Dealer or Independant for rear shock absorbers?

NornIron70

Hi. First time user here, so be gentle!

Just had my 2012 Honda Jazz in for MOT & Service at my local Honda dealer. The MOT came back with the following advisories:
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Speaking to the repairs manager he has said not to worry about it at the moment but I should book in my car in 6 months to see if they need replacing. He has quoted me £375 for the parts and fitting.

Having to replace the rear shocks at 32 thousand miles ( something I have never had to do on any of my other previous vehicles with considerably higher mileage) makes me doubt Honda's so called reliability. Question is do I pay £375 for another set of Honda shocks which may last only 30k miles or take it to my local independent and have unbranded ones fitted for considerably less but not knowing about their quality?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

The car is owned outright (finished paying the finance this month) and I intend to keep the vehicle until its fit for the scrapheap.

AdrianC

'course, there's no reason why an indie couldn't fit OEM dampers.

Just looking at a typical parts site, there's three options - Sachs, KYB (probably OEM) and Monroe.

All are gas, not oil, so no "misting of oil" is even possible... Could the MOT man be pulling a fast one?

Norman_Castle

Although they are replaced as pairs its normally only one that has failed. I suspect the "light misting of oil" is normal and nothing to worry about and the shocks are fine. You might be able to see them without jacking the car so regular checks by you for peace of mind is probably possible.

If they need changing I would use an independent garage and non Honda shocks if these have failed this quickly.

tedted

AdrianC wrote: »

'course, there's no reason why an indie couldn't fit OEM dampers.

Just looking at a typical parts site, there's three options - Sachs, KYB (probably OEM) and Monroe.

All are gas, not oil, so no "misting of oil" is even possible... Could the MOT man be pulling a fast one?

gas shocks contain oil as well

EdGasket

Just clean the 'misting' off with a rag before the next MoT.

George_Michael

AdrianC wrote: »

All are gas, not oil, so no "misting of oil" is even possible... Could the MOT man be pulling a fast one?

As gas is extremely compressible, there is no way that a gas filled shock absorber could be of any use unless it contained an uncompressible fluid such as hydraulic oil to actually allow damping to occur.

Shaka_Zulu

If it comes to it go to an Indy until then do nothing and just monitor them.

I have a bush that gets a mention on alternate MOTs and it is still fine!

EdGasket

Shaka_Zulu wrote: »

I have a bush that gets a mention on alternate MOTs

You could get it waxed to avoid the redicule :rotfl:

markelock

non-Honda shocks can still be OEM quality, just not OEM cost???

I'd ignore it for the time being and monitor, and look for a good independent garage for work from now on, dealer rates will be much more expensive

JP08

Had the dealers pull the same trick when I had the Skoda Octavia. It went to a dealer for some work just after I bought it - and in their "safety" checks they recommended changing the rear shocks due to a light misting of oil. To be fair, there was a light misting, but it went through the MoT at my trusted local garage with the same note added to the advisories for the next four years (25k miles). It still had the same shocks on it when I sold it ... and probably still does two years on.

System

NornIron70 wrote: »

Having to replace the rear shocks at 32 thousand miles ( something I have never had to do on any of my other previous vehicles with considerably higher mileage) makes me doubt Honda's so called reliability.

Depends on what type of roads that 32k has been done on. If its anything like the town 10 miles up the road where you need a 4x4 to get in and out of it and every other road is continual speed bumps from start to finish and that 32k has been spent driving round it then it comes as no surprise they fail that quick. Had it been 32k of motorway miles then that's different and it'd be abysmal.

Unfortunately an annual average of 6000 miles a year tends to be more of an indication of a hard life on an older car than not because it usually means local journeys on poor roads and lots of time spent not being used, neither of which are good for a car.

Personally though I'd not go dealer even if fitting Honda ones just because of the difference in hourly labour rates. Given they're not coilovers personally I'd buy some spanners and fit them myself - its a bolt at the bottom and a nut at the top and all you have to do is pop off a plastic access cover on the rear arch cover to get to the top nut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaKQFguMxJo