Anyone know anything on this subject?

Friend has a Forester & after 50,000 miles bumping around on her farm, the rear dampers are starting to leak. So its time to replace them.

£800 has been quoted for just supply/fit the rears by the local scooby dealer :eek:

Which seams a tad expensive to me...

The obvious answer is to replace them without going to the dealer

BUT

Is it just an outrageous price or is there a mechanical reason why its hard to change 'em over & hence the price? Special tools required or anything?

Any help or info would be appreciated (& 2 rear dampers!!)

:cool:

Puff,
Try a local motor factor who does KYB struts.
I renewed all struts on my Forester last year using KYB items.
KYB said that they were the same as supplied direct to Subaru but without the mark up - seem to remember that they all cost £250 inc VAT?
The work involved is identical to an Impreza. The only difference is the design of the strut tops and length of struts.

There is more hassle and expense if you have rear self leveller stuts though.
Other than KYB you are stuffed for another maker as there isn't much in the way of tuning for the Forester in the UK.
The US and Japan has some trick stuff but then you'll end up paying the same as UK Subaru prices.

PS. I have a single brand new OEM rear JDM strut if any use?

Nick
1997 Forester S/tb

[Edited by Butty - 9/30/2003 9:34:14 AM]

Edited as someone beat me to it!

Impreza dampers are about 1 to 2 hours to do in a car park on your own (each). Much less time if you know what you're doing!

What is the price of the parts? UK Impreza dampers cost £50ish per corner from Autospares in Sutton. Even if Forester dampers cost double, I'd still have a look at hanging on to my £600! It can't be that difficult can it?



[Edited by dnb - 9/30/2003 9:37:03 AM]

Not much to do "labour wise", its simply the price of the "gen scooby" ones that puts the price up. Being as they are self levelling units.. otherwise like changing a normal shocker, no extra pipes or hoses, they are self contained units.