zenithblue993

So i'm looking into the best options in replacing my left front shock. I went to the porsche dealer and they said it is seaping hydralic fluid. So how long can I wait before i replace it? It seems pretty expensive. They quoted me as followed:


Left Front Shock (seaping hydralic fluid) -- Part: $690.32 Labor: $305.88 (2.5hrs)

I looked online for the part and it seems the cheapest is this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/150883145469 . Is that the right one? Now i looked at some of the DIY but i'm not sure if i want to attempt it. Also do they said i should do the right side too, another 900$... Any thoughts?

nile13

On the off chance that this is actually serious...

You need to replace shocks. You would be well advises to replace them in pairs. You would be even better advised to replace all 4 shocks with aftermarket shocks, possibly replacing springs as well.

The shocks you have now are made by Monroe. The shock you pointed to on eBay is Bilstein HD. You _really_ don't want one of each on the same axle, nor do yo want two Bilsteins and two Monroes on different corners of your car. If you let us know the details of what it is that you use the car for, what's important to you, etc, you will get good advise. if you don;t you will get a lot of random advise. That part is entirely up to you. As is what you want to spend on a 993... but it's not a Corolla, that's for sure. It's a semi-exotic sports car. It needs suspension. Good suspension cost money. Good suspension for a P-car adds about 100% P-tax.

zenithblue993

Yes this is serious, sorry i've only had the car for a month. I understand it's not going to be cheap. I just use the car as a daily driver, no racing just to get from point A to B. Thanks for your input!

Mike J

You do not say what the mileage on your car is, but the stock Monroe sourced shocks that come with the 993's wear very quickly, and are essentially garbage. If one is leaking, the others are following soon. There are much better choices out there than the Porsche supplied replacements, so I would shop around before deciding on which way to go.

As was said before, do not every mix shocks, and you should consider replacing all four corners. This is a balanced system that if not done right, you can get dangerous handling, especially in severe or accident-avoidance situations. It has nothing to do with "racing", most of us do not race our cars, but expect the vehicle to handle like it was designed, which means good suspension/shocks.

Replacement of all four corners can run from a bit less than $1000 total to $3000, outside of installation labor and alignment. The range goes from stock replacements to multi-adjustable units. Do a search, there are literally hundreds of threads asking the same questions.

The Koni's have been getting a good rep lately because they are really economical - jury is out on their longevity since they have not been out long enough. I have driven cars equipped with Koni's, they seem to work well. Well know brand as well, so they will honor warranties, etc. Bilstein is one of the replacement shocks of choice, either HD's or PSS-10's. KW Varient 3's are comparable to the PSS-10's, with price points around $2700 - $3000 for all four corners.

Cheers,

Mike

nile13

One strong, probably overriding, suggestion is - find a good independent mechanic. Forget dealer for any type of work on a 993. You'll be a happier man and your wallet will thank you. Let people know where you are located and you'll get tons of suggestions on this.

As far as shocks - Mike mentions Koni above. In your case I'd look at either Koni FSD or Bilstein HDs. You'll have to decide whether to keep current springs (and current ride height) or go with something like European M033 springs for same compliant ride and slightly lower car, which is mostly purely cosmetic. Shocks will cost you $1000-1200, springs about $400-500 extra.

zenithblue993

I have 40,000 miles on my 1997 Carrera S. And yes ok I have a better understanding now. Thank you. I know I should replace all 4 at once, but I don't think I can afford that. (I inherited the car from my late father). I will eventually do the front 2 first for now. Just trying to find a cost effective way that's doing it right. I assume the 1000 for all four you mention are not good? And yes i will do much more research!

Pags993

Full set of Koni FSD's are currently on sale at Paragon for $900, keep the stock springs and I think this is the most economical choice and will improve the handling of your 993 considerably.

ble2011

That's my setup and having them installed next week. Will post what I think of them after the installation.

nile13

As said before, replacing all 4 shock will be the most economical choice both in short and long run. Do not replace with OEM, do not replace at the dealer.

zenithblue993

How much are you paying for labor on all 4 ? thanks

timothymoffat

As others have said, definitely replace all 4 shocks at the same time. This will require a good alignment as well. Not cheap overall but more cost effective in the long run as not doing an alignment could wear out a set of tires VERY quickly.

As to cost of install and alignment, I'll defer to those local to you as this seems to vary significantly depending on location.

You will be amazed at how different the car will feel.

I noticed you stated this was your Father's car. Sad to hear but great way to keep the memories alive. Hopefully you can keep it a long time and enjoy what he enjoyed.

gmorat

Maybe you should get a car you can afford to run? I don't mean that in a critical way but you could sell that car and get something that is more user friendly on the wallet.

I recently bought a 993 and went through a list of problems and what they would cost to fix if they were to happen. Some of the potential bills are surprisingly affordable and some are eye-watering. If I looked at the potential costs and said that it was just too much then I wouldn't have bought the car because once they occur its impossible to sell the car without sorting them out or knocking the cost off of the price you want for the car.

Then again, if the car means a lot to you then you can always figure out how to make it work.

Replacing one shock is madness though. Even 2 unless been swapped for like(and even then) is hard to justify. You'll end up paying more split over 2 jobs that it would cost to get the whole lot done together. I think I was quoted $2400 to get Bilstein HD's installed. Not sure if that included an alignment or not which is potentially another $140. I have the quote in my office at work, I'll look at it on Monday and tell you the exact amount and scope.

pp000830

A technician with a lift should be able to replace all 4 in about 4 hours.
Complete coil-overs such as the HR Sport come in at $1900 on eBay for a complete set (4).
If you labor quote is much higher than this look for someone else to do the work as the install is nothing special to do. I had no previous experience with coil-overs and did it in my driveway with jack stands on a leisurely Saturday. Only two special items needed, a spring compressor $10 at Harbor Freight and a hack saw to cut a slot in the brake line mounts to remove and reinstall the flex lines without opening up the break lines to unclip them from the strut bodies.
Andy

zenithblue993

Thanks for all the great advise! I will talk to one of the local mechanics on monday that I got recommended on here! And I love the car, I don't want to sell it. I have the money, i'm just making sure i dont over pay or under pay for something.

I think my best option from all your advise is getting the Koni FSD set of 4 for the 1000 dollars online. That seems the best option for me. As long as the installation is not more then another 1000 I think i'll be good.

nile13

There are couple of good Porsche mechanics in Tamp AFAIK. Install should not cost $1,000. Install with alignment could be closer to $1,000, but probably still less than that.