What to do?
 

I've just had the suspension on my v70r 1998 replaced with new kit from PFV, the old stuff is off and just sat there, its the original stuff and all intact but I'm not sure if its any good. The car has done 150k

The car passed its MOTs all the time until recently an only failed on a lower arm but as I'm restoring the car I replaced the nimovat/original kit with new kit.

The bits are sat in my garage at the moment, does anyone know how I can test them to see if they're worth keeping or shall I just scrap them? If they're worth keeping I can find space as I'd like to keep the original parts for the car just in case I fancy putting them back on.

If there not excessively rusty and no leaks, then it might be worth punting them cheaply to some-one on a lesser budget than yourself.
There even handy if you go down a deep pot hole and knacker one of yours.
There only worth keeping if in semi reasonable condition though.

I'll give them a clean and see how they look, they're not very aesthetically pleasing at the moment. I don't think I could keep them as spares as the new ones aren't self levelling and the top mounts are all new too.

Thanks for the advice.

TBH if the old suspension parts are the originals and have done 150k they are probably well past there best, even if they look good.
I wouldn't want to put them on my car.

The nivomats if in good nick could be worth trying to sell on as byotox says to someone on a lesser budget.depends why the lower arm failed the test as to whether they're worth keeping and re-bushing[poly bushing?]The trouble is you can go forever keeping stuff "just in case"and finish up with a load of scrap cluttering up the place.

Very true, I have a garage full of bits I might need, I'll stash the nivomats and bin the rest, if they're untouched this time next year they'll get binned too.

I'm as guilty as the next person of doing this.So far I have managed to keep my rented lock up garage clear enough to actually be able to keep on of the cars in it:speechless-smiley-5 I do however have a shed full of "just in case" including a brand new never fitted grille for a MkIII Cavalier-and I've never even owned a Cavvy:eek::eek:

With the usual tosh on this subject sent forth, I'll go against the tide then...

Nivomat are made to such supreme quality that they'll do 200K easy. Whereas any so called 'upgrade' boyracer-grade stuff by Koni etc??? You will lucky to see them do half that.

A set of Nivomats are four times the price of that garbage for a reason.

What ends the life of a Nivomat is the gaiters. By now most are in bits, and perished, hence the cr*p gets in the seals, and that ends them. Nivomats are double-sealed but the dirt will beat the seals in the end.

So...

If you don't care what they look like, and most look poor by now, replace the gaiters. Because if they maintain their level, they're still good.
No other shock, short of the Citroen system comes close, and no other shock does what they do. Not 'just' for towing, they were fitted stock to all go-faster R models becausee they work best of all as a road-performance shock. If you've the cash, Nivomat it is . 90s Ferraris, the Rover Vitesse and some Jags have them

Mine have been on for 240K, but had a set of motorcycle fork gaiters cobbled on at 90K. I don't suppose they would have seen another 20K if I'd left them with the original gaiters.

Volvo sell originals. See piccy.
(Nivomat Boot gaiter bellow 1387105)

The secret to their quality is the double-seal on everything and the gaiters protecting them. There's only one reason to take Nivomats off, and that's because they were left, gaiters perished, for too long.

Off a race-track, for road-use and saving the aforesaid Citroen system fitted to Rolls and those mega high-end Merc systems there is none better than a Nivomat. To favour anything else is to admit not driving very far.

If you can determine the ride-level, (and you can't usually do this on a road-car), engineers... over a bloke with a box of spanners and shiny new Monroes, can set and maintain the suspension parameters, and thus the braking too.

Of course, if you've already got florescent blue heater-hose and painted your brake-calipers red...

But yes, they do cost so 'kin much.

Well - the rear Nivo's on my 97R were both seized solid at 152k miles when I got the car and I replaced with Lesjofors uprated springs and Standard shocks from PFV (it's fine and I have no intention of hard cornering). Just sayin'....

..and yes, 'kin much indeed for a new set from Volvo. £800+vat I was quoted for the rears alone. In my book they might as well say a £million...

Volvo? I'm pretty sure they don't 'really' want to sell.

My theory goes: There's a bloke at Volvo, his only job, to sit in a darkened-corner, looking at parts, quietly muttering...

"Mine... mine.. mine. All mine, mine... mine. For me. Me, all mine, all mine... [ad infinitum]"

You can do one at a time, but by 152K I'm sure without new gaiters 50K earlier, both of yours were already done for.