Hi all
As the boxster I bought recently has a rear right strut bleeding from the PPI, and after a week of drive I find nothing else wrong with the car, I think it's time to have the structs changed. However, as I was calling the mechanics, they asked me the question, are you bringing your own parts or do you want us to order it. So I did a bit research and seems to find that Bilstein, which makes the OEM part also makes their own. I'm then starting to get confused. Online search seems to suggest that the B4 is exactly the same as the OEM (they also seems to be black as the OEM) but are at only about $250 on tire rack vs OEM at $450 at any reputable place. And B6 seems to be generally considered an upgrade for both handling and ride confort is only $30 more in front and $10 less on rear compare to B4.
So given that, would it be a no brainer to go for the B4 and a good idea to consider B6 as an upgrade? Would it be also true that if going for B4 then only the rear two since they are the same as OEM and if going for B6 all four needs to be replaced to keep the balance and all the other part of the suspension like spring don't need to be changed in both cases?
By the way my car doesn't have PASM, which seems to be making things much cheaper.
Also, I wonder would it be a good idea given the mileage (90,000) to change all four together? I seems to heard the general consensus is all strut are subject to very similar load through their life, so if one fails, rest should be dying pretty soon?
Finally, do you need to perform wheel alignment on the car after the replacement? As I am getting completely oppsite answer from two reputable indy shop that's both recommanded by PCA. One told me that it should always be performed after strut replacement and the other tells me as long as the "bicentric balance" of the car it should be fine.
As the boxster I bought recently has a rear right strut bleeding from the PPI, and after a week of drive I find nothing else wrong with the car, I think it's time to have the structs changed. However, as I was calling the mechanics, they asked me the question, are you bringing your own parts or do you want us to order it. So I did a bit research and seems to find that Bilstein, which makes the OEM part also makes their own. I'm then starting to get confused. Online search seems to suggest that the B4 is exactly the same as the OEM (they also seems to be black as the OEM) but are at only about $250 on tire rack vs OEM at $450 at any reputable place. And B6 seems to be generally considered an upgrade for both handling and ride confort is only $30 more in front and $10 less on rear compare to B4.
So given that, would it be a no brainer to go for the B4 and a good idea to consider B6 as an upgrade? Would it be also true that if going for B4 then only the rear two since they are the same as OEM and if going for B6 all four needs to be replaced to keep the balance and all the other part of the suspension like spring don't need to be changed in both cases?
By the way my car doesn't have PASM, which seems to be making things much cheaper.
Also, I wonder would it be a good idea given the mileage (90,000) to change all four together? I seems to heard the general consensus is all strut are subject to very similar load through their life, so if one fails, rest should be dying pretty soon?
Finally, do you need to perform wheel alignment on the car after the replacement? As I am getting completely oppsite answer from two reputable indy shop that's both recommanded by PCA. One told me that it should always be performed after strut replacement and the other tells me as long as the "bicentric balance" of the car it should be fine.
