# Not Happy with Repairs - any advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 22, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260 "2019-09-22T12:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/21 "2019-09-23T02:16:09Z")
My experience was that pretty much after every struts replacement they would ride too firm for the first few hundred miles, then “soften up” a little bit to the state how they ride for tens of thousands of miles longer. I would suggest @gypsywomancafe_157361 to give it a little bit of time. Also, it may be a good idea to replace rear ones as well to get more balanced (and more firm) ride ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/22 "2019-09-23T02:24:03Z")
I really never paid much attention to ride quality until I started driving a Buick Lesabre with 15” tires and rear air shocks to work every day. Now when I get in my truck, or even my wife’s Avalon based SUV, I have to acclimate to the choppier ride. As far as the OP’s concerns, I have read that oem shocks and struts are often valved to offer a cushier ride than most aftermarket units. Not sure how much truth there is to that, but if I have to replace, I’d use the oem parts. Even if the new units rode firmer than the old, you wouldn’t have “maybe I chose the wrong shocks/struts” in the back of your mind. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/23 "2019-09-23T02:33:21Z")
The only Honda I have owned had 2 wheels. ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/24 "2019-09-23T02:59:00Z")
Yes, my reply was meant for the OP. I used your quote to acknowledge that I agree with your statement. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/25 "2019-09-23T03:03:29Z")
> [@Scrapyard\_John](#): > > I really never paid much attention to ride quality until I started driving a Buick Lesabre with 15” tires and rear air shocks to work every day. I have very mixed feelings about air suspension Sure, the ride is nice . . . But there’s a lot more stuff to break down And the suspension components usually aren’t cheap, especially when you’re talking about the air compressor . . . ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/26 "2019-09-23T03:12:42Z")
Yeah, it was my late grandparent’s car. I’m not sure I’d buy a vehicle with air ride. Rides nice, though. I haven’t really had issues with it in 168k miles, although I think the little compressor runs more than it is supposed to when kids are in the back. Probably a leak somewhere (maybe the shocks themselves) but I haven’t looked for it. It’s fine when it’s just me driving back and forth to work, which is about all I use it for anymore. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/27 "2019-09-23T03:14:43Z")
I don’t know how long you’ll hold onto it . . . But maybe there’s a way to convert it to conventional suspension, should the need arise . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 3:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/28 "2019-09-23T03:19:08Z")
Yeah, I think there is. Would probably go that route. But, the trans has started slipping quite a bit as of late after a 30 mile or more highway jaunt that gets the fluid nice and hot. I plan to drive it easy, shoot for 200k miles, and call it a day. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/29 "2019-09-23T12:47:00Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > maybe there’s a way to convert it to conventional suspension, should the need arise . . . ? A friend of a friend of mine had converted his air-suspension Mercedes to use “conventional” shocks… The ride quality became… subpar even to econoboxes… he was very unhappy with a result. ---
**Author:** ![gypsywomancafe\_157361](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gypsywomancafe\_157361](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gypsywomancafe_157361)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/30 "2019-09-24T17:55:08Z")
Thanks everyone for all the feedback and replies. I took it to a different well respected shop this morning to get a second opinion. They said the issue was a weak/lower quality part creating less support on the ride. So it sounds like the issue is the part. Not sure what to do now. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260/31 "2019-09-24T18:11:54Z")
If it’s due to a low quality part, the only thing you can do is to pay for good quality part. If it’s a defective part you can go back to original shop and request that they fix it. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-happy-with-repairs-any-advice/149260.md?page=1)