FL2AK-tdi said:
Thanks for your input, Tornado. Your car, at the time had about the same mileage as my car now. (105k mi) I'll start trying to price out just the rubber components and bushings. I'm on a very short budget for this. So much so that, although I had earlier decided on Koni Reds, and although the newer, less expensive, non-adjustable orange are not available at the moment, I feel like I must wait until they are, just to save the $200.
Unless you have experienced :
1. strut or shock leakage
2. have massive tire wear problems,
3. trouble keeping alignment
4. suspension parts failure
5. spring fatigue or failure
I would question why you (actually I, for all that matters) would want to change your struts and shocks at 105,000 miles, especially in light of the short budget issue?
My take would be wait at least untill 200,000 miles (or if item # one happens) and since you would probably have it apart ANYWAY, change the WHOLE kit and kaboodle, IF it is marginal to bad at that juncture. Otherwise... motor on !!
Indeed the parts that usually fail first are the suspension components and not the shocks and struts !! The oxymoronic thing is since you will be paying to change the components out anyway.... might as well change shock and struts too. Many people look at this concept backwards.
This might seems like a nit picky issue, but I have not read of ANYBODY who has changed out the suspension components only and put the old shocks and struts and done a valid A/B test or evaluation. Indeed years ago a fellow TDI er did a shock dyno test of a oem shock after app 95,000 miles and found it perfectly serviceable and was only 5-10% out from a brand new oem shock !!??
I am at 113,000 miles. I just changed out the oem tires at 112,000 miles. Suspension and parts are still good to go. It didn't even need an alignment at 100,000 miles !! (got it anyway since it was a special at a GTG and I didn't want to stiff the vendor)
I did do the TB/WP gig @ app 100,000 miles (actually 98,500 miles, cause I am a belt and suspenders kind of person), but as you would probably agree, a WAY separate issue.