Shocks
 

My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original
shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not
leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?)
given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments?

Shocks
 

Frank Berger wrote:
> My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original
> shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not
> leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?)
> given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments?
>
>
The ones on my 99 has a good 60K miles on them and they are fine. My
guess is that the 40K is sort of like a worst case thing and how worn
they get depends on road conditions and all other sort of variables.

The smart thing is to have them checked from time to time and if other
things require the area being worked perhaps have them changed
regardless of condition if they have a lot of miles on them. This
strategy of course depends on labor costs vs. parts cost so it may
different in the US than over here.

Kind regards
Bruno

Shocks
 

In article >,
"Frank Berger" > wrote:

> My '96 is in for service at the Miata dealer at around 100K miles. Original
> shocks. Asked them to inspect them and advise. Answer was they're not
> leaking and don't need replacement. I was shocked (shocked, get it?)
> given the advice here about shocks being shot after 40K miles. Comments?

The dealer is ignorant about Miatas, not unusual at all. Leakage is not
the only mode of failure, nor even a common one. I'll bet they passed
someone's bumper bounce test, too. You know better, though...better than
to let a dealer mess with the suspension! :-)

Shocks
 

"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Lanny Chambers wrote:
>
>> The dealer is ignorant about Miatas, not unusual at all. Leakage is not
>> the only mode of failure, nor even a common one. I'll bet they passed
>> someone's bumper bounce test, too. You know better, though...better than
>> to let a dealer mess with the suspension! :-)
>
> I replaced a set with 120,000+ miles on them. They were leak-free and they
> compressed and rebounded, but the new shocks made a huge difference,
> shocking even.....
>
> The new shocks were the KYB adjuatables, but I am sure that even using OEM
> shocks would make an improvement after 10 years and 100,000 miles.
>
> I replaced the shocks on my last Miata at 22,000 miles with Konis and the
> improvement was very noticeable even at that mileage.
>
> I immediately followed that with JR sways, some new RE-71's and the
> Lanny-alignment and it suddenly became the most controllable car I had
> ever owned.
>
> Pat

Given that the dealer wanted $1100 for the job including $123 per shock (now
that's shocking) and I can get 4 KYB GR-2's which are probably better than
the OEM shocks, for around $210 for all 4 on E-bay, it was an easy decision
to wait.

Shocks
 

"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Frank Berger wrote:
>
>> Given that the dealer wanted $1100 for the job including $123 per shock
>> (now that's shocking) and I can get 4 KYB GR-2's which are probably
>> better than the OEM shocks, for around $210 for all 4 on E-bay, it was an
>> easy decision to wait.
>
> The $123.00 per shock I can understand, that is why they are the
> stealership and we are just lucky that there are aftermarket alternatives
> for Miata shocks.
> Mazda is lucky that some people insist on OEM parts and don't care what it
> costs.
>
> But $608.00 in labor? Strange that they didn't at least try to hook you,
> as that is a major dollar amount per hour.
> The labor rates at your dealership are outrageous, yet they are basically
> honest. Weird....
>
> Pat
>

$89 per hour. They had no chance to sell me the shock replacement, but they
didn't know that. They *are* honest, as far as I can tell. Town North
Mazda, Richardson, Texas.

They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that they
don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time.
Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This is
in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I listened
to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-(

Shocks
 

In article >,
"Frank Berger" > wrote:

> They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that they
> don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time.
> Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This is
> in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I listened
> to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-(

They make a little off a new water pump added to a timing belt job. They
make a lot off what's basically a second timing belt job, which they
probably knew you'd be back for in a few months. You have a funny
concept of "honest."

Shocks
 

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Frank Berger" > wrote:
>
>> They also told me a while back when I had my timing belt replaced that
>> they
>> don't necessarily recommend replacing the water pump at the same time.
>> Depends on how it sounds or looks or whether it leaks or something. This
>> is
>> in contrast to the received wisdom in this newgoup of course, but I
>> listened
>> to them. The WP went bad a couple of months later. :-(
>
> They make a little off a new water pump added to a timing belt job. They
> make a lot off what's basically a second timing belt job, which they
> probably knew you'd be back for in a few months. You have a funny
> concept of "honest."

I see your point, but I don't think you have enough evidence to support
that. What motivation did they have to tell me I don't need shocks? Are
the hoping I'll wreck the car and buy a new one from them?

Shocks
 

>> They make a little off a new water pump added to a timing belt job. They
>> make a lot off what's basically a second timing belt job, which they
>> probably knew you'd be back for in a few months. You have a funny
>> concept of "honest."
>
> I see your point, but I don't think you have enough evidence to support
> that. What motivation did they have to tell me I don't need shocks? Are
> the hoping I'll wreck the car and buy a new one from them?
>I agree with you Frank, there are plenty of people here on this group
>(possibly myself) who'd consider passing on the waterpump on the first
>timing belt change. It's not necessarily that we're so stupid it's just
>that the miata is one of many cars being maintained. Add to that kids and
>whoa, it's amazing what kind of decisions you can sometimes justify ;-)

Chris
99BBB (coming up on 1st t-belt change ......grrrrr)

Hey Frank - New KYB GR-2's for sale
 

"pws" > wrote in message
...
>A set of the KYB GR-2's are on the miata.net classifieds, never installed
>for $150.00.
> They are located in Arizona, so shipping to TX shouldn't be that bad if
> you feel like checking them out.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/yrsqcg
>
> Pat

I've contacted the seller. Thanks.