Reasonable Price for Spring Installation? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

tbwoodlee · 01-21-2013, 07:33 PM

The Toyota dealership wanted damn near a grand to install my new springs so I laughed in their face and walked away. A local tire shop wanted about 750 to do it. What is reasonable for this type of installation?

I know I will need an alignment, but man, for that much I will just put the springs on myself and get an alignment after they sit for a day.

What is a reasonable asking price to install some lowering springs?

Skurj · 01-21-2013, 07:51 PM

I really dunno, I thought I saw somewhere flat rates around 2.5hrs per pair, front / rear..

I told my dealer he can have the stock michelins if he installs my springs at no charge and he didn't hesitate.... (those primacy's do sell for $200+ each new)

Starscream15 · 01-21-2013, 07:55 PM

Save yourself the money!

This video has been posted several times throughout the forums. Have fun!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT_jgVqxH5U"]How To Install Lowered Springs - YouTube[/ame]

Dave-ROR · 01-21-2013, 08:38 PM

~$200-300 I'd say is reasonable. Book time is probably 2-3 hours for the install @ $100/hr, plus alignment say another $50-$100 depending on what shops change for alignment in your area.

Or you can do it yourself, it's not too difficult. If you were closer I'd help you with it.

post_break · 01-21-2013, 08:51 PM

I paid $300 for my mustang spring swap, and the guy did a fantastic job and was fast.

jdzumwalt · 01-21-2013, 08:54 PM

200-250 depending on shop seems right.

300 if its a very good shop

stockysnail · 01-21-2013, 10:59 PM

Move out to Portland and your fellow forum members do it for free. We take care of our own out here.

whataboutbob · 01-21-2013, 11:07 PM

If you have mechanical aptitude, tools, time and location it is not hard at all.

SMOKETREES · 01-21-2013, 11:17 PM

Do it yourself! Super easy and don't need a compress the spring at all.

tbwoodlee · 01-22-2013, 01:11 AM

Thanks for the replies guys, yeah I was leaning towards doing it myself. I could buy a lot of cool toys for 750 dollars!

DarrenDriven posted a how to with the exact same springs I have, and honestly it seems fairly straight forward. I have done the intake, exhaust, and crank pulley myself. These don't seem much more difficult.

JDMenrique · 01-22-2013, 01:14 AM

find a buddy with a spring compressor and whose done it before... you never know who may have one.

OrbitalEllipses · 01-22-2013, 01:23 AM

Speed shop in my area charges around $500-600. Probably just going to ask around and see if anyone wants to do an install day and I'll just bring beer and pizza for the fellas.

JoeBoxer · 01-22-2013, 01:59 AM

Evasive only charges like 120 according to one of their threads I couldn't believe it. I would say under 300 with alignment is a good price.

fistpoint · 01-22-2013, 02:25 AM

All those people posting sub $400 install rates live in areas that have "honest" mechanics apparently. I called literally dozens of shops around Houston a few years ago for my RSX strut replacement and they all quoted between 6-8 hours labor at $90 per hour.

The RSX forum also had dozens of claims of sub $400 rates, but never in my city. Gun stores around here also suck ass with pricing. Maybe it's just a Houston thing?

Anyway, the job actually takes as much as 2 hours to do all 4...yes, 2 hours versus the 6-8 they'll want you to pay. In the end I found a local shop to accept 4 hours labor with me specifically pointing out that I'm willingly paying double the hourly rate they are actually going to spend. 2 hours later my car was ready and those struts now have 85k miles on them(for those who will say they rushed the job).

It's a MAXIMUM 2 hour job plain and simple, especially for an actual shop with a lift and all the proper tools.

01-21-2013, 07:51 PM	#2
Skurj Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: SOLD... Location: GTA Ontario Posts: 955 Thanks: 56 Thanked 192 Times in 155 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I really dunno, I thought I saw somewhere flat rates around 2.5hrs per pair, front / rear.. I told my dealer he can have the stock michelins if he installs my springs at no charge and he didn't hesitate.... (those primacy's do sell for $200+ each new) __________________ WRB MT BRZ Sport Tech Delivered March 21 2013 Its mine now!! Paid for Mar 2018 and its gone... Sept '18 tho I am sure I will miss it Replaced with 18 50th edition ND

01-21-2013, 08:38 PM	#4
Dave-ROR Site Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Drives: Stuff Location: Florida Posts: 10,317 Thanks: 955 Thanked 5,965 Times in 2,689 Posts Mentioned: 262 Post(s) Tagged: 8 Thread(s)	~$200-300 I'd say is reasonable. Book time is probably 2-3 hours for the install @ $100/hr, plus alignment say another $50-$100 depending on what shops change for alignment in your area. Or you can do it yourself, it's not too difficult. If you were closer I'd help you with it. __________________ -Dave Track cars: 2013 Scion FRS, 1998 Acura Integra Type-R, 1993 Honda Civic Hatchback DD: 2005 Acura TSX Tow: 2022 F-450 Toys: 2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo, 1994 Toyota MR2 Turbo, 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Parts: 2015 Subaru BRZ Limited, 2005 Acura TSX Projects: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited track car build FS: 2004 GMC Sierra 2500 LT CCSB 8.1/Allison with 99k miles

01-22-2013, 02:25 AM	#14
fistpoint Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: Supercharged Golf Cart Location: Estados Unitos Posts: 1,196 Thanks: 75 Thanked 364 Times in 206 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	All those people posting sub $400 install rates live in areas that have "honest" mechanics apparently. I called literally dozens of shops around Houston a few years ago for my RSX strut replacement and they all quoted between 6-8 hours labor at $90 per hour. The RSX forum also had dozens of claims of sub $400 rates, but never in my city. Gun stores around here also suck ass with pricing. Maybe it's just a Houston thing? Anyway, the job actually takes as much as 2 hours to do all 4...yes, 2 hours versus the 6-8 they'll want you to pay. In the end I found a local shop to accept 4 hours labor with me specifically pointing out that I'm willingly paying double the hourly rate they are actually going to spend. 2 hours later my car was ready and those struts now have 85k miles on them(for those who will say they rushed the job). It's a MAXIMUM 2 hour job plain and simple, especially for an actual shop with a lift and all the proper tools. Last edited by fistpoint; 01-22-2013 at 05:22 AM.

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01-21-2013, 08:54 PM	#6
jdzumwalt Motor Sports slut Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 13 FRS, 2011 f150eco boost, Location: Fallbrook Posts: 262 Thanks: 8 Thanked 65 Times in 30 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	200-250 depending on shop seems right. 300 if its a very good shop

01-22-2013, 01:23 AM	#12
OrbitalEllipses Banned Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: Attitude Location: MD Posts: 10,046 Thanks: 884 Thanked 4,890 Times in 2,903 Posts Mentioned: 123 Post(s) Tagged: 4 Thread(s)	Speed shop in my area charges around $500-600. Probably just going to ask around and see if anyone wants to do an install day and I'll just bring beer and pizza for the fellas.

01-22-2013, 01:59 AM	#13
JoeBoxer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Whiteout FR-S Location: Arkansas Posts: 4,154 Thanks: 1,666 Thanked 1,627 Times in 997 Posts Mentioned: 72 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Evasive only charges like 120 according to one of their threads I couldn't believe it. I would say under 300 with alignment is a good price.

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