Replacing Coil Spring Cost

I've just had new tyres fitted to my 2010 Toyota Yaris (it's done ~30K miles).

The garage told me that one of the front springs was broken and should be replaced. They have quoted about £150 (I have already paid for tracking - not yet done - as part of the tyre fitting, otherwise that would be on top).

Is that a reasonable price? I certainly wouldn't be confident attempting the job myself so I will need to get it done at a garage! Also I have read differing opinions on whether to get the other side spring replaced at the same time. I don't want to do that if it's not necessary as it would double the bill, is there any advantage in doing so?

Thanks :-)
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Comments

  • roneik
    roneik Posts: 139 Forumite
    I personally would have both changed, the price quoted depends on what the cost of the spring is. the suspension has to be dropped from the strut. The spring has to be compressed and the brake calliper supported .I would say about an hours labour.If you were doing it yourself you would need the means to support car with axle stands and a spring compressor.
    .
  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895
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    No problem getting just one side done. In the good old days when springs lasted for decades, and were rusty before they left the showroom, by the time one broke the other would usually have softened / settled. So changing both made sense. But today spring breakage is an almost random occurence thanks to more highly stressed and damage-intolerant alloys so the other side won't have had time to sag.

    As for cost, just had one done on my wife's Mondeo which cost £70 but the work involved - and the cost of the part - can be very different on different cars.
  • Inner_Zone
    Inner_Zone Posts: 2,853 Forumite
    Joe_Horner wrote: »
    No problem getting just one side done. In the good old days when springs lasted for decades, and were rusty before they left the showroom, by the time one broke the other would usually have softened / settled. So changing both made sense. But today spring breakage is an almost random occurence thanks to more highly stressed and damage-intolerant alloys so the other side won't have had time to sag.

    As for cost, just had one done on my wife's Mondeo which cost £70 but the work involved - and the cost of the part - can be very different on different cars.

    Have to disagree. OP change them both at the same time, if one has snapped the other won't be far off doing the same.
  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895
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    Modern springs snap because of stress raisers - defects in or near the surface that concentrate stress at a point and cause the metal to crack. That can be a defect in the metal, a rust spot when the coating's failed, or damage such as scratches / chips from being under a car. Rust spots seem to be the most common (unsurprisingly).

    The fact one has developed a stress raiser and subsequently failed gives no indication at all of the condition of the other - a rust spot or a defect doesn't magically appear in sympathy on the left spring just because the right spring has one!

    So, no, "the other won't be far behind" is technical nonsense - good for selling springs but still technically wrong.
  • Inner_Zone
    Inner_Zone Posts: 2,853 Forumite
    You believe what ever you wish too. I am speaking from experience and failure is not a random occurrence as you state.
  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895
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    You are aware that random can mean that two break close together? I've seen springs break at less than 6 months old, I've also seen them last for years.

    If you examine the break it always starts with an identifiable stress raiser, and the formation of that (whether rust, flaw during manufacture, fitting damage or whatever) is essentially random.

    The reason for breakages being common nowadays is simply that the springs are engineered with very little safety margin, so a flaw or damage that, on an old spring, wouldn't have mattered is now enough to cause failure. But they don't break without a flaw or damage developing first, and that process is completely unpredictable.
  • ohreally
    ohreally Posts: 7,525
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    Joe_Horner wrote: »
    No problem getting just one side done.

    Its not one side though, its a corner.

    Op, good practice would be to change the axle pair but many will replace the damaged spring only.

    Your choice.
    Don’t be a can’t, be a can.
  • Only changed one side on an older focus, garage agreed no reason to change both and drivers side will be different stresses as only one person a lot of time so they won't get even ware anyway.

    Done and dusted £105
  • I must have had about ten springs break over the last ten years or so, and not once have I ever changed both at the same time.

    Also, not once have any kittens, nuns or children been harmed as a result, and my car hasn't suddenly veered off the road resulting in my fiery death.
  • reeac
    reeac Posts: 1,430
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    The Yaris must have McPherson strut front suspension in which case the spring/tyre clearance is small and spring fracture can quite often lead to the broken end puncturing the tyre. Double wishbone suspension has the spring further inboard... hence very little risk of tyre damage.
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