hello,what is involved fitting replacment rear shocks to a 2001 1.6 hlx bravo?
how do you access the top fittings?
do you gain access in the hatch removing some trim,or do you reach the top fitting from under the car.
i have been quoted £19+vat for each shock(gas) is this a good price?
please help
thanks terry

Without being 100% sure, i think you'll have to remove some trim in the back of your car (trunk). I think there are 2 "black circulary boxes". These should be the case...

Easiest job ever.

Remove bottom bolt. 19mm nylock nut and 'captive' bolt. Use smooth shaft to drift bolt out of the strut.

Pull out plastic plug out of subframe (from inside wheel arch). Deep inside you will see a 15mm bolt head. The nut is captive within the subframe. Be very careful that you don't drop the bolt down into the subframe when removing.

Replacement is reverse of removal.

To get to the top bolt, there's an 'access hole' in the rear wheel arch, just be careful not to drop bolt down there as I'm not sure where it goes Bottom one is very visible. The springs are small and light but you may want compressors to be on the safe side. Good luck!

Or do what I do with various technical problems and bring it to a meet and get a bunch of experts to do it

thank you,do you need to remove the wheels?
or can you do the job with the car backed onto ramps?
i can see the plastic plugs,thanks for the help
great advice,for fiat lovers

Yep need wheels off. Can't do it on ramps as you need to remove all the weight off the trailing arm to get the bolts out so its a Jack and axle stands if you have them.

Main thing I'd suggest is give the bottom bolt and nut a thorough soaking in oil a day or so before you tackle the job. This gives it time to penetrate into the threads and will make undoing the nut much easier.

Oh and by the way, if the lower nuts won't budge then it only takes 10 minutes to hacksaw them off, new ones are a couple of quid from fiat (the nuts are nylocs so should be replaced anayway, strictly speaking).
Also, if your 13mm socket gets caught in the plastic sleeve on the top nut and falls into the chassis, don't worry, after a few miles it will stop rattling around and wedge itself somewhere or fall out *cough*