I need to put new shocks and struts on my son's '95. What is the quality, or lack thereof, of the Monroe products. And if they are bad, what are the relative merits of the Billsteins versus the Sachs?

Oh, and is it necessary to replace the strut mounting bearings/plates? The KYB parts are $60 each.

Thanks,
JM

 

don't put monroe-no good

 

I think it's all a question of how long you want them to last...in order from lowest to highest...Monroe, Sachs, Bilstein. If you replace the struts, make sure to replace the spring seats for sure and as many other parts as you can (bump stops, etc.) In my opinion the suspension needs to be freshened up after 100K miles. I went with Bilstein HDs and I'm happy. Firm ride and composed over bumps. If you're looking for a little smoother ride at the expense of some handling, I'd go for the Bilstein touring shocks. Even still, it won't ride a smooth as a Lexus or something...I think the 850 will always be a bit on the jittery side when handling bumps.

 

I just placed the order for the Billstein touring. I will replace the bushings, but not the metal mount plates. I also went ahead and ordered new Brembo rotors, ceramic pads and new hoses. Hey, I have to take the wheels off, so I might as well do the brakes, right?

Thanks for eveyone's help. I will let you know how it turned out.

JM

 

The Bilstein Touring are a very nice choice. I think you'll be happy with them. You might want to change the end links while you have everything apart. A guy by the name of Slater is supposed to make very good ones on the VS forum.