A few of the suspension manufacturers recommend changing the spring and shock absorber at the same time. One well known manufacturer recommends inspection every 30000kms and replacing them at 80000kms.

Having said that, I have changed broken springs and kept the original shocks as they had only done about 13,000miles. On another car recently, I kept the original 100,000mile springs and just replaced the shocks as the springs were perfect to look at and the wire thickness was a heavy gauge (unlike modern cars).

Edited by Wackyracer on 19/11/2016 at 12:16

I've only ever changed springs after breakage, or weakening leading to losing ride height, the latter more the realm of leaf springs.

Interesting about the Japanese springs, i too have never changed one but have known older abused Mitsi pick ups to break their leaves, coils seem to last forever.

Have had to replace both rear springs on my Prius due to breakage. I think coil springs are fragile across the board nowadays.

In my first twenty years of driving I only ever had one set of leaf springs overhauled but the car was over thirty years old at the time. Until recently I have run Vauxhalls and since the millenium have suffered broken srings on a Carlton, a Calibra and an Omega. And I slow down for speed humps! It does seem the newer the car the lower the mileage when a spring fails!