looks I need of new struts, what to choose?

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This morning I found an oil stain under the passenger wheel of our Mazda 3. It is the strut leaking. I suspected that this side would go first as I hit a pretty big pot whole back in 2011.

Help me with choosing the struts. I am contemplating Blisteins, Sachs or KYB. Blisteins HDs are tempting but at I'm not sure the premium is all justified. If the quality is truly there I won't mind paying more as I will keep the car for several years more.

What do you guys think?


 
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IME Bilsteins are among the finest made anywhere. Factory OEM on my car and still perfect at 90k miles with lots of track time and a big heavy car.

There are a ton of options but if you want to think long term Bilstein is actually cheap!
 
Bilstein is the only way to go. The other aftermarket choices you mentioned are only suitable for the franchise tire shops.

If the Bilsteins are too high, then look at the dealer ones. But knowing how ridiculously expensive Mazda OE parts can be, they probably won't be much cheaper.
 
The first thing you need to do is to determine which manufacturers even make a strut for your car. Monroe, Gabriel, and KYB probably do. Have you checked the catalogs of the other brands that you mentioned, Blisteins and Sachs to see if they even make them?
 
What year Mazda 3 is this for?

Just looking through the selection for first ten cars, you've got a heck of a selection that would be top contenders if it were my car...

Bilstein Torung
Bilstein Sport
Bilstein HD
Koni Yellow
Koni STR.T
Koni FSD

Honestly, I would probably give the Koni FSD a try.
 
get the Bilsteins. you're keeping the car awhile.
I never regret spending more money for quality. (my Akebono's come to mind)
 
I generally use KYB and have been always very satisfied with the ride and longevity they provide. My experience with Monroe parts has been less than positive.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
IME Bilsteins are among the finest made anywhere. Factory OEM on my car and still perfect at 90k miles with lots of track time and a big heavy car.

There are a ton of options but if you want to think long term Bilstein is actually cheap!


This. Steve nailed it.
 
ID pick KYB, isn't Bilstein overrated like BOSE?

IDK, I recall reading a few SCCA test and OTR test in the 80s and KYB usually coming out way over Bilstien - though if they are INSITU developed application SPECIFIC shock/suspenders it would prob be good. If it was off the shelf "guess" spec valving, or, near OEM valving likely it would be suboptimal.
 
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The car is 2006 with about 115k miles. I already checked and the brands I mentioned make the struts for my car. Honestly, you guys have a similar mind set as I do, my first thought was Blisteins as well, followed by Sachs.
The car will most likely be kept for another 4-5 years maybe longer, provided it doesn't get totalled.
 
I've had 2 sets of Monroes on my Corolla; Sensatracks and the cheaper ones. IMO, they are complete garbage. They feel good for about a year and get soft. That's been my experience with Monroe on other vehicles. If I had it to do all over again after reading various threads online, I'd just bite the bullet and get Bilstein, KYB, or Tokico. From what I've read, KYBs and Tokicos are a bit more performance oriented and a little stiffer, but the premium struts are worth the money over Gabriel, Monroe etc.
 
One other thing I've learned, if you're going to do struts, just go ahead and replace everything, strut mounts, boots, bearings etc. The quick strut assemblies come with all new hardware. I wish I had done the mounts on my car because they creek and groan in cold weather going over bumps until the car warms up.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I'd just bite the bullet and get Bilstein, KYB, or Tokico. From what I've read, KYBs and Tokicos are a bit more performance oriented and a little stiffer, but the premium struts are worth the money over Gabriel, Monroe etc.

Approved by me... My opinion anyway.
 
Bilstein HD and Bilstein Sport are both monotube dampers. Judging by the photos from Shock Warehouse (who post actual product photos, not stock images), they're an inverted design too.

Both of these indicate a premium damper, not an OE replacement like KYB or Sachs would be. Bilstein Toruing is Bilstein's answer to an OE replacement part. All three are generic twin-tube designs, just like the ones Mazda put under the car.

I guess it's all up to what type of part you want and how much you're willing to pay. If you want a more inexpensive OE replacement damper that will perform like the struts you're taking off, you have those options in the KYB or Sachs. A Bilstein damper will cost you more, but it's a premium part.

I've actually owned all three of the options you're proposing (and then some). I installed a replacement set of KYB GR-2 on a Subaru. I wasn't any more impressed with them than any other OE replacement, like Monroe. I've also used KYB AGX adjustable dampers on a Miata. Completely not impressed. Junk is a good adjective. They were replaced in less than a year with Koni yellows and sold to some unlucky person from Ohio. My current vehicle has OE Sachs dampers on it. One is leaking. My only replacement options are Monroe or Sachs. I will likely replace them with another round of Sachs, given the choice between that and Monroe. My last vehicle had OE Bilsteins that were replaced with Bilstein HD. There was nothing wrong with the OE Bilstein, but I wasn't happy with the low speed valving. The HD variety fixed that.

Given your leanings, buy the Bilsteins. You won't be disappointed. I still stand by my recommendation of trying the Koni FSD. It is a twin-tube design, but uses some pretty cool technology with the valving.
 
Are you looking for performance upgrade, or just a replacement?

If you don't need high performance shocks, then any of the name-brand quick struts will be fine for your application (Monroe, KYB, Gabriel).

My recommendation would be KYB Strut Plus quick struts for the front, and KYB Gas-a-Just shocks for the rear. The OE shocks on your car now were probably made by KYB; they make the OE struts and shocks for most Japanese cars.

Quick struts are awesome, and no need to use a spring compressor. You get new springs and mounts too. The strut mounts do go bad and really do need to be replaced.

Gabriel's Readymount quick struts are also a quality product.

If you want high performance, then go for the Bilstein HD. Unfortunately Bilstein doesn't make quick struts though.

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Bilstein is the only way to go. The other aftermarket choices you mentioned are only suitable for the franchise tire shops.


I disagree with this. KYB is the largest shock manufacturer in the world, and OE on Japanese cars, including the OP's Mazda 3. Sachs makes most of the European OE shocks. Hardly "franchise tire shop" quality. The franchises probably use Chinese junk like Leacree and Sensen. Maybe the blue Monro-Matic.
 
^^^I disagree with your summation as well.

While our experience is all on fleet trucks we have had BAD luck with KYB. Broken shocks and a leaker neither of which was warranted by the company. Frankly if cost is an issue the Gabriel line is decent for the money.

Sachs are also awesome but typically quite expensive.
 
I just want to add my 2c. About 5 years ago I transitioned from Monroe to KYB. At that time KYB shocks and struts were actually Made In Japan and it was a great product. Slowly the Made In Japan changed to Made In China and I stopped ordering them. Are the KYB's as good as they once were? IIRC I only ever had 1 defective unit back in the day.

If so, KYB would be my choice.
 
Originally Posted By: GSCJR
I just want to add my 2c. About 5 years ago I transitioned from Monroe to KYB. At that time KYB shocks and struts were actually Made In Japan and it was a great product. Slowly the Made In Japan changed to Made In China and I stopped ordering them. Are the KYB's as good as they once were? IIRC I only ever had 1 defective unit back in the day.

If so, KYB would be my choice.

I didn't have my Saturn ION long enough to wear out replacement shocks and struts.

When I got KYB shocks and struts, mine were made in the USA. I guess like most other auto parts, the company has factories in multiple locations.
 
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