What are the most cost effective struts? suggestions?

[edger0587]

What are the best struts I can get for relatively cheap? I want a balance between cost, performance, and comfort. Turns out my current ones are on their way out, or so I was told (and I can notice it while driving). I saw the gabriel shocks and springs, but wasn't sure if they're good. I could always go with KYB but I don't want to spend too much on them (and since I no longer have time, or a garage to do it in, I have to pay for someone to install them for me, which adds to the cost). suggestions? thanks in advance

[Ryan]

I'd go with junkyard ZX2. Find a wrecked one with low KM.

or

I recently learned that Monroe has a question free lifetime guarantee. They make Mazda replacements. Strut breaks for ANY reason, bring it back with receipt, and voila, brand new strut. Now, we all know lowering suspension kills struts eventually....



$80 a pop. Good for life.

[projectzemx3]

yep monroe lifetime guarantee products are my favourite. all my ball joint and tie rods got replaced with monroe stuff. free replacement lifetime warranty PLUS i get it with my discounted employee price at canadian tire.


and they actually aernt bad products either!

[Hoodzy]

I think KYB Gr2's have lifetime warranties as well?? I've had mine for 3 years with eibachs on canadas worst roads. They were about 65 each when I bought mine from Canadian Tire.

[solo_ryder]

Yea KYB GR2 are also lifetimers. You can even have a lowered car with KYB's, just nothing lower then 2" lower then stock IIRC and you will be ok. This is what I was told from a autoparts guy.

[mortenmorfar]

What do you guys do with the ABS wire, no one makes shocks with the
ABS holder, so im pretty much stuck with the OEM parts :/

[wytbishop]

Zip tie...Duct tape...rubber bands. All excellent solutions.

[umcamara]

Zip tie...Duct tape...rubber bands. All excellent solutions.

Okay Red Green... Stick with zip ties please.

[wytbishop]

If you can't fix it, Duck it.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Remember, if women don't find you handsome they can at least find you handy

[mortenmorfar]

Zip tie...Duct tape...rubber bands. All excellent solutions.

okay, guess you have different rules in the states, in Denmark ziptip is a no go on anything
brake related :/, but I found some Boge Automatic shocks which have the ABS bracket.
But man our prices suck, 200$ for one strut, would have been a lot cheaper to buy
some KYB struts and weld the bracket on them... ohh and a rear wheel hub 340$ it's insane :/

[_-Night-Shade-_]

USD?

[wytbishop]

Zip tie...Duct tape...rubber bands. All excellent solutions.

okay, guess you have different rules in the states, in Denmark ziptip is a no go on anything
brake related :/, but I found some Boge Automatic shocks which have the ABS bracket.
But man our prices suck, 200$ for one strut, would have been a lot cheaper to buy
some KYB struts and weld the bracket on them... ohh and a rear wheel hub 340$ it's insane :/

The position of the ABS senser wire has no impact on the function of the braking system. I find it difficult to believe that any jurisdiction in the world would fail a car's inspection because the wire was held away from the wheel by a zip tie.

But lets say that they would. You could easily make a bracket from a piece of 16 gauge sheet metal and attach it to the body of the shock with a clamp.

[mortenmorfar]

Zip tie...Duct tape...rubber bands. All excellent solutions.

okay, guess you have different rules in the states, in Denmark ziptip is a no go on anything
brake related :/, but I found some Boge Automatic shocks which have the ABS bracket.
But man our prices suck, 200$ for one strut, would have been a lot cheaper to buy
some KYB struts and weld the bracket on them... ohh and a rear wheel hub 340$ it's insane :/

The position of the ABS senser wire has no impact on the function of the braking system. I find it difficult to believe that any jurisdiction in the world would fail a car's inspection because the wire was held away from the wheel by a zip tie.

But lets say that they would. You could easily make a bracket from a piece of 16 gauge sheet metal and attach it to the body of the shock with a clamp.

I only have a socket set and some screw drivers, so I would have to pay someone to make the bracket, so I just paid the big price tag, and got the struts with the bracket already on

[mmmx3]

I'd go with junkyard ZX2. Find a wrecked one with low KM.

my front suspension spring just broke. i called mazda asked about the recall
and gave them my mx3 gs vin and they said there's no recall and no effect
on my mx3 gs. i'm in US.

My both front springs are broken and you can pull the pieces out on the rack.

I gt to get my car fixed and drive.

It's very hard to find used parts on mx3 anymore and the parts would be old.

So I called junkyard and found one set (both fronts and backs) suspension
from ZX2 from 98 to 03. They came with mounts, springs and struts.
My rear struts are bad too and it's not a bad idea to change all of them.
NOW, my question is, if I buy whole set from the junkyard and would these
suspensions from ZX2 bolt right up to my 93 MX3 GS 5 spd (no abs) without any mod?

How is the quality of ZX2 suspension? Ride? Handling?

Trying to get my car back to the road on budget. Thank you all.