thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Yep. I agree. Too bad some of us can't afford the stupid high prices for new OEM front air shocks. 
Are arnott front air bags still available?
- Thread starter tolincoln
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beerdog
Well-Known LVC Member
The OEM struts are "High Performance" compared to those mushy Arnotts. I have installed new sets of each on our cars. Yes, the Arnotts worked but did not even compare to Ford's. My opinion (and it is not worth anything) is that you will pay less going OEM if you will keep the car for a long time. Factor in replacing the Arnott's at least once. Maybe multiple times based on most people's experience. Add in the hasle factor whenever they go bad. Plus, each time you have strut problems it will tax the compressor allot which then could damage that expensive relay. Plus, the arnott's had that cheap ass metal solenoid housing that can rust over time and cause leaks. It adds up over time.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
There are pros and cons to the OEM and Arnott shocks. The biggest con with the OEM is price. Almost $400 bucks each is just plain and simple too much money for what it is (that, of course is my opinion as somebody living from paycheck to paycheck on a shoestring budget). I can't afford it. I love my Mark and I try to keep it maintained and in good condition since it is my daily driver. But I simply will not pay that much for what is essentially a beefed up shock absorber. I know OEM is better. And that will almost always be the case. I never had any problems with my Arnott solenoid housings rusting. I did have a little issue with fitment of the solenoid that was easily fixed with a pair of channel locks My math says that price for price, the Arnott shocks will actually cost less over time than the OEM's. The only advantage is that you will only have to buy one set of OEM shocks per 10 or so years versus two sets of Arnotts. Of course, it doesn't matter anyway because the Arnott shocks don't exist anymore. So when mine go bad, I'm just gonna be SOL (unless I win the lottery or our governess decides to give us a raise). Maybe I'll just downgrade to a Mark VII with the strut front suspension. The air springs are cheaper
My math says that price for price, the Arnott shocks will actually cost less over time than the OEM's. The only advantage is that you will only have to buy one set of OEM shocks per 10 or so years versus two sets of Arnotts. Of course, it doesn't matter anyway because the Arnott shocks don't exist anymore. So when mine go bad, I'm just gonna be SOL (unless I win the lottery or our governess decides to give us a raise). Maybe I'll just downgrade to a Mark VII with the strut front suspension. The air springs are cheaper