How To Install A Monroe Quick-Strut Assembly 2002 Dodge Neon

[ijosef]

I'll be doing this soon on my battered '98 Chevy Prizm (rebadged Toyota Corolla). It's got 225k miles and has seen more than its share of hit-and-run accidents. Anyway, I would leave it as is but my struts are so worn that the car feels like it's free floating on the springs right now. I bought a set of generic quick struts (not Monroe) that won't be great but will be better than nothing. My goal is to get her to 300k before I sell it to a high school kid for a few hundred bucks.

[ramirezjohnp]

You forgot to take off the tags! We're installing a new set in the front of our vintage '92 Camry, I'll comment again with how it goes!

[realcampusman]

@ramirezjohnp i'm about to put the quick struts in mine tomorrow..I'm really glad I didnt pay the shop because this is easy..I got the napa quick struts, so cheap

[4cClubT]

Midas-the Mcdonalds of mufflers,parts probably desighned to disinigrate right after warranty-torque specs on strut towers? WOW-wonder how many youngsters in the bays at budget mech are skipping that one-add a little rust on that minivan and Walla, broke down again

[Oldtimer1942]

Thanks for the video, it made up my mind and yes it's just that easy! If it wasn't for the ground wire being rusted solid (I had to cut it off) it would have taken less than 15 minutes and I'm 69 and certainly not a mechanic ! So get with it you young guns. I was quoted over $600. to do this job!  It cost me $160.00

[Mkisho]

Like a fucking boss!

[fabjonjon]

Buy a Honda Civic and you wont have to change struts after seven years. Just a thought. The price of those struts could buy me a 2002 neon with 100k miles. NO JOKE. not that I would drive one.

[fabjonjon]

Wow a 600 dollars set of struts on a 2,000 dollar neon? Did anyone else think about this? Your engine is going to crap out before you can even break those struts in. Bahhahaha. Anyways Bilsteins are not that much more why wouldnt you just...

[drerocafella08]

Pav how much did your struts cost you?

[PA2VA85]

I'm getting these for my 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, I cant wait to install them. Gonna be a nice weekend project!

[rockjunkiegtx]

"The proper Torque specifications are "GoodNTight""

[ballershanelle]

dont forget, monroe has rebates and boy, do u want to catch that mf rebate & store, pricematch, if u have all four to install. Sadly, im learning about car savings & pricematching while fighting some mechanics/shadetree bfriend. Major benefits of letting me buy the part vs. a speedy fix using walk-in autostore purchase. jeeze, i need to take an auto class so i can repair my car without moron hassles! Ex: i PM truck rotors down to $27.98 (each) vs. $108 and a lifetime warranty!! yeah!

[juliancho11746]

thanks for this great video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jakfuki]

Well, that beats paying some overcharging idiot to put on a pair of price gouged struts, and paying them 300 bucks to put them in. 2 people can easily do this. Once the tire's off, everything is exposed. Just don't forget to get an alignment after you change this stuff out. Just waiting on mine to come in the mail. The shops don't do the quick struts, so they take their sweet assed time messing with the mounts, springs, and whatever else, then tell you it takes a few hours. Friggin' liars!

[watermon1]

Very informative video. Thanks for posting as this helps a bunch .

[mystiqueman366]

is it just me, or did i see a STRUT being changed in less than 2 minutes?!?!?!

[webboaster]

@mystiqueman366

I know right? Im doing mine on my 95 buick regal and uhhhh ive been at it fora few hours now. He made that look easy. My car doesnt let me freely move the arm though eeeek!

[mimozastela]

hi i have 03 neon sxt, i have to replace the 2 front struts. Is this procedure the same as for my car? thank you

[mimozastela]

hi i have 03 neon sxt i have to replace the front struts , is this the same procedure as for my car?

[deluxedookie]

bet that was a 6 hour job on the invoice.

[b22ri22an]

if only quick struts were available for all vehicles.... cheapest i can find the parts for a 96 celica is $860 for all four wheels with springs and then they still need to be installed :( btw my mechanic is aces as far as parts he lets me either bring in my own parts or he'll order them for me at no additional cost just straight labor by the book

[gtq838]

@b22ri22an thats the way it should be... I took my car to midas and they wanted $400 for a rear proportion valve and told me 4 hours labor at $60 an hour... I bough for $8 at a junk yard and installed in 30minutes including cutting off the old one. I guess midas mechanics are REALLY slow.

[jun19020987]

Thank you!!

[satchboogyfan]

Thank you

This is very helpful on educating me and the rest of the public on how easy this is to do.

[Russ4you]

This is a great video and I thank you. Shops do mark these things up to cover a varied amount of cost. My advice, know your mechanic better, you might not mind why he is charging what he is. After that and you don't like it, lose him, by the part yourself and teach yourself how to do. I don't see the need to insert the whole "if you teach a man to fish etc etc but it's a great point.

[shottis70]

this a great , thanks a lot man

[brimest0ne]

I work in a shop, dont think for one second all cars are the same and I know, quick struts are not available for all cars, quick struts are not cheep either, some time you have to do an alignment to the car as well and this will add to the price. Put brain in gear before putting mouth in motion

[rjh1217]

First off, I know that all cars are not the same, and that quickstruts are not available on all cars, remember I said I checked the Monroe website. As far as expense, you cannot buy all of the individual components (upper and lower spring isolators, mount, bearing, jounce bumper, strut, and spring) for less than the cost of the quickstrut. Go ahead and check. Also, my friends quote did not include alignment. My comments are not inaccurate on my example. A 100% markup on parts is inexcusable.

[brimest0ne]

Hum well hate to tell you this, but yes a 100% mark up on parts is normal for most shops, and its known as 50% margin in the business, and your right, buy the insert and boots and such are cheaper, but most of the time the spring isn't changed. When I can, I will sell a quick strut so the spring is changed and I can charge less labour to the customer. and your wrong on the pure profit part, Shop owner has to pat the bills too, techs get $25-30 per hour in our shop, hydro, rent, phone and taxes!!

[rjh1217]

You are of course absolutley right that the shop has expenses to pay, and that the shop must realise a profit for any incentive to stay in business. However, just because the 100% markup on parts is commonplace doesnt make it right. I suspect that if you told your customers at the moment you handed them the bill that you charged them double for their parts because you have bills to pay, they wouldnt come back. The sad fact (for them) is that most people are simply ignorant of the true cost.

[rjh1217]

I just purchased the Moroe quickstruts for my 02 Grand Prix online for $503 for all four. A co-worker of mine has an 03 Grand Prix that uses the same parts (I checked the Monroe website). The place he took it to wanted $1700 to do all four. Now, what is a reasonable labor charge? This guy did 1 front corner in less than 5 min! So lets be generous an give them 2 full hours to do all four. At $100 an hour for labor, that puts us at 503 plus 200 for a total of $703. The rest is pure profit!

[rabqaiser]

thx man cool video

[pickslides]

Amazing! I've gotten more than one quote for over $1,000 to do the struts for a 97 Maxima. Clearly this can be done for around $400 in less than an hour by your self!!! I'm sold