New parts

Time for a few replacements, I have to get a new clutch and shocks. Went to motorfactors and priced clutch kit €210 (£166.47 GBP), front shock €89.95(£71.31 GBP), rear shock €61.56(£48.81 GBP) so a total of €513.02 (£406.76) for clutch and full set of shocks.

I contacted shop4parts and they have said they would ship to Ireland for £19.95 per item so for the same 5 items it will cost £172.61 + £99.75 for shipping. Thats a total of £272.36 or €343.26, a saving of €169.76 (all prices include VAT). I'm just wondering are these parts reliable and have people had a good service with shop4parts? Because if I recieve the wrong parts then it's going to cost quite a bit to send them back.

As I'm doing the clutch and shocks is there anything else I should do at the same time?

try www.buypartsby.co.uk or www.onlineautomotive.co.uk they cheaper than shop for parts and are very reliable i have used them both on many occassions and i find there products to be of good quality. buypartsby is the cheaper of the 2 on most things though.

Thanks! I checked out buypartsby.co.uk but they don't show shipping for Ireland so I've emailed them to find out!

buypartsby.co.uk would have been my suggestion. the people there have aleways been good with me on the phone. fingers crossed they'll ship to ireland.

your original motorfactor quote is shocking!!

Postage is more expensive with buypartsby.co.uk but works out €70 cheaper than shop4parts!! Thats a ridiculous reduction from the motorfactors. I'm going to price a few more motorfactors but don't think I'm going to get cheaper really. Going to go with KYB shocks as a few of you recommended them awhile back!

I was going to try doing the clutch but I'm going to get a local mechanic to do it, he's a spot on guy who does a bit at the weekend!

Was that a bad pun??

i'd highly recommend KYB shocks

yes it was

the parts will have to wait awhile and just hope the clutch doesn't get too bad as I'd to put down a deposit and one months rent for accommodation for college for next year!!!!

100 for shipping?? are you in southern ireland? 100 seems a little steep imo

also check your suspension arms and arb's

you doing the shocks DIY? sven did a guide on Boo.

Ireland as in the Republic! Shipping works out expensive what ever I do but it still works out cheaper then driving 3 miles to buy them from the motorfactors!

I had the arms done over a year ago! Arbs???

I've just put KYB's front and rear on my Brava following recommendations on here, and I have to say they aren't the automatic choice. The price was ok but they are definitely firm - I changed all my original shocks at 115,000 miles because they gave a rough, noisy ride and having driven the car on the new KYBs i'd say that ride comfort and quality aren't noticeably better. I even looked under the car to check that the new shocks had actually been fitted! I can tell myself that I've got a sporty ride and it won't roll as much, but it doesn't feel like I've got nice new shocks. I'd really prefer it to ride "like new".

If you go with Shop4Parts you'll be using a supplier that does it's best to provide genuine Fiat / Marelli parts that common sense tells you are the best fit for your car. You might save a few quid (or Euros) shopping around for pattern parts elsewhere, but if you can get Ricambi Originali for a fair price and with good service then I'd say go that way.

anti-roll bar drop links.

The ride at the moment is very hard, it's gotten quite bad lately so would like something that wouldn't be so firm and a bit more comfy!

Spanks!

erm, thats the reason we recommend KYB.

ride and comfort should be noticably worse, a lot worse, because KYB excel-g are uprated gas shocks are designed to improve handling, not ride.

they have excellent bound and rebound properties which is great for fast cornering, but comfort and ride suffer for that.

if you want comfort get a set of hydraulic cheapy no-name shocks, then you wont even feel potholes (and you'll roll round corners).

should I go for a compromise or just get KYBs??

get the kyb's. your car needs to go as well as it looks, comfort is for family cars.