Shocks/Struts for 2005 Buick Ultra (Park Avenue)

[Egg_Head]

Vehicle in question is my mother's so it is not in my driveway for convenient observation. Car needs front struts & rear shocks. Aftermarket (Monroe) and others do not seem to have fitment for rear electronic suspension. My questions are 1) Do all Buick Ultras have rear electronic suspension systems 2) What is available in the aftermarket 3) How do I verify which system this vehicle has? VIN? Crawl underneath and look for wires/compressor? Other? 4) Any recommendations for front & rear aftermarket setups for this vehicle?
Thanks mucho

 

[Hokiefyd]

Arnott Industries has you hooked up for the rear air shocks:

https://www.arnottindustries.com

They list Park Avenues through 2004, but 2005 was the end of that generation, and I'm sure anything for the 2004 fits the 2005 as well. Arnott has a good name in the Cadillac world, where OEM dampers are insanely expensive from GM (as they probably are for the Park Avenue as well).

Arnott also has a front strut kit, and you can buy all four for less than 600 bucks.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The VIN will probably help; contact either GM or one of the shock companies like Monroe. There may be some buttons on the dash or console for suspension adjustment settings, if you have the system, and the owners manual may help too.

If you have the electronic suspension, there will probably be a conversion kit out there to convert to regular shocks and disable the electronic [censored].

For the front, get quick struts. They're awesome.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
For the front, get quick struts. They're awesome.


They are NOT awesome. See the discussion in this thread:

www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3866846/

 

[Bluestream]

Why buy quick struts when you can rent a spring compressor for free

 

[BigCahuna]

Springs with 100k or more on them will ride like garbage compared to new springs.,,,

 

[camrydriver111]

Quick strut springs ride like garbage brand new.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
Quick strut springs ride like garbage brand new.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Egg_Head
Do all Buick Ultras have rear electronic suspension systems ?


That's not a suspension system. That's automatic level control. Weight the trunk down and the air compressor pumps up the rear air shocks to maintain a level ride hight.

 

[babyivan]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
For the front, get quick struts. They're awesome.


They are NOT awesome. See the discussion in this thread:

www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3866846/


Not this again..... That thread means nothing!

Quick Struts have worked for some quite well and not so good for others. I will have to be honest, the ONLY disappointment I have ever had with them (out of the dozens of sets I bought), is a defective/noisy strut mount.
But Amazon quickly sent me a replacement, no questions asked.

In the real world I hear nothing but praise for them, it's only on the internets that I hear negatives.

People do make good criticisms, I admit that. For example, if your car came with optional spring rates (Sports suspension), you might want to keep your original springs, seeing as quick struts come in "one size fits all".
I personally have an FE2 car, which comes with stiffer spring rates than the base FE1 model, but I have noticed NO difference using the quick struts (probably due to the fact that my OEM "stiffer" springs were worn, which nulls the argument anyways).

Quick struts are MUCH easier to DIY and you replace everything at once, a 'win win" in my book.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Why buy quick struts when you can rent a spring compressor for free


I think I paid $10 for mine at Harbor Freight. And I have used them more than once.