Do you want to keep this car?
Monroe Econo-matics on '07 RAV4 - horrible
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Originally Posted by GZRider
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
What about their "OE Spectrum" series? They're supposed to be their best struts.
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
What about their "OE Spectrum" series? They're supposed to be their best struts.
Originally Posted by GZRider
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
Monroe sells lots of struts and they have different lines. You also hear bad things about KYB too. Eventually there's also a certain percentage that will fail and when they're a large part of the market, you would think that they're bad, but it's just due to their volume. I've used them in the past and they've been fine. Did get a bad set once where someone in a forum mentioned they were defective. They sat a little lower than I thought they should, but didn't know if they were just installed wrong. They did pay for them to be shipped back and also paid for labor as they knew they were defective.
As for the OP, he could always try going back to those guys and complaining that the struts are no good. Maybe he can just pay for the new set or maybe they won't charge him labor for installing a bad set of struts. Most places do offer some kind of warranty on their work.
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
Monroe sells lots of struts and they have different lines. You also hear bad things about KYB too. Eventually there's also a certain percentage that will fail and when they're a large part of the market, you would think that they're bad, but it's just due to their volume. I've used them in the past and they've been fine. Did get a bad set once where someone in a forum mentioned they were defective. They sat a little lower than I thought they should, but didn't know if they were just installed wrong. They did pay for them to be shipped back and also paid for labor as they knew they were defective.
As for the OP, he could always try going back to those guys and complaining that the struts are no good. Maybe he can just pay for the new set or maybe they won't charge him labor for installing a bad set of struts. Most places do offer some kind of warranty on their work.
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Originally Posted by GZRider
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
What about their "OE Spectrum" series? They're supposed to be their best struts.
They are fine. And Monroe's premium quick struts use the OESpecturm strut
Unfortunately, KYB and Sachs don't make quick struts for the 07 Rav4
Originally Posted by GZRider
Sachs and KYB both make decent shocks and struts, Monroe is a firm no go.
What about their "OE Spectrum" series? They're supposed to be their best struts.
They are fine. And Monroe's premium quick struts use the OESpecturm strut
Unfortunately, KYB and Sachs don't make quick struts for the 07 Rav4
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
They are fine. And Monroe's premium quick struts use the OESpecturm strut
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
They are fine. And Monroe's premium quick struts use the OESpecturm strut
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
They are a little better, and in fact, KYB is probably the OE supplier to the OP's Toyota.
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
They are a little better, and in fact, KYB is probably the OE supplier to the OP's Toyota.
Yeah I'd like to keep the car 3 more years, probably 30-40k which would put the odometer at around 140-150k. I'd consider putting "some" money into it if it meant the car would become fun to drive again, which for me is pretty simple; decent over bumps, doesn't wallow in turns over uneven pavement, doesn't chew my tires up. I put high end tires on it because I like a smooth, quiet ride, but I'm not after performance in terms of pretending to be in F1 or doing off roading. It ain't a performance vehicle, not trying to turn it into one. I just like it, I've bonded with it and I want to get my money/use out of it. And it's been paid off since about yr 3, and been reliable. No excessive oil burning with the 2azfe engine in it either.
So I'd consider an small investment back into it. Key word being consider. That's why I asked about those shocks, if that's all I can expect from any shock mid tier of below then no way would I spend another dollar for that crappy ride, I'd just drive it as is. But for a real improvement for maybe a grand or less, IDK maybe. I might call it an expensive lesson in that case.
So I'd consider an small investment back into it. Key word being consider. That's why I asked about those shocks, if that's all I can expect from any shock mid tier of below then no way would I spend another dollar for that crappy ride, I'd just drive it as is. But for a real improvement for maybe a grand or less, IDK maybe. I might call it an expensive lesson in that case.
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Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
They are a little better, and in fact, KYB is probably the OE supplier to the OP's Toyota.
Not all of Toyota's struts are coming from KYB. A lot of them are coming from Tokico now.
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Would the KYB GR-2 / Excel-G be better than the Monroe OESpectrum?
They are a little better, and in fact, KYB is probably the OE supplier to the OP's Toyota.
Not all of Toyota's struts are coming from KYB. A lot of them are coming from Tokico now.
Buddy has 2 sets of OE Spectrum on his Volvo's and has had good luck with them for several years of heavy use. OEM would be the safest choice, of course.
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