E39 Shocks Expensive?

CalamariFritti

I think my 1998 E39 is coming to its end.

Last few years she required a bit more than just service and this year its going to be shocks it seems. They've been shot for a while and of course thats no surprise but now its getting ridiculous, my tyres touch the wheel arch now in sharp bends.

A set of bilsteins start at 400 and thats on eBay, not in the garage, and I expect labour to be the real killer. I expect this to cost well over a grand, but I could be wrong.

Any experience anyone? I have her forever and she's still al lovely car, its just that theres something for a grand+ every year in recent years.
Is it time to call it a day or are shocks not that bad (expensive) to push her over the line just yet?

Trojan

I'd get a quote from a good indy for the job, for example Motor Confidence. His quote was €130 cheaper than the next guy for rear ball joints on my E39.

Generally speaking not many avoid spending €1000 a year in maintenance or depreciation unless they drive total sh1theaps or are quite shrewd.

If it's in otherwise decent condition with a solid chassis, bodywork, engine and box I wouldn't begrudge it some shocks.

If it's as bad as you say it is I wouldn't be driving it until sorted, roadholding & braking has to be effected, quite dangerous to be pottering around in.

Shannon757

There's plenty of people on here who know about E39s anyway.

Foxhole Norman

I have a pair of front Sport Shocks and Springs from my E39 that you're welcome to if you can pick them up. About 140k on them but there was no problems before I replaced them.

Trojan

^ that's awesome.

CalamariFritti, what spec is it?

CalamariFritti

Augeo wrote: »

If it's as bad as you say it is I wouldn't be driving it until sorted, roadholding & braking has to be effected, quite dangerous to be pottering around in.

It's ok. Its not that she's swaying or being bumpy or wobbly or so but the other day I came pretty swiftly out of a roundabout and the right front wheel definitely dinged the wheel arch a couple of times, something I never heard before.

So agreed not something I want to wait with, but really reckon I shouldn't be driving her at all?

CalamariFritti

CalamariFritti wrote: »

....but really reckon I shouldn't be driving her at all?

50kph urban emergency stop situation... 100% sure it'd stop as quick as if the shocks weren't w@nked?

That's your answer IMO

CalamariFritti

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

I have a pair of front Sport Shocks and Springs from my E39 that you're welcome to if you can pick them up. About 140k on them but there was no problems before I replaced them.

Thanks thats very nice, thank you for the offer!

It's a bog standard 1998 523i with 220k kilometres on the clock. According to realoem.com I need 31311096858 & 33521093646. No sports suspension.

But then I'm thinking - and please don't think I don't appreciate the offer and that I'm being ungrateful - then I'm thinking that labour is a really big factor in this - more so than the shocks themselves - and once I go to the bother of that shouldn't I put new shocks in there? 140k is not a really small number.

Eric Cartman

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Thanks thats very nice, thank you for the offer!

It's a bog standard 1998 523i with 220k kilometres on the clock. According to realoem.com I need 31311096858 & 33521093646. No sports suspension.

But then I'm thinking - and please don't think I don't appreciate the offer and that I'm being ungrateful - then I'm thinking that labour is a really big factor in this - more so than the shocks themselves - and once I go to the bother of that shouldn't I put new shocks in there? 140k is not a really small number.

its changing a set of shocks, not big money at all. I had the 2 rear shocks and springs changed on my e38 for 100 notes by a local indy (labour only, i supplied the parts). The rear ones are far harder to get to . Not to be dismissing you mate, but if a few hundred quid is causing you concern, perhaps owning a premium german saloon isn't for you.

CalamariFritti

I have the car forever and I'm well able to run and maintain the car properly, just somehow got the impression that E39 shocks are a really big deal hours wise. And obviously at that age every repair in the 1k+ range exceeds the value of the car.

I'll get a quote or two and take it from there, thanks.

visual

You have something other amiss if the wheel is touching body. Shocks or better description is damper only control the spring rate up and down you might have top mounts or suspension issues.

I get a mechanic to look at it before you spend out money.

CalamariFritti

visual wrote: »

You have something other amiss if the wheel is touching body. Shocks or better description is damper only control the spring rate up and down you might have top mounts or suspension issues.

I get a mechanic to look at it before you spend out money.

Ye thats what I was worried about in the back of my head, too. I'm no expert but I didn't think the shocks are actually keeping the car up/suspended, they're just keeping things tight was my understanding.

Definitely going to the garage this week. And spending money on shocks in advance would be pointless anyway, not many mechanics like fitting customer supplied parts I believe. Parts are part of their business/profits isn't it?

H3llR4iser

Let me start with saying that 400 for a full set of Bilstein ain't bad; I recently did all 4 shocks on the 159, and a set of B8s would have been nearly 800!

Ended up with bog standard KYBs (first time I use the brand, usually went for either Alfa OEM or Monroe, but these Japanese fellas seem good so far!), which I found for a ridiculously low price on a german website - not sure if I'm allowed to post it here; They're not the fastest for delivery but the prices are unbeatable.

Fitting wasn't expensive at all - the garage took around 300 for the operation; I can imagine a similar amount of work involved for the E39 - if anything, it's a tiny bit less convoluted having McPherson struts at the front.

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Ye thats what I was worried about in the back of my head, too. I'm no expert but I didn't think the shocks are actually keeping the car up/suspended, they're just keeping things tight was my understanding.

Definitely going to the garage this week. And spending money on shocks in advance would be pointless anyway, not many mechanics like fitting customer supplied parts I believe. Parts are part of their business/profits isn't it?

I don't know, I hope this doesn't catch on like with tires. Every single garage I've ever gone to was happy to use "customer-provided" parts, even one Alfa main dealer. As far as I know talking to them and from pricing, the recharge on parts is minimum, sometimes in the range of a few Euro, and labour is the real deal.

Garages get parts at trade price and charge the customer retail. So they do indeed make a margin on the parts, as you'd expect from a business.
To the customers adv VAT is not charged at 23% on the parts when garage supplied and fitted.

If there's a problem with a garage supplied part it's the garages problem, problem with a customer supplied part it's not the garages problem.

There's for and against bringing parts and going labour only route.

Often, people just consider the price and the initial perceived saving.