[Tim G]

From those who have had this done, how much did you pay to fit lowering springs to your e9x?

I'm not clueless when it comes to knowing what's involved ( I've done it myself on the drive a number of times on previous cars) but I know in a garage with all the right tools the job is far easier & less time consuming.

I've had 2 quotes so far. £180 and £335. Both from what claim to be independent specialists.

How the heck these can vary quite that much is beyond me. What did others pay? I'm in Hampshire BTW, if anyone can offer suggestions as to a reasonably priced & competent garage?

[e90_taf]

I'm thinking of getting my shock/springs refreshed and have been quoted from my reputable indie around £200. So more in keeping with the £180 quote.
Are you sure its not supply & fit regards 2nd quote?!

[Sparky68]

I paid £40 per corner.

[KiwiRD]

Here in NZ I was quoted 1 hour total to do both rear dampers and springs, plus 1 hour per side to do the front. Total three hours at $95 per hour + GST - $327 / GBP 150 or thereabouts.

[mistryn]

I asked my indi few months ago he said to replace the rear shocks £30 per side and front shocks £60 per side. I would imagine £40-45 per rears to do shocks and springs and same £60 for fronts as the spring needs to come out for the shock to be replaced. so again £180 seems about right (price based in midlands)

[litany]

I had done myself, but took me one full day. Then £50 for re-alignment.

[GreaseJunkie]

We charge 4 hours at $85 USD/ hr. Coilovers usually require a bit of tweaking, so we add the extra hour for adjusting ride height and such.

[Tim G]

Tempted to do myself again, but these things become less appealing the older I get!

Might just do the rears myself and pay to have the fronts done. Gone down this route before.

[Rudz]

Wow, that is cheap ������ paid a lot more to get mine swapped

[RajB]

I do mine myself tbh. It's time consuming on the drive/garage with fairly decent tools that I have but definitely find the fronts easier. But I'd say about £40-£50 a corner is about right.

[old grey steve]

Touchy subject this IMO, at £40-£50 per side these are damn good rates, if you consider you put the car on the ramp, remove both front struts, compres springs, remove springs, compress new springs to go back on to the current struts re assemble then for £40-£50 per side a lot of places would take on the job afterall ts bread & butter work, some like us simply wouldn't TBH at these prices as its time consuming plus as a business you can actually earn better elsewhere for that money, hence OP's quote variation he has been given some see it like we do some will just get the work and money talks, mind you side tracking for a second we've seen plenty of springs fitted elsewhere wherewhen quizzed customer states were done to a price that simply haven't been fitted correctly and this is actually surprisingly commonplace(comes up a lot on MOT's for instance)easily correctable mind but thats not the point. A bit of care, time taken works wonders but sometimes for a price you don't always get this.

The rears on a ramp don't really present too many drama's re spring swap if you talking about a shock swap then the rears are a little more time consuming.

Just my 2p's worth

[Aragorn30d]

Its probably 4-5hours work tops for a garage?

200quid for 4-5 hours work seems reasonable to me, and is what i'd expect to pay as an hourly rate at a typical local garage.

My brother paid that to have his clutch/flywheel changed in his 320d a few weeks ago, which again is a 4-5hour job.

Steve: What do you charge per hour if you think these rates are cheap?

I dont see why its a touchy subject, a job takes X hours and a garage charges Y pounds per hour. Its simple maths isnt it? A main dealer might charge £120 an hour, so a 5 hour job would end up costing you 600quid.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Aragorn30d

Its probably 4-5hours work tops for a garage?

200quid for 4-5 hours work seems reasonable to me, and is what i'd expect to pay as an hourly rate at a typical local garage.

My brother paid that to have his clutch/flywheel changed in his 320d a few weeks ago, which again is a 4-5hour job.

Steve: What do you charge per hour if you think these rates are cheap?

You nigh bang on re the time but a little out re labour costs as stated above £200 all in for that work can/will be earned better elsewhere re these sort of jobs they are time consuming in the real scheme of things hnece the sum total charged.

On your clutch flywheel on a 320d yep time wise you about right they are actually very straight forward to do as everythings in line.

[Aragorn30d]

Yep, i guess the point is, labour rates will vary between garages and also areas. Scotland central belt where I am is pretty cheap as it goes, South East England is going to be more expensive.

Similarly a specialist will typically charge more than a normal local garage, and a main dealer will charge yet more still.

You pays your money and makes your choice.

My brother was a bit wary about taking his car to a normal local garage rather than an specialist for the clutch change, ofcourse preferring to have someone that knows the car/model gives you that better feeling that things would be done properly. In then end, we felt that clutches were "bread and butter" type work as you described, and that there wasnt really much to worry about having a normal place do the work, and saved a decent chunk of cash having it done by the local place.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Aragorn30d

Yep, i guess the point is, labour rates will vary between garages and also areas. Scotland central belt where I am is pretty cheap as it goes, South East England is going to be more expensive.

Similarly a specialist will typically charge more than a normal local garage, and a main dealer will charge yet more still.

You pays your money and makes your choice.

My brother was a bit wary about taking his car to a normal local garage rather than an specialist for the clutch change, ofcourse preferring to have someone that knows the car/model gives you that better feeling that things would be done properly. In then end, we felt that clutches were "bread and butter" type work as you described, and that there wasnt really much to worry about having a normal place do the work, and saved a decent chunk of cash having it done by the local place.

Your right again labour rates vary, if you look at things like running a place to simply open the doors costs throusands then you've got the diag equipment that everyone wants you to have an most places don't and again this costs thousands plus you have to pay each year for a licence then someone wants you to do a job for £40... as a business sometimes you have to stand firm and work though warmily recieved needs to be donea t a rate a rate thats fair in the locality you work in.

We've got garages round where we are that do anything have basic diag equipment and tools yet charge over £50+VAT per hour and on BMW's/ Merc's Audi's etc end up coming to us anyway as they can't tackle the job and sub it out and that's the reality we exsist to cater for certain cars we have all the kit the main agents have therefore we set our stall out accordingly. Costs re labour we charge are set out for the whole business and what it costs to open the doors to trade and £40 or whatever doesn't around here cover it.

Re the clutch you did di you get the clutch and flywheel only?

[Aragorn30d]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Re the clutch you did di you get the clutch and flywheel only?

He bought a LUK clutch kit himself then had them install it.

Not sure what you mean by clutch and flywheel only, i think the kit had the flywheel, friction plate, pressure plate, release bearing and clutch fork.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Aragorn30d

He bought a LUK clutch kit himself then had them install it.

Not sure what you mean by clutch and flywheel only, i think the kit had the flywheel, friction plate, pressure plate, release bearing and clutch fork.

That's about right the only thing most forget is the ball pin and spring about a £6 quids worth these can go AWOL over time the ball pins nylon and wears the spring well that gets weak can fracture