kirbyflorida

Please comment if you know how much to get the A Spec suspension installed without an alignment, nothing else?
thanks

I just ordered the suspension parts.

dwboston

$530. I called around and got quotes from several Acura dealers. The range of quotes for the installation alone was $550 - $1100. It ended up costing a little less than the $550. I had an alignment done a couple of weeks later anyway.

kirbyflorida

Thank you, that helps.

neuronbob

Another convert! I guarantee you will enjoy the handling afterward. Don't forget to post your impressions a couple of weeks after the install.

I paid $330 at the dealer, not including alignment. I paid another $110 for the alignment the same day.

Whoever was quoting dwboston $1100 was obviously smoking crack , that's high even for Boston.

Moving to "Tires, wheels, suspension"....

dwboston

That was the dealership where I bought my car, in RI. They obviously didn't want to do it. Acura of Boston quoted "around $700" including the alignment. I went with Acura of Auburn (where we bought my wife's MDX) because the price was right, they do a lot of performance part installs there, and it's just a good service dept.

NavyDoc333

What all is involved with the install? I keep hearing about the A-Spec but don't really know anything about the difference.

And can you do the suspension upgrade without changing the rims/tires? I notice most of the A-spec have different rims and I'm assuming 18" wheels

kirbyflorida

Yes you can do one without the other.
I am just changing the springs and shocks, which will lower the car 3/4 inch and give it crisper handling and sharper turning feel.

neuronbob

The A-Spec suspension is a coilover system (shock and spring). The stock shock and spring are removed at each corner, and the A-Spec replaces it. Simple! The suspension lowers the car about an inch, and the number of coils in the A-Spec spring is less than in the stock system. Doing this causes the center of gravity of the car to be lower and firms up the ride, allowing for more stability in turns and less bounce over bumps.

You can use any lowered suspension with the stock wheels and tires (and there are those on the board who do so), but upgrading to lower profile, up-sized tires on larger wheels (18" is ideal) allows for even better handling. I hope I'm saying all this correctly, hopefully someone more knowledgable will add the right jargon to what I just said in plain English.

EDIT: Kirby beat me to the punch by only one minute. That's what I get for being longwinded.

Chas2

See the website for a 25% discount.

http://www.acuraparts247.com/sp_srch...pec+Suspension


This is what I wanted to do on my 06 Tech Pack, but the PAX or the CMBS or something will not allow it. Not sure why.

Jeff Sloan

The Installation is not as easy as you might think.

The entire rear seat and rear deck has to be removed to get to the top of the rear suspension hats. This involves a couple hours of careful work inside the car on top of the suspension work itself. A couple of the rear side airbag clips break during removal and have to be replaced (It's in the Helms - plan ahead!)

I replaced the Susp. on my 05 RL. I would highly reccomend it, I just wish someone made a bigger rear swaybar for the car . . .

AmBiGuOuS626

Hey Jeff, i was wondering if you personally install the a-spec suspension on yourself because i would like to know how you did it or where i can find some great info on how to do it.

Jeff Sloan

I did it myself with the help of the Helms manual for the 05 RL. It's pretty straight forward when you have step by step instructions.

Of course I used to own a business doing engine swaps on Civic's and Integra's, so I am pretty comfortable with a wrench . . .

kirbyflorida

When you each had an alignment after the a spec install, were the front or rear off, and if so a little or a lot.

Ballinger

Update to a topic of likely ongoing interest: I called and received estimates for installation at $540.00 at two different San Diego area dealers.

Their prices for the kits were over $800 each, and when I relayed the $650-shipped price available from two dealers via ebay, both remarked that this was "employee priciing" at cost plus 10. Both balked at meeting it, too.

neuronbob

Online, man, online. Just buy it that way.

The dealer will install it no matter where you bought it. Remember, service is where they get their money.

runi38

I have a 2005 RL and upgraded to the A Spec suspension with the 18" black Acura rims about a year ago. My car will be four (4) years old in November and I could not be happier with the upgraded (selected the Mich. Pilot Sports as the tire choice) I recently drove (for an extended period of time) a friend's 5 BMW and honestly I felt the handling on the RL with the upgrade was much better. Similar impression driving a 3 BMW zip car while on a business trip.

The only issue I have is this humming sound which I hear once the radio is off (I know just kept the radio on however I am not sure if it comes from the tires or some other issue, as I only notice it at a particular speed. Any thoughts? as if it something other than the tires I would like to take care of it within my warranty period (approx 36,000 miles to date)

Thanks for your feedback