Miata Mailing List: February 1999, Message #224

sponsored by

In a message dated 2/2/99 7:32:09 AM Eastern Standard Time, tinabee3@juno.com
writes:

> I was speaking with a client of mine yesterday who is the manager of a
>  garage/body shop. He told me that the stock Miata has front struts, which
>  he said are more expensive to replace than shocks. I told him AFAIK, the
>  stock Miata just has shocks and springs. It's very possible I'm wrong. 
>  
>  Another question-why do the stock shock absorbers only hold out for
>  30,000 miles or so? Is this because of the stiff sport suspension set-up
>  our cars have?
>  In all of the cars I've owned or driven, I don't recall ever having to
>  replace shocks or struts. It could be that I should have done so, but
>  didn't give it much thought. Do aftermarket shocks hold up for more miles
>  than the stockers do?
>  
>  TIA:

  The front dampers on a Miata are indeed conventional "shocks" -- that is,
they control only damping and do not define suspension geometry as do
McPherson struts on less capable cars (eg. BMW).  The OEM dampers on a Miata
are lightweight pieces for the very important reason of reducing unsprung
weight.  They probably do wear a bit more quickly than those on other cars, on
which some feel has been sacrificed for durability.  Also, of course,
manufactures are not immune to cost pressures (I cringe every time I think of
the $80 per car Mazda marketing chiseled out by quashing the engineers
proposal of a dry sump oiling system).  Most likely, Miata drivers are just
more sensitive than most to the performance drop-off caused by worn dampers,
whereas on a minivan who could tell -- or care?

Foureagles
"Don't confuse symmetry with balance"