I took my 2008 V8V Roadster in for it's annual service this past week. The dealer called and my right front strut is leaking fluid and needs replacing. Odd that the dealer is quoting me the replacement of a single strut/shock. I thought you had to replace them in pairs at a minimum and all 4's to be safe. I am now considering a full coilover replacement all around.

I do not DD the Vantage and put it on the track 3-4 times per year. A rough ride does not bother me.

Has anyone installed the Nitron sets advertised on the various vendor sites such as RSC, VelocityAP and VCollection? Thoughts?

What about the KW-V3 shocks, they seem similar as well to Nitron.

What is the install like and how many hours will it take an installer to put them in?

 

While I have no intimate knowledge of the shocks of which you speak, changing them is not complicated for a reasonably capable mechanic/enthusiast. It should take about 4-6 hours with the proper equipment on jackstands or a bit less on a lift. The fender liners must be removed first to get to the shock assemblies on all 4 corners, these alone take 15 minutes to remove. The rear shocks sit in a peculiar inboard location with very limited access to the top mounting points. A good racheting box wrench is a must to get them off. If you do not have a box wrench with a racheting mechanism, go get one, I believe they were 13 or 14mm if I recall correctly... The fronts are much more straightforward. Access the top mounts under the strut brace mount in the engine compartment, and the lower mount is retained on the lower control arm with a 19 or 21 mm nut if memory serves me well. You will have to disconnect the brake line retainer but besides that, they aren't too difficult to remove.