Toyota car and truck forums

Hey this is my first Toyoland post!

I've got an 89 Tercel 2 door coupe, 5 spd that I absolutely love. For real, this is the best car I've ever had.

Now the other day I noticed it sits lower on the left rear wheel. I took it to my mechanic thinking it was the shocks. He got out the big ol' bubble level, walked all around it and confirmed that, yes, it is lower on that side. He said though that it was a worn out spring (coil) and that those things are like $300 - $500 and he wasnt even sure if they made them for the car anymore. I thanked him and left.

This sounds kinda weird to me. Are coils THAT expensive on a Tercel? And surely someone out there must make an aftermarket version. Further, is a coil spring something I could possibly replace myself in the driveway?

Any help would be appreciated.

Deb

He might have been quoting you price of part + labor, as they are quite labor intensive to replace. There should be decent aftermarket support for the Tercel in replacement springs. Mechanic is correct - spring is bad (their job is to hold up the car - struts give you control).

This is within the reach of most DIY projects - just need to get some specialized equipment (spring compressor), many times can be rented and some patience.

I did mine - replaced all four springs and struts in about 4 hours at home. Called around for some quotes - OEM springs would have set me back about $350 a set, struts were $135 a piece and $1500 in labor to install them. I bought mine online - springs for $200, struts for $75 each, and $30 in tool rental.