, consisting of springs, shock absorbers, struts, linkages, bearings and ball joints. But unfortunately, like other parts of our cars, suspension parts wear, leak, warp or even break, which can cause various safety issues. It’s important to get these parts replaced before it starts damaging more of the car or puts you in danger when on the road. How much is this going to cost you?
Let’s start with the obvious factor. The cost of a suspension replacement or repair is going to depend on the make, model and year of your car. If you’re driving a car that falls into the luxury or performance category, expect the cost to be higher. If your car has rust underneath, showing its age, it can be very time consuming for a mechanic to get access and remove the old parts and this will reflect in the labour cost.
An important thing to remember is that when your car suspension needs some TLC, parts tend to be replaced in pairs. This means that left and right struts would need to be replaced at the same time, as well as having both front and rear parts updated at the same time. This maintains balance and stability, and to prevent older parts stressing those newer parts you have just replaced.
Replacing one side will create imbalance, adding stress to the exerted side that hasn’t been replaced, thus reducing the life expectancy.
With a suspension replacement comes a possible wheel alignment, adding to the already high cost. Even the tiniest misalignment can have a huge impact on tyre wear and suspension parts.
When dealing with your mechanic, ask them which brands they recommend for parts. Prices are going to vary for different parts manufacturers. This will depend on the quality of the materials they are supplying, or if they have any product innovations making them more effective. If you’re going to opt for the cheapest replacement parts, which is tempting, remember that you could end up saving money in the long term if you go with a good-value part.
Repair costs will vary greatly, and this can depend on the area you are in and depending on the mechanic you choose. You can phone around local garages for a suspension repair estimate, or you could let us do the hard work for you. When you enter your reg number at MyCarNeedsA.com, tell us what the problem is needing resolved and we gather quotes from the local mechanics in your area!
