Tailgate Struts Re-gassed

[edwardio]

Has anybody used SGS-Engineering to have their boot lid struts (tailgate struts) re-gassed, on their Gen7 Celica?

They're £180 a pair to buy from the dealer. £105 to buy from SGS or £45ish to have them re-gassed.

What I want to know is, if anybody has had their's re-gassed and do they work as normal.

[DefiantFrog]

Blimy, you've got a lot of questions!!! SGS are the lot in Derby (round the corner from me) aren't they? I keep meaning to give them a go - my struts couldn't be much worse in the cold, so might be worth me popping along. Their name certainly keeps coming up in various places, although I've never found anyone who's actually used them before!

You might want to try shopping around with the dealers as well. Last quote I got was £60 a side, certeousy of Inchcape Toyota in Derby.

[Parts-King]

You might want to try shopping around with the dealers as well. Last quote I got was £60 a side, certeousy of Inchcape Toyota in Derby.

Go get em quick, that is LESS than cost price..........I'm afraid somebody coc*ed up there!

Retail £178.51 a pair

Our price DELIVERED is £158.73

Kingo

[edwardio]

Yeah lots of questions - Well lots going on at and wanting to do lots at once really, which is something that always happens to me!

Yeah I will call some more dealers. Why they can't all be the same price is beyond me! It should all be regulated.

If you go to Asda in Cornwall and buy their bake beans for 20p or whatever, you expect the same price in every Asda. So why can't the car industry, petrol industry etc be the same! Ok rant over.

Thanks for the advice DefiantFrog. My struts are 100% gone, no strength what so ever!

[Parts-King]

Yeah lots of questions - Well lots going on at and wanting to do lots at once really, which is something that always happens to me!

Yeah I will call some more dealers. Why they can't all be the same price is beyond me! It should all be regulated.

If you go to Asda in Cornwall and buy their bake beans for 20p or whatever, you expect the same price in every Asda. So why can't the car industry, petrol industry etc be the same! Ok rant over.

Thanks for the advice DefiantFrog. My struts are 100% gone, no strength what so ever!

They are all the same, we all work off the same price list, however, we discount parts to TOC members so ours are cheaper, other garages would never give a member of the public any discount at all. Then you will have the dealer who looks up the wrong part or types in a wrong number, then the price is different. It is a free market in this country, regulated prices are anti competitive and illegal, thanfully

Kingo

[T600]

Why they can't all be the same price is beyond me! It should all be regulated.

Don't wish for that.

If they were regulated the price would be £200 plus a pair; it's only the competition that keeps it down to the price that it is.

[edwardio]

I've no problem with competition, but places under the same Badge should have the same prices. However at the same time they should be a good price. I understand that development of cars costs stupid millions and that money has to come back some way, but within reason please.

How much does it cost Toyota to make these struts? If they sell them for about £180, how much are they making?

As Toyota owners, we should expect to be able to go into our local dealer and get the BEST possible price, without having to call up every dealer to find the cheapest. If I found the cheapest price in Liverpool (for arguements sake), then called my local dealer and told them about that price, they'd price match it. So why can't they do that from the start.

I'm not aiming this all at Toyota, as I know every car manufacturer is the same. However I feel, that if you're operate under the same Badge, you should all have the same BEST price.

[Parts-King]

If I found the cheapest price in Liverpool (for arguements sake), then called my local dealer and told them about that price, they'd price match it. So why can't they do that from the start.

That's how life is in Eutopia, however in the real world, why would you give away some of your profit without being challenged? Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's life. If you go to a jeweller and say, I want that Rolex, how much is it?, that will be £2000 sir, then you would be a fool to pay this price as it is his opening bid, if you said, well I can buy one online for £1800, then he might come back at you with "I can match that", your happy you got £200 knocked off, and he is happy he made his margin, but not as happy as if you had paid £2000 for it........Market forces, don't knock it, just be glad you dont live in some parts of the world where you are expected to haggle for everything.

Kingo

[edwardio]

I understand all that and makes perfect sense if you're an independant trader. You have to battle for the customer to pay as close to the RRP. However, if you operate under a parent company, you should charge the same.

I work in retail & have done for half my life, so I know how it works. Everyone has targets to meet and profit to make, but if your operate under the SAME Badge, I should expect the same price.

If you're a fully independant trader, you hold your ground for the most. If you operate under a company, the cost should be the same everywhere.

[T600]

I understand all that and makes perfect sense if you're an independant trader. You have to battle for the customer to pay as close to the RRP. However, if you operate under a parent company, you should charge the same.

I work in retail & have done for half my life, so I know how it works. Everyone has targets to meet and profit to make, but if your operate under the SAME BADGE, I should expect the same price.

If you're a fully independant trader, you hold your ground for the most. If you operate under a company, the cost should be the same everywhere.

But that same price would be list price. £178.51

It's as if you're complaining that some dealers are prepared to work at a lower margin and offer a discount.

Or, as is probably the case with the £60 struts in Derby, are prepared to heavily discount some stock that they want to shift.

Seriously, I can't see where you're coming from on this. I know a handful of dealers including Parts-King that will offer a discount. I don't have to ring round every dealer to find the best price. I ring one, and if I get 10% or so off, I'll buy. If not I go elsewhere.

Yes, unusually there are bigger discounts; I recently bought a £200 alloy from a dealer for £30. But only because it was very old stock he wanted to shift in a hurry.

[Parts-King]

I work in retail & have done for half my life, so I know how it works. Everyone has targets to meet and profit to make, but if your operate under the SAME BADGE, I should expect the same price.

Sorry Edwardio but it just doesnt work like that. You will never get to that situation, if a local Asda has 10,000 tins of beans coming up to the end of there shelf life, you will find the price dropping to get rid of them, does that mean every other Asda will do the same, I don't think so. In an ideal world.................but it isnt :D:

Kingo

[edwardio]

The problem with your arguement there is that any retailer that sells food that is not 'sale or return' will reduce the price of expiring food & must label it as reduced (that's law). It's that or lose the money on it.

I as a customer should not have to battle one Toyota dealer against another Toyota dealer for my business, as at the end of the day 'Toyota' get the money. All 'Toyota' dealers should operate at the best price for the customer. The same PART from the SAME company, should be the SAME price.

If I go into an Argos for a phone, its the same price in every store. If I go to HMV for a CD, is the same price in every store. If I was after a sofa and looked in different company shops, at the same sofa I'd expect different prices.

Same company = same price.

Differenct companies = competitive pricing.

[DefiantFrog]

£60 a side from Derby was a couple of years ago now by the way! Maybe I should have made that clear, sorry... It will have gone up somewhat since.

I thought Friday web surfing was about chilling, not ranting!! Anyways... Back to the point.

SGS Seem to know what they are doing by the look of their web site. Maybe give them a go and see what happens. Its not a fortune to do it, so if you can be prepared to lose that much money if a re-gas don't work, then all is good, you can let us know how you get on! I would have thought a new set from them would far and away exceed the expectations of them.

It seems like a pretty good price from Parts-King based on current stock price, so if you wanna go official Toyota, go with him. I'd want some guartentee from Toyota that they have improved them since they originally came out though, otherwise in a year, you'll be spending the same again to get another crap set of boot lifters! (Parts-King, comment on this would be good! :) )

[DefiantFrog]

Just noticed in your last post - Toyota franchise to different dealers, so technically they are different companies. They just operate with the same branded product.

Thats why you get an Inchcape Toyota, and a Ron Brookes Toyota, etc etc.

I see your point, and I kind of agree, but if everyone did stick to one price, you'd never get Parts-King offering to do you them cheaper! ;)

[edwardio]

I contacted SGS and they said they've had great success in re-gassing celica struts. They also ensure that they will operate equally to a new set. The struts are fully tested under load to ensure no leaks or failure. I don't know if the new parts they sell are original or if they manufacture their own. Mind you if they do make their own an they're as good as original, I won't say NO!

[edwardio]

For everyone's info:

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-struts/automotive.php

"All new gas struts purchased from SGS engineering are covered by a two year no quibble money back guarantee."

[Parts-King]

They have been improved over the years and genuine parts such as these have a 12 month manufacturers warranty, just one nit picking point, they are not boot "Lifters" they are designed to stop the tailgate falling down on your head, not for pushing the tailgate up, a small but important point. The weight of a tailgate, glass and spoiler is considerable and these struts really take a hammering so I'm not sure how effective a re-gassing would be, if they offer a no quibble 2 year warranty then you have to say it appears a good deal

A chilled out Kingo B)

[T600]

Toyota franchise to different dealers, so technically they are different companies.

Nail. Head. Hit.

[Parts-King]

Toyota franchise to different dealers, so technically they are different companies.

Nail. Head. Hit.

Is that Nail Head Hit Thumb.....Ouch :D:

Kingo

[edwardio]

Well I'm using their services within the next 4 weeks, so I'll let you all knw how it goes.

Here are some other links that might answer any questions other drivers might have, who have bumps on their heads!

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-struts/re-gas.php

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-struts/faq.php

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/testimonials.php

[DefiantFrog]

just one nit picking point, they are not boot "Lifters" they are designed to stop the tailgate falling down on your head, not for pushing the tailgate up, a small but important point

Yeah sorry, my bad use of language, and not being able to remember what they were officially called! Am well aware they haven't got the power to lift the boot!

Meh, anyways... :)

[edwardio]

I know DefiantFrog that, they're independant Toyota garages. However they label themselves under the large Toyota Badge, therefore should have the same price.

If they had their own big Badge, then underneath a smaller Toyota Badge and added Toyota specialist, that would be different and I'd accept the price differences.

It's the same with petrol. I only use Shell fuel. Now I used to drive past 2 Shell garages on my way to work. 1 was a main dealer and the other I'd say was an independant (only by the looks of it, general condition etc). Both had all the same signs etc, though 3p difference despite only being 10 minutes apart. That is what annoys me.

If you are independant operate under your won badge as your main sign.

I also used to drive past an independant BP garage. It clearly labelled itself under its own sign with the BP badge as a smaller sign. The price was always more and I could accept that, as it was clear what was going on. "This is my garage and I supply you with fuel from BP". Not "This is 'Toyota', but toyota doesn't run it, I do!".

Anyway I've had enough of ranting, so this is my last post with a rant on this. I will only talk about the struts on this post.

[tricky1962]

Evenin' All

I used SGS to re-gas my Gen 5 struts a couple of years ago and they have worked perfectly ever since. They get my recommendation