Fleetwood

Had my Aragosta type coilovers refurbed for the second time by AST.

Last time was 2011 and have done around 40K miles since then so the first refurb lasted OK.

Took three weeks this time to get the shocks back so I was looking forward to getting the car back on the road.

Unfortunately I noticed that to remove the spring perch (the threaded rings that the springs rest on) they had cut through the clamp bolt. They then just re assembled the shocks with the broken clamp bolt, so now the spring is resting on a perch that is not clamped down so would just collapse at any moment when I installed the shocks.


Makes my worried what else they have messed up. Not what I expect from AST UK main dealers.


Shocks after refurb





Cut clamp bolt

Fonzey

iTrader: (5)

You talked to them about it?

Would expect refurbed shocks to come back clean tbh!

Fleetwood

Got them on Friday whilst I was at work, opened the box ready for install on Saturday so no chance to talk to them at the weekend hence why I am 'venting' on here.


Hopefully they can just send me a new spring perch/clamp but it really doesn't change the fact that they sent back cr*p work.


The crazy thing is that I would have paid for 4 new spring perches if they had told me about it.


Also, if they offered a powder coating service they could make a few $$ as you are right, the last time I got my shocks back I had to strip them off the springs, prepped and sprayed them (primer plus gloss black).


This time I am just painting on some hammerite smooth to give some corrosion protection.

JGlanzaV

iTrader: (3)

Id be going nuts if a "refurbished" item came back without so much as been cleaned, looks like **** work....

Fleetwood

I don't really mind about the cleaning, most of the dirt is mainly surface corrosion so I previously just prepped the surface, primer and resprayed myself and I expected to have to do this this time also (see below).

What does p*ss me off is that 3 of the 4 clamp bolts are seized (I think they just compressed the springs on the fronts to get the top mounts off). AST could have just cut the bolts, removed the spring perches and just replaced them with new and charged me as they are not expensive in the scheme of things.

So disappointing that a decent job is spoiled through just sloppiness really.

and the consequences of a rear shock collapsing at high speed on a Subaru doesn't really bear thinking about.

last time when I got them back in 2011 and showing after I then prepped and resprayed.

Back from AST in 2011



Installed the new springs and sprayed up the front shocks (2011)

Soup

I would definitely be complaining to them no excuses for sloppy work like that.

53

iTrader: (41)

What's the cost out of interest to get AST's done ? ?

Fleetwood

It is £70 plus vat per shock for refurb. I had new springs and new front stanchions so mine was a fair bit more.

My last AST refurb lasted ok so I wouldn't discount them. Just a pity that they let themselves down here with a bit of sloppiness.

hopefully will be able to give a positive update once I have talked to curtis on monday.

53

iTrader: (41)

So Labour wise not unrealistic to expect a proper job then !

Paben

iTrader: (5)

That's a poor job by any standards, and for £300+ I'd want them back looking better than that.

53

iTrader: (41)

Degreaser is well expensive !

mickeymouse

that looks pretty shoddy work tbh!! I guess refurb means different things to different people.. to me I would expect them to be completey striped, dipped, painted and reassembled...

why did you have these done in the first place..was they knocking or something or was it just cosmetic refurb??

also was these done by powerstation?

ST-X

Wouldn't be fussed by them not being meticulously cleaned, they'll end up dirtier than that after five minutes on the car. To not replace a bolt though is sloppy though and no excuse can really cover that adequately - it's not exactly hard to get that out now they've cut it!

Tidgy

Wouln't expect them to look new but would expect them to look a darn sight better than that myself. Would expect them to be properly cleaned at least as far as visuals go.

Fleetwood

UPDATE:


AST say they will send out a new collar. My car will be off the road for another week then but at least it will be safe.


The only reason I decided the get the shocks done is that I plan to sell the car this year and wanted it to be as perfect as possible. I've had it since 2009 and you start to become attached to these cars!