1. Schedule Your Appointment
Whether scheduling online or over the phone be sure and let us know what you're experiencing so we can provide fast and accurate service advice.
2. Diagnostics and Inspections
Drop off your vehicle and the shop will get to work with inspections and diagnostics using the same equipment as the manufacturers to determine issues and next steps.
3. Digital Vehicle Inspection Report and Estimate
Following the diagnosis we will text you a digital vehicle inspection report, containing pictures and videos of our findings and recommendations.
4. Review and Approval
A service advisor will reach out to walk you through the findings and recommendations to determine how you would like to proceed, or you can approve work directly in your DVI.
5. Work Performed or Scheduled
Most work can be completed immediately, or scheduled based on parts and customer availability.
The Nice Difference® Warranty
Every suspension repair we complete at Christian Brothers Automotive Commerce City is backed by the Nice Difference® Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs last. If an issue arises after the repair, you’re covered. The warranty is honored at any Christian Brothers Automotive location across the country, so you have protection wherever the road takes you. We also work with all major extended warranty providers.
What to Expect During a Suspension Service Appointment
We keep the process straightforward from your first call to picking up your keys.
- Step 1: Schedule your appointment. Book online or by phone and describe what you’re noticing. That detail helps our team prepare before you arrive.
- Step 2: Drop off your vehicle. Our ASE-certified technicians perform a full suspension diagnostic and a complimentary courtesy inspection using manufacturer-equivalent equipment.
- Step 3: Review your Digital Vehicle Inspection. You receive a report with photos and videos of findings and recommendations sent directly to you.
- Step 4: Approve the work. A service advisor walks you through everything in plain language. You decide what gets done and what waits.
- Step 5: Pick up your vehicle. Approved suspension work is completed by our ASE-certified technicians. Most repairs are finished during the same visit.
Warning Signs Your Suspension Needs Attention
Some suspension symptoms are hard to miss. Others develop gradually and get written off as normal wear. Knowing what to watch for helps you catch problems before they affect other systems. A check every 12,000 miles, or at least once a year, is a reasonable baseline for most vehicles.
Common signs the suspension system needs attention:
- Excessive bouncing after bumps often points to worn shocks or struts that can no longer dampen movement effectively.
- Vehicle pulling to one side or uneven tire wear can signal alignment damage or a failing suspension component putting unequal load on the tires.
- A nose-dip when braking suggests the front suspension isn’t managing the vehicle’s weight transfer properly.
- Clunking or knocking over bumps may indicate worn ball joints, control arms, or sway bar links.
- Excessive lean or sway in turns means the suspension isn’t maintaining vehicle stability the way it should.
Shocks vs. Struts: What’s the Difference?
Both shocks and struts control how your vehicle absorbs road movement, but they aren’t interchangeable. Every wheel position has one or the other based on how the vehicle was designed. A shock absorber is a standalone damping component. A strut is a structural part of the suspension that also provides damping. You can’t replace a strut with a shock, or a shock with a strut. The correct part depends entirely on your vehicle’s make and model.
Two details matter when these components are serviced. Shocks and struts should be replaced in pairs on the same axle. Replacing only one creates an imbalance in ride quality and handling. After strut replacement, a wheel alignment is recommended, since new struts can alter ride height slightly and affect how the wheels sit relative to the road.
Your Local Christian Brothers Amenities
FAQs
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Q. "How do I know if my suspension needs service?"Signs that your car needs suspension service include braking problems, abnormal noises, and excessive bouncing. If you are experiencing any of these problems, we recommend getting your vehicle looked at by our professional technicians.
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Q. "What is the difference between shocks and struts?"While one of them will be found in every one of your vehicle’s tires, a vehicle will either have a shock or a strut at each wheel, never both. A shock cannot be used to replace a strut and a strut cannot be used to replace a shock. Which one does your vehicle have? Depends on the make and model. Learn more here.
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Q. "How often should I have my suspension system looked at?"We recommend that you have it looked at once a year or every 12,000 miles along with your regular scheduled maintenance. If you want to learn more about signs that your suspension is worn click here.
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Q. "Do you offer a shuttle service?"Yes! we understand you have a full schedule. Whether you need to get to work, school, or need to attend to other responsibilities, we can take you where you need to go. Click here to learn more.
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Q. "Do you offer a warranty?"As part of our Nice difference.® commitment to providing our customers the best auto service experience possible, we also offer a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty on all the work that we do. We offer this warranty at every Christian Brothers Automotive nationwide, and it will be honored at any location, regardless of which branch did the initial work.
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Q. "Can you provide service under my extended warranty?"Yes. At Christian Brothers Automotive, we work with all major extended warranty providers to make needed repairs for our customers. If you have an extended warranty, you can discuss your carrier with our team when scheduling an appointment and confirm that the work will be covered. You can find a partial list of the extended warranty companies we work with here.
Have more Questions?
Our friendly auto service experts have the answers.
Call your local Christian Brothers Automotive car shop today
Hear What Our Customers Had to Say About Us
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"I liked the customer service and going above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable while waiting in the store for my vehicle work to be done, specifically being offered a nice hot coffee with creamer."
- J.L.