how long do these usually last. all four of mine are blown and i went to replace them and the guy said how the ones in the hood are angled they can't handle the missing leverage, this true?

 

Mine work fine and i have the factory locatio struts for both the hood and the hatch. The hatch stays fine.

Factory 'glass hood, so that doesnt really count.

 

They usually last about 8 years or so.

You can get them at Auto Zone. The hood ones are about $18 or $20 apiece, the hatch ones are around $35 each.

I also have a glass hood (well, the factory composite stuff anyway); once I raise it past a certain point, it SPROINNNGGGs itself the rest of the way up.

 

My SMC hood does that to. Just touch it a little and it goes right up.

 

Ive never had to touch the ones in my hatch in the 5 years ive had my car.

The ones on the hood are a different story. I was getting about a year out of them when i just gave up. Now i just use a pair of vise grips on each side to hold the hood up. Yeah one will work but might as well be safe then sorry.

 

I had to replace all 4 when I got the car going back in Aug '99. I had to replace the hood units last year. I kept the old ones just in case I get a glass hood sometime in the future so I don't get knocked out by an uppercut when opening it.