So my local Mazda dealer wants $360 to put on my $186 springs, plus another $90 for the alignment.

For those of you who didn't put them on yourself, how much did you pay, and was it through a dealer or a shop?

For $360, I'm pretty sure I can learn to put these suckers on

 

well, at standard dealer hourly rates, $360 seems about like what they would want...quite frankly, after having done it myself, I think I would rather have paid $360 for someone to do it for me :D

 

where are you located ?
city and state

 

Stockton, CA.

My understanding was that an alignment would be beneficial, if not crucial, after a drop at/over 1". And I'm not so put out about the $90 for the alignment...its just that on top of another 360 seems somewhat excessive. But, I may be out of line here it sounds like.

 

I paid $220 for spring and front/rear sway bar installation and alignment at a suspension specialist. That was the quote I got from two joints, which is basically about four hours of labor -- about the same as your dealer is quoting, but at a lower labor rate. And apparently I got the alignment thrown in for free (actually I got a quote from the first place, and made the second place throw in the alignment to match it).

I also recall mikeb saying that he got his Eibach's installed at Mazdatrix for $100, though I also think he said didn't have an alignment done, either. That said, every article I've read about spring installs recommends an alignment afterwards, so I would do it.

And if you do it somewhere other than a Mazda dealership, make sure you have the key for your wheel locks or they'll have to knock them off and you'll have to pay $30 for new ones.

 

im sure there has to be a shop in cali where they can do it a bit cheaper
but yeah i would do the alignment.

any one know any shops for him in stockton CA ?

 

On my current, non-8 car, I had shocks and springs installed, WITH an alignment, for $240 at a local mom+pop muffler shop. Of course, this was in rural southwest Virginia, where non-dealer labor costs next to nothing.

 

I used mazdatrix in signal hill, cali
100.00

 

Autobacs is right there (just north of the 22 on Beach), although I don't know what their labor rates or quality are like.

 

$150 for my spring installation.

 

Think that's bad Tom Bush in JAX FL wanted $125 per corner for the springs ($500) PLUS $360 for the front and rear sways

What a joke

 

Diy its worth it! Plus you get to learn about your car.

 

$100 for mine done today here in So Fla.

 

isnt stockton, ca in Norcal? up in the boonies? like an hour and a half from sacramento? so autobacs wouldnt really be that close to him... maybe a 8 hours drive? haha unless im wrong. i met someone from stockton yesterday at my UCI orientation haha

 

=p Stockton is a city of 250k people, not quite the boonies...

Its 45 minutes south of Sacto, straight down 5.

 

$100 is dirt cheap.

Local shop wants $80 for the front and $160 for the rear. $240 total.

The nice thing about a spring install is unless the drop is extreme, you probably won't run into warranty hassles like with other things.

Also performance shops have done so many on so many different cars that likely they will do a better job than the dealer at a much lower rate.

-Mr. Wigggles

 

Oops,

I just realized I'm thinking of Stanton.....