How much does it cost to repair a Mazda 3?

I have a mazda 3. It needs two front struts, rear brakes, rear shocks, and front sway bar links. How much do you think this will all cost approximately? I need help!|||I'd highly suggest familiarizing yourself with the car, via a decent forum and downloading the Factory Service Manual.





Each of these items isn't TOO difficult to replace, provided you have a decent set of sockets and wrenches (10mm through 19mm is fine for most things). You can pick these up at Harbor Freight (www.harborfreight.com) for cheap and they've got a lifetime warranty. As for the parts, they should be readily available at any Autuzone/Advance Auto Parts/O'Reilly Auto Parts.





Since you mentioned suspension, what exactly are your car's symptoms? This may sound sexist, but I'd prefer to make sure your diagnosis is correct before recommending any course of action.





To check the springs, look at how much space is between each tire and wheel well. There's a specific measurement, but it is different for every car. It's listen in the FSM though, usually as a wheel hub-to-wheelwell measurement. Measure that distance. If it is shorter than in the manual, your springs are sagging and need replaced.





If your suspension is completely stock, you should be able to fit at least two fingers between the tire and wheelwell. On my RX-7, it is just about right as two of my fingers is roughly 1 1/2".





To check struts: While the car is sitting, push down on each corner of the car directly above the wheel and observe how the car reacts. It should come back up and not bounce more than once. Each push should have one rebound. If it bounces around more than once, your strut on that corner needs replaced.





As for the rear brakes, they are fine unless they're squealing (time to replace the pads %26amp; turn the rotors) or grinding (WAY past due for the same stuff). And about your front swaybar end links, unless they are BROKEN IN HALF, I HIGHLY doubt they are worn out. Here's a very good how-to on rear brakes: http://www.wildweasel.ca/HowTo/Auto/Mazd鈥?/a>





Last, one important SAFETY item to keep in mind when replacing springs and struts. To remove a spring from the shock assembly, you have to compress the spring and then remove the strut top. Automotive suspension springs hold a LOT of force, usually in the neighborhood of 700lbs of force per inch of compression, and can easily cause massive injury if you are not careful. That means to compress the spring one inch, you have to apply 700 pounds of force, the next inch requiring 1400lbs of force. Harbor Freight sells Spring Compressors, but I would be wary when dealing with this much force. You should take them to a shop and have them separated. Most would do it for free or a small fee





I've personally replaced each of these items on my own car, a 1987 Mazda RX-7. Due to the safety concerns about separating the springs from the struts, I chose to buy a set of used Ground Control adjustable Coilovers and KYB AGX adjustable struts. The springs in the GC set are shorter than stock, so no compression was needed for installation.





And last but not least. When at the parts store, be sure to get some PB Blaster penetrating oil. I completely and totally SWEAR by it. WD-40 is garbage compared to PB, just follow the directions and repeat if the nut/bolt is still stuck.