Front Struts Frozen On 92 Legacy- Help?

[Wolf]

The car is a 92 Legacy sedan ( no other markings on it) AWD non-turbo with about 160K on it and I have had it for about a year. The car was smacked in the front before I bought it and has some body damage still. Starting a week ago the front end won't move when I push down on the bumper. It's been below 15' here for over a month. The shop in Anchorage I have been taking it to wants $650 to replace the front struts. They mentioned it might be more if something they can't see till they remove the struts is damaged as well. I have had the car for just over a year and have had to have the auto transmission , the rack and pinion, starter contacts, and a few other goodies fixed by the same shop. Sp far I have dropped about $3000 into the car at this shop in the past 12 months. I bought it for $500 from a cop knowing I would have to fix a few things but ...

I don't know squat diddley about cars. And as I live on a disability benefit can't afford a "new" old car. Any suggestions on how to fix this cheaper would be GREATLY appreciated!

Wolf

[Legacy777]

The shop sounds a little pricey. However prices may be more due to be in Alaska.

Did they give you a breakdown of the prices to do the struts, like how much would be parts, how much would be labor, and how much labor time would be required.

You can pickup a good set of struts for around $60-$70 a piece online. I'd recommend KYB's GR2 strut. It should not take any more then three hours at the MOST for a reputable shop to replace front struts on these cars....and that. So even at $100/hr....with parts, that's only $450....and I'd question whether they included an alignment as well. A good 4-wheel alignment can run from $70-$100.

So I guess you're close to the $650, but without seeing a breakdown of the costs, I don't know if they're doing all that work.

Is there another shop you could get another quote from?

Do you have a garage? If so, get a heater and try to unfreeze the struts overnight.

[clark kent]

Buy them used off the forums, such as NASIOC.com and install yourself. People sell their takeoffs for as little as $80 for four.

[Wolf]

I can't work on my car myself. No garage, no tools and I SUCK at mechanical things. Computer's no problemo but working on my car is not a viable option. I have a friend who left the aforementioned shop to work elsewhere as a service writer. He has told me he will help me defrost the struts and maybe they will be ok for a while or his shop will replace them for $535.

I wish I COULD work on it myself!

Wolf

[jamal]

Buy these, and take them to your friend. It should work out to less than $530.

I would think labor to replace four struts should be less than $250. With a garage, lift, air tools, and a bench mounted spring compressor you could do it easily in less than two hours. I swapped out front suspension in my driveway in an hour.

[Wolf]

All the shops up here are saying 4 hours per set for labor. My friend figured 3 hours for the fronts.

THANKS for that link! Is there a whole bunch of stuff other than those struts required to do the job? I also get a "clunk" when I hit a pothole with my rears.

Wolf

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Please tell me you havent been taking your car to AAA Subaru. If so, sorry, but youve been getting ripped off, and by the sounds of it will continue to get ripped off. That shop is run by crooks.

Just a small rant after getting shafted by them almost 6 years ago.

About the struts, if you pay someone else to do the job $600 sounds about right after parts and labor.

-Brian

[Wolf]

I had really good experiences with AAA until recently. But I doubt I'll go back and I won't be recommending them.

The last several things I took to them would have been CHEAPER if I had gone to the DEALER!

Wolf

[jamal]

All the shops up here are saying 4 hours per set for labor. My friend figured 3 hours for the fronts.

THANKS for that link! Is there a whole bunch of stuff other than those struts required to do the job? I also get a "clunk" when I hit a pothole with my rears.

Wolf

If it takes 3 hours to change front struts they must really be taking their time. But, for all four struts, labor, and an alignment it will still be around what they're saying.

It would be best to change all four struts. With 160k you need them anyway. Mixing new and old will make for strange handling. The clunk could be a loose strut top bolt, or a trashed strut top. Other than that you can re-use the springs and perches, which don't really wear out unless for some reason they're really rusty. If you look in the compendium there is a diagram of how a strut assembly goes together.

Also if you happen to have a broken strut top (which would be clunking all the time and make the car scary to drive), I have a set that are in usable shape.

[Wolf]

Thanks! Is there a easy way to find out if it's a loose bolt? They are telling me it will take an additional three hours for the rears. Basically $1000-$1200 for all four, which I cannot begin to afford. How can I tell if it's a broken strut top? I think that may be it. Jamal where do you live? I'm in Alaska...

Wolf

[jamal]

$1200 to replace struts is ridiculous, you should go somewhere else. It doesn't take a Subaru shop to do it.

Places around here will do a spring install for $100-300, and the process for changing springs is the same as for struts.

Check out the Alaska regional forum on Nasioc, maybe someone there can point you towards a better shop or help you do it.

[Wolf]

I'm going to wait till Monday to speak with my friend the service writer. I plan on asking him what He thinks about the $285 shipped to Alaska E-bay struts as well as what will happen if I only replace the fronts.

Wolf