$700+ For Shocks?????? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jim Dandy · #1 09-05-2004, 03:52 PM

I was getting tires for my 420 SEL yesterday and the tire shop tried to pitch me some new shocks, too. I declined, but the salesman insisted on providing me with a quote for me to "think about." The quote was for a total of $702.32 for four shocks (brand unknown, but I would guess something like Monroe, which I'm not interested in buying at any price), installation labor, shop fees, and sales tax.

$702.32 for four shocks installed????!!!!!

Am I missing something here? I declined, because shock replacement is one of those things I typically do myself, but the $702.32 figure really left me startled.

Hatterasguy · #2 09-05-2004, 03:55 PM

Bilstein shocks for your car are about $60-$90 each depending on where you buy them. How much of the quote was labor?

Jim Dandy · #3 09-05-2004, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Bilstein shocks for your car are about $60-$90 each depending on where you buy them. How much of the quote was labor?

$90 labor on the front shocks, $108 for the rears. Shocks were priced out at $112.50 each. What a bargain.

Brian Carlton · #4 09-05-2004, 04:01 PM

Well, since you have a M/B, he probably figured it as follows:

4 shocks at $100. per =$400.00
3 hours labor at $80 per =$240.00
Tax, shop fees = $ 62.32

Total =$702.32

Thank you very much for your business, Mr. Dandy

Hatterasguy · #5 09-05-2004, 04:01 PM

Labor sounds about right what were they charging $75-$84 an hour? For $112.50 they probably are not OE shocks. I would prefer Bilsteins anyway,
spending $300-$400 on a nice set of Bilsteins is the way to go.

Btw I got a quote from a tire shop for $700 for the rear shocks on my Camry!

Jim Dandy · #6 09-05-2004, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Well, since you have a M/B, he probably figured it as follows:

4 shocks at $100. per =$400.00
3 hours labor at $80 per =$240.00
Tax, shop fees = $ 62.32

Total =$702.32

Thank you very much for your business, Mr. Dandy

Your post scares me. I'm almost of the mind to think you work there.

Jim Dandy · #7 09-05-2004, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Labor sounds about right what were they charging $75-$84 an hour? For $112.50 they probably are not OE shocks. I would prefer Bilsteins anyway,
spending $300-$400 on a nice set of Bilsteins is the way to go.

Btw I got a quote from a tire shop for $700 for the rear shocks on my Camry!

Bilsteins are what I'm planning to get, but even so, I can get a set of four for not much more than these clowns wanted for a pair.

wbain5280 · #8 09-06-2004, 04:56 AM

You have a Mercedes so obviously you can afford it.

moparmike · #9 09-06-2004, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Labor sounds about right what were they charging $75-$84 an hour? For $112.50 they probably are not OE shocks. I would prefer Bilsteins anyway,
spending $300-$400 on a nice set of Bilsteins is the way to go.

Btw I got a quote from a tire shop for $700 for the rear shocks on my Camry!

If you had said struts instead of shocks, I wouldnt be in such a state of shock. No pun intended.

71Rcode · #10 09-06-2004, 05:25 AM

Consider yourself lucky. A local independant shop quoted me

$1000 to replace all four struts/shocks on our E320. I really wasn't considering having an outside source do the job, but I was curious - before ordering the parts from phil (fastlane) - what I might get dinged for going the 'easy' way out. I couldn't believe my ears. Ordered the parts for less than $400 and did the job in my garage in about four hours. Any of you guys considering this on an older W124 series, it's really a piece of cake.

What a jolt of reality. I guess as a MB owner, you have to expect to get put in the 'rich' category by shop owners, and have "open checkbook" tatooed on your forehead....

Hatterasguy · #11 09-06-2004, 08:37 AM

Moparmike they were struts on the Camry but I could get them from Fastlane for around $125 each.

Jim Dandy · #12 09-06-2004, 09:21 AM

What was kind of funny was that they didn't try and pitch me their most expensive tires (Michelins), but their store brand. I guess they thought they could make up the difference by selling shocks in the package. BTW, the "cheap" tires ride as good as the Michelins they replaced.

Hatterasguy · #13 09-06-2004, 09:29 AM

But you drive a Mercedes money should be no object.

Jim Dandy · #14 09-06-2004, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

But you drive a Mercedes money should be no object.

True, but I'm hoping to retire someday, too.

psfred · #15 09-06-2004, 12:12 PM

If those were Bilsteins, the price was right on the mony. List is about $125-$150 each, three or four hours installation time gets you right at $700.

If they weren't Bilsteins, you were getting ripped.

If the shocks are starting to knock on heavy deflection, you probably need new ones. Bilsteins are (and have been for nearly 40 years) gas compensated, with a high pressure gas cylinder under the oil chamber to keep air out of the oil. As the oil slowly vanishes through the rod seal (as it will evenutally, faster if the rod corrodes or gets scratched), the gas expands and the compensator piston rises. Eventually it gets high enough that the shock valve piston at the end of the rod hits in and compresses it some at full upward deflection -- this causes knocking and hard ride, you usually don't get a bouncy ride on Bilsteins unless you have complete oil loss.

You can check when the shocks are out by completely compressing the shock and measuring the distance from the bottom mounting cup on the rod to the top of the shock body -- new is about 5mm, when it gets to 25 mm or 38 mm (depending on shock), it's gonna knock, get new ones.

Usually last about 200,000 miles, less if you do a lot of driving on rough roads.

Peter