Getting car lowered... Advice Please

[brocky16v]

Hey guys, first post on here, Great forum by the way, learnt loads.
Got a 1.2 16v 52 clio and thinking about getting it lowered. Got 17s on it at the mo, and wanting to get it lowered. My local garage have found some springs, cant remember name, but they are good ones lowers it 30 at the back and 35 at the front.
They have quoted me 170 quid including VAT for labour to fit them, Is this a good price or?
Cheers Guys,
Thanking you for your response in advance.
Brocky

 

[Djw John]

Sorry, £170 just for fitting or springs as well? If just fitting then its a rip off, probably better to buy springs yourself and tehn take it along, saves them making money on the springs as well.

 

[theduck]

where are you based? freddynamic2001 does it for £40.

 

[brocky16v]

Sorry, Yer 170 for fitting, but 270 for the springs and fitting. They serviced my car the other day n curbed 2 of my alloys in bringing it home, so they are getting them refurbed as we speak, so was just thinking about getting it lowered when they put the rims back on. I live down south, In between Portsmouth and Brighton? How much would you rekon a garage should charge for fitting springs?
Cheers guys, Brocky

 

[Djw John]

AVOID THEM!!!!!! I had never ever fitted springs before doing my car and it took 2 of us just over an hour, much quicker now with some practice! Rentech might be your best bet, dont know how much Mike charges but it would be better than that! Send 'Mike@Rentech' a pm and ask.

 

[brocky16v]

Cheers for the reply, thought it seemed alot of money! where is Rentech situated? cheers
Brocky

 

[Paul C]

owch!! thats expensive! i can lower a clio in an hour!!

 

[Paul C]

were are you based mate? then we can prob point you in the right direction.

 

[brocky16v]

West Sussex near chichester between portsmouth brighton?

 

[brocky16v]

*bump* where is freddynamic2001 based guys?

 

[M1TCH]

Thats way too high a price mate!!!! for just springs you'd be looking at about £90 new dependant on make. I've got apex kit which is £260 and got BB Tuning to fit them because I'm a lazy non knowledgeable about suspension bugger (plus could throw a stone at their workshop from here), but they did balance and put on my new alloys at the same time so not too fussed

oh and you do know you can go -60mm on 17's dont you......might look a bit better than the 30mm that you prob wont notice in looks.

 

[brocky16v]

Really Mitch? i was told i could go 40 at the most and then would need to start getting arch work done. Yer 100 for springs, But 170 labour to fit? anyone know where i could get fitted and whats a good price for fitting springs?

 

[theduck]

*bump* where is freddynamic2001 based guys?

sollihull (birmingham)

 

[Djw John]

I would say a hour to a hour and a halfs labour max, dunno anywhere really for you as Im in Edinburgh! Do you know what offset your alloys are? Id they are about 37 then you canlower 60mm no problem on 17s

 

[brocky16v]

If only i was closer! anyone down south want to do me a nice favour?! Or point me somewhere where i wont get ripped off!
what would be a good labour price from a garage?
cheers guys

 

[Paul C]

no more than £80 i would say is fair.

 

[brocky16v]

cheers paul. where you based? local garage, said they would need it all morning. Do quick fit or someone do this kind of thing?

 

[M1TCH]

Any local garage should do it, if you want to go to -60mm you will need a kit (springs and dampers) for a good set such as apex/spax you are looking at about £260 from ktec. or you could go for coilovers starting at about £500+

I'd just buy them in then go round a few garages and see how much they want to fit them, its a peice of piss for them to do and an easy earner so dont pay anything over £100. I paid £100 but that was for balancing, fitting new alloys and tracking.

Not a fan of 17's myself but heres how mine sits now http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c28/mitchzxr/08f6c890.jpg

 

[brocky16v]

looks good mitch, i quite like mine but all to our own, just riding bit high at the mo! thats what i thought, but 170 quid seems steep, they said when i asked origionally that it would be about 100, but then i got the quote on paper and it £170, they said its more work for the clio than they origionally thought after consulting a supplier??
anyone down south been anywhere/ Recommend anywhere?

 

[M1TCH]

As said above I think Renteh is somewhere down south. You got any pics of your car as it is at the mo?

 

[brocky16v]

i have, i know u have to be a member to post pics tho?? im becoming full member, just changing banks though at mo so cant pay with a card!
i have feeling thats bournemouth way?

 

[M1TCH]

Cool, in the mean time sign up with www.photobucket.com its very handy for hosting and posting pics.

 

[Martin_172]

go 60mm thats the way forward! i was £230+VAT from K-TEC for a full kit which will give you better ride quality and much better handling than just changing springs.

if your lowering anymore than 35mm id say change the shocks as yours will only last about a year! but you will be fine with just springs for 30/35mm

 

[Paul C]

cheers paul. where you based? local garage, said they would need it all morning. Do quick fit or someone do this kind of thing?

im based in Bedford mate so quite a drive for you. would do it pretty cheap if you fancied the drive.

Paul

 

[brocky16v]

Heres a Pic, not the best angle and its bit old, have clear side repeaters and a few other bits and pieces now. would go take a new picture, but the wheels arent on the car at the mo.

How low should i go guys?
o yer, b4 u say, i dont drive with the fogs on!!

 

[M1TCH]

how comes the wheels arent on the car atm? dont look too bad actually, will look nice with 60mm drop, they will sit in the arch nicely.

 

[Fred@BTM]

£170 to fit springs!!!!! f**k ME SIDEWAYS AND CALL ME JANICE!!!!

its a 1hour job all round if you know what you're doing!!!!

i charge £40, £10 a corner which is VERY reasonable IMO

 

[brocky16v]

Renault serviced it 3 days ago, n curbed passenger side rimz really badly, there isnt a mark on any of the rims, n then tried to blame me!
But they have taken them off, put stock alloys back on and are getting them referbed as they have now admitted it was there fault!
lol, fred, meet u half way!

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah can do, if you can get upto oxford/milton keynes area, i'll do it in the car park!!!!

 

[brocky16v]

really? i was told the main problem is compressing the springs to get them off the suspension arm, and they have to use a special machine?
as you can tell i dont no very much about suspension?!
yer, the back looks quite low because of this....

Quite heavy...lol

 

[Djw John]

A special machine!! Utter utter balls, there called spring compressers and cost about £15, hate garages that are just out to rip people off! Get Fred to do it, he should be able to in his sleep by now!

 

[Djw John]

Nice install btw mate

 

[Fred@BTM]

it costs £25 to buy springs compressors!!! special tool my arse!!!!


the rear takes 20min to do

the front about 40min to do

18mm socket, 21mm socket, 16 or 17mm ring spanner + spring compressors

THATS ALL you need

Christ you could drive to my house in birmingham and it would still be £100 cheaper!!!

 

[brocky16v]

yer, i no! i was well supprised when they said £170 labour!
cheers John, Built it all myself, Took 2 days lol
Never Realised MTX sounded so good until i powered them up!
how much is yours lowered by John?

 

[Djw John]

Mines only 40mm as Im on 15s and I went for the 'how it should've been standard' look, always tempting to go lower but then remember the road my Grandma lives down and my lack of cash! Soft I know but hey ho Im happy!

 

[brocky16v]

u got a side on pic john? just checked your website, you into ICE installation? I want to get into it...

 

[Pete]

Dude. just contact Mike@Rentech they're based in portsmouth.

 

[brocky16v]

cheerz geez, u got his PM or contact details?

 

[Pete]

just pm mike@rentech that's his forum name.

 

[M1TCH]

Here's his website!!

http://www.ren-tech.co.uk/