E30 Zone

Just been down to local dealers for price for above, part number 54342230537..................£535 each!, didn't ask if that included VAT!
What's going on? Struggling to find them elsewhere, can anyone help?



Cheers

Use the struts from some knackered seats!

They are very similar is length!

Ask B7 he used to have a few iirc

SGS (online) will quote you for re-gassing your struts and once received will advise if suitable.

How does £80 for a pair sound?

Brand new, exact BMW struts just not stamped with logo...

Gavla wrote:How does £80 for a pair sound?

Brand new, exact BMW struts just not stamped with logo...

A bit pricey, I was quoted £60/pair by BMW in the summer, thought that was way too much for a part that is seldom used. Have had two sets of these now, still got the originals which look brand new & have plenty of pressure in them ..... but not enough.
Your brand new pair, how old are they, as they loose their pressure over time, rather than through use.
Thanks for your offer.

scallyally wrote:SGS (online) will quote you for re-gassing your struts and once received will advise if suitable.

I contacted SGS engineering in the summer after finding the BMW price, they said then they couldn't do it, I'll try them again.
Also trying another company called ....cargasstruts.co.uk
Cheers

scallyally wrote:SGS (online) will quote you for re-gassing your struts and once received will advise if suitable.

Just had phone call from SGS, you are correct, as above, cost £10.50 each + VAT + postage. Will send all 4 off.
Wonder why they said no in the summer, maybe a work experience person!
Many thanks & Cheers

minesapint wrote:A bit pricey, I was quoted £60/pair by BMW in the summer...

Wow! That was a good price...The best price from BMW I have been quoted was +-£65 per strut and that was 2 years ago...

good luck with your search...

Check out this item number on ebay 131362776602 well worth the money .

Gavla wrote:

minesapint wrote:A bit pricey, I was quoted £60/pair by BMW in the summer...

Wow! That was a good price...The best price from BMW I have been quoted was +-£65 per strut and that was 2 years ago...

good luck with your search...

£535?!

Really?!!!!

As said, they were only £60 odd this summer as I've fitted two pairs to a couple of E30's.

I bought off eBay a few months ago a pattern part about £40 pair
And some on there at the moment from Germany really good service

You should be able to find a generic gas strut that does the same job

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150922082973? ... EBIDX%3AIT

These are the ones I bought...stupidly I said £80 because I had bought the boot strut as well sorry

They are very good, all 3 struts work perfectly. Very good seller, I originally bought the wrong boot strut which I returned no problem and he refunded my original postage on top.

Hope that helps...

snowman wrote:Check out this item number on ebay 131362776602 well worth the money .

Yes these are genuine, but were made in 2006, note the date on the BMW packaging 03/07.

Gavla wrote
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150922082973? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Yes these are the original manufacturer, without the BMW logo on, as Gavla & jamo123 have said, but these shown in the ad were manufactured in 2011.
I'm a bit weary about buying aged ones, as these small ones don't seem to hold their charge for a long time & they are so expensive.

Picture of my replacements (now discharged) I installed in 99, manufactured in 1997. Note the Stabilus Logo on the left.

However have sent mine to SGS Engineering to see if a re-gas is possible, it will be a very useful thing for us to know.
If not I'll be going for the Stabilus ones.
Will report back
Cheeers

How can you conclude its age and not the fact they are compressed when fitted and the shoe closed?

What are these actually for as I've never spotted them on my car

Demlotcrew wrote:How can you conclude its age and not the fact they are compressed when fitted and the shoe closed?

I've worked out the age from the code on the barrel. I've several pairs of these now, my originals from the car, 86, (code 230/86), I replaced these in 99, (code 282/97), the pair on ebay (code 236/06), BMW packaging dated 03/07, & the Stabilus (code 106/11) all follow the same pattern.
I'm not sure what you mean by "not the fact they are compressed when fitted & the shoe closed"........ they can't be anything other than compressed when the shoe is down.

What are these actually for as I've never spotted them on my car

These are the gas struts for the convertible tops storage lid (known by zoners as the horseshoe, because of it's shape).
Cheers

I think Andrew means how do you not know it's the fact they are compressed that weakens them, so new, uncompressed ones might be fine regardless of age

ross_jsy wrote:I think Andrew means how do you not know it's the fact they are compressed that weakens them, so new, uncompressed ones might be fine regardless of age

Ah, I see.
I don't, but I'm awaiting a call from SGS Eng & I'll ask them the question.
Cheers

i got one set for my car, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-gas-spring ... 1491772088? they only 25pound for pair

UPDATE. HORSESHOE STRUTS

My struts have been re-gassed & are winging their way back to me.
Work done by SGS Engineering of Derby. http://www.sgs-engineering.com/ who have been very good to deal with.
Price is £12.34 each + postage (approx £4).

Demlotcrew wrote:
How can you conclude its age and not the fact they are compressed when fitted and the shoe closed?

It makes no difference to the pressure loss, whether the strut is stored extended or compressed, the loss is taking place through the strut movement over time, is the answer I've been given to Demlotcrew's query.

i got one set for my car, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-gas-spring ... 1491772088? they only 25pound for pair Smile

This seems a good price, but my car is genuine OE & I'm trying to keep it that way, thanks for that though.


I will most certainly use SGS Eng again & have struts re-gassed, rather than buy new from BMW the way their prices have gone.
Cheers

minesapint wrote:Just been down to local dealers for price for above, part number 54342230537..................£535 each!, didn't ask if that included VAT!
What's going on? Struggling to find them elsewhere, can anyone help?



Cheers

I thought something didn't stack up when you posted up about them being £535!

The part number you gave ending 537 is for a car with electro hydrolic power roof and is not the same gas strut as used on all other E30 convertibles with a manual roof including your own!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... fg=10&hl=1

The correct number is 51251932333, number 5 in the link below.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=41&fg=55

The price as of today is £61 + vat, same as when I ordered a pair in the summer.

bss325i wrote:

minesapint wrote:Just been down to local dealers for price for above, part number 54342230537..................£535 each!, didn't ask if that included VAT!
What's going on? Struggling to find them elsewhere, can anyone help?



Cheers

I thought something didn't stack up when you posted up about them being £535!

The part number you gave ending 537 is for a car with electro hydrolic power roof and is not the same gas strut as used on all other E30 convertibles with a manual roof including your own!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... fg=10&hl=1

The correct number is 51251932333, number 5 in the link below.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=41&fg=55

The price as of today is £61 + vat, same as when I ordered a pair in the summer.

Yes I was quoted £60ish in the summer also, hence the post. Was given that price & part number when enquiring at the BM dealers last week, even gave them my VIN number, Lloyds of Colne. Silly bast**ds. Must double check in future.
The ones they quoted me at £535 don't look anything special though for that unbelievable price. Looking at your first link for the electro-hydraulic hood & part number 07, gas strut at $1244!!! whats that about?
But even so had mine re-gassed for under £29 total for the pair, & found a good company into the bargain. Now refitted to the car & working perfectly.
Cheers

Manual roof plebs....

Glad to see you found a solution.