Trophy Sachs Rebuild

[HAPPYSLAPPER]

cheers ben g. Ive had mine from new and tbh it feels just as good as the day i bought it its just clocked 30k

 

[RexinaTrophy]

I genuinely don't get where people are coming from. Any suspension will require renewal/servicing. Did they all think it was magic suspension that would outlast the human race?

I think you are missing the point. It's a part that needs servicing and ideally not replacing given the extremely high price - albeit inflated a little by Renault.

I understand the sarcasm here, but you don't have your first service and say, forget the oil and filters just replace the engine. Indeed, how much is a new engine? Is it less than £4,000 including VAT and Labour?

It would be useful in the handbook to say "the Sachs suspension will need servicing. Service intervals may vary, but they will need servicing."

182 Cup suspension can be replaced at a fraction of the price, indeed servicing standard 182/197/200 suspension would be stupid because the cost of servicing would exceed the cost of replacing.

 

[ForceIndia]

Suppose it comes down to common sense. I'd expect that at some point the suspension would require work (be that replacement or rebuild). I don't need that spelling out.
Pretty sure that in the 182 manual they don't explicitly say that the suspension will at some point need replacing.

 

[Ste666]

A mate of mine bought a trophy new from renault in 2005, his front suspension went only three months out of warranty and after keeping the car for a month renault decided not to pay up afterall even though they took the car in and said they would, so after all that he had to pay over a grand to get it sorted and now he's fallen out with renault and the trophy so it sits in his garage 99% of the time with only 17k on the clock......such a shame

 

[Mike_182]

It would be useful in the handbook to say "the Sachs suspension will need servicing. Service intervals may vary, but they will need servicing."

182 Cup suspension can be replaced at a fraction of the price, indeed servicing standard 182/197/200 suspension would be stupid because the cost of servicing would exceed the cost of replacing.

I like how you glossed over my posts.

Read them. Basically Renault CANNOT service them in-house, therefore cannot suggest you service them because that requires them to say where you have them serviced. That then leads them to legal issues with recommending somewhere and becoming liable for any work that the place they recommend do.

 

[Gman]

Well, as they're motorsport units you rebuild them every couple of races or every season depending on what category you're racing in. As you've quite aptly demonstrated, getting them rebuilt every 16,000 miles is a waste because yours lasted 45,000, however getting them rebuilt every 45,000 miles is daft because Harry's needed doing after 16,000.

So what do you want them to do?

Let me just add to this, as they are a motorsport item as you so rightly say, the seals aren't anywhere near as good as you would find on a standard road shock absorber due to the Sachs being rebuilt every season or few races as you say.
For this reason the Sachs dampers are very susceptible to road grime and salt which means it would be extremely difficult to put a service interval on the units.

Gman

 

[Gman]

I like how you glossed over my posts.

Read them. Basically Renault CANNOT service them in-house, therefore cannot suggest you service them because that requires them to say where you have them serviced. That then leads them to legal issues with recommending somewhere and becoming liable for any work that the place they recommend do.

And to add to this quickly, this is the reason Renault were replacing them under warranty as they did in a few cases.

Gman

 

[RexinaTrophy]

I thought £580 is alot? I was internet quoted by dweebs who I guess know nothing £200/£300 to get refurbed? Is this miles out then?

LOL - just read Warrens replies, the fuel tank dig made me smile

£580 included VAT and labour and removing and refitting the dampers.

 

[Ollie82.]

I like how you glossed over my posts.

Read them. Basically Renault CANNOT service them in-house, therefore cannot suggest you service them because that requires them to say where you have them serviced. That then leads them to legal issues with recommending somewhere and becoming liable for any work that the place they recommend do.

Think about this from Renaults point of view. Its simples.
They won't be able to MAKE MONEY from the Sachs items being serviced as they cannot do it themselves.
Standard 172/182 shocks they will merrily supply you with for £50 a corner. Sach's one off items they would supply you with...if you wrote one off.
BUT they blatantly know any enthusiast (so pretty much all of the people who have bought a Trophy) would find out that they can be serviced and they wouldn't make money from them.
Hence why they don't bother saying in the handbook 'Oh by the way, they need stripping down and servicing every XXXXX miles'.

 

[Mike_182]

That's another point, albeit minor compared to the threat of court for recommending someone...

 

[Jamie]

£580 included VAT and labour and removing and refitting the dampers.

Ahh ok.

I suppose in my price that included me retaining the car and taking them off myself and refitting but it sounds as if you got a decent service .

Just want to skip over all the arguing.... As I have a few questions myself. How do they feel now? Is the car any better?

 

[RexinaTrophy]

The Trophy is definitely stiffer and more agile. I recommend you have it done (if you have the cash).

It's also piece of mind: they have been done!

 

[Jamie]

Cool, well I will deff think about it. I may consider it when getting the cambelt done next year as if I have a significant amount of work done I maybe able to negotiate a discount!

It's something no doubt I will have to get done in the not too distant future to keep it going round corners as it should.

 

[alanc1000]

To be honest i can totally see where Rexina is coming from.

For Renault to include a product which they cannot support, and to offer no advice about the maintenance of what is an expensive and specialist item just because they won't make any money out of shows a really s**t attitude to the customer.

If they can include basics in the manual that most of us are going to be familiar with such as how to open a window or how to switch on the engine, i'm fairly sure they could have done the decent thing and offered some guidance about the specialist suspension, even if is just an advisory card shoved in the service book somewhere as to how often they need inspecting. It wouldn't have cost them much to do that.

 

[Jay_A]

Had mine done a couple of weeks ago. Cost £400 for the refurb and another £110 or so for new top mounts. Mine's about to reach 50k, so I've done well in the grand scheme of things. Tbh I only realised then needed doing when I felt the handling was a tad poo. When pushing down each corner in turn, the N/S damper had more movement than a bouncy castle. When we stripped them down, the damper couldn't even remain at full length and turned out to be well and truly knackered.

I have to be honest, I wouldn't want Renault refurbing my suspension as they really don't have a clue when it comes to customer service with RS.

Another example would be where our 225 needs a new cambelt. Renault will do it for £900 and Ktec will do it for £440.... hmmm.

 

[Munson]

This is Renault we're talking about. The guys who can't be bothered to wear test a steering wheel or Recaro chairs. Did you really think they'd take the time to put pen to paper and tell you the dampers would need servicing?

 

[RexinaTrophy]

To be honest i can totally see where Rexina is coming from.

For Renault to include a product which they cannot support, and to offer no advice about the maintenance of what is an expensive and specialist item just because they won't make any money out of shows a really s**t attitude to the customer.

If they can include basics in the manual that most of us are going to be familiar with such as how to open a window or how to switch on the engine, i'm fairly sure they could have done the decent thing and offered some guidance about the specialist suspension, even if is just an advisory card shoved in the service book somewhere as to how often they need inspecting. It wouldn't have cost them much to do that.

Just been talking about this with a motorbike owner and his manual recommends servicing the front forks, but the manufacturer clearly states they take no responsibility for the work carried out. But they DO SAY IT NEEDS DOING!!!

A producer cannot assume that a consumer knows how to look after a product. Most consumers need directing otherwise litigant consumers may turn around and claim that because they weren't informed they will seek the cost of repair/replacement.

This is just as real a threat as "you told me to go to xyz ltd and they ruined my car. Cough up!"

 

[RexinaTrophy]

This is Renault we're talking about. The guys who can't be bothered to wear test a steering wheel or Recaro chairs. Did you really think they'd take the time to put pen to paper and tell you the dampers would need servicing?

True, Renault do make laugable steering wheels and buy Recaros for a price (and Sachs it seems lol).

 

[jayxx83]

Good job on the refurb, but shoddy cust service is why I would never go back to Renault even though the cars are awesome (well the rs models).

 

[RexinaTrophy]

Good job on the refurb, but shoddy cust service is why I would never go back to Renault even though the cars are awesome (well the rs models).

Which is why I'm considering a Focus RS next, or an Evo 9 FQ. Having said that I've heard Ford dealers punch you in the face when you walk through the door.

 

[Race2theRedline]

£580 included VAT and labour and removing and refitting the dampers.

Rexina

What was the turnaround time, can this be done within the day?

R2TR

 

[minisuper666]

lol.. you at least have someone with the knowledge to rebuild the dampers. These trophies (despite what you've been told by renault) seem to have shipped worldwide. At least they did sell in Mexico, same numbered scheme as in the uk.