I own a '04 Passat GLS 4-Motion. Over the last several months, I heard a clunking sound from the drive-side rear wheel each time I drove over a manhole cover or bump in the road. Had the dealer check it our a few times, only to be told that the exhaust system clamps needed to be replaced, etc.

It was only during my last service visit a few weeks ago did they find a snapped-off segment of my coil spring. They said that in addition to the spring, the strut needed to be replaced. And since the entire suspension system needed to be lowered because of the car having AWD, I might as well replace the spring and strut on the other side. The cost for this repair would be $1,200. The only good news the service manager provided was that the repair could wait since the handling of the car really wasn’t affected.

Yes, I am ticked that I paid for work that probably wasn’t really necessary and now I’m faced with a hefty bill for what would usually be a seemingly simple problem to fix. I would appreciate some advice (other than find a new dealer).

Is it still sensible to replace the strut and spring on the other side even if they show no sign of wear or damage? The broken spring segment looked brand-new, which would lead me to believe that it snapped as result of damage as oppose to wear.

Can any good independent shop perform the work or does the “sophisticated” suspension system best be left for an authorized dealer to deal with?

Given that the entire suspension system needs to be lowered - I assume that is right - is this a good opportunity to upgrade all four springs with little difference in cost? I must confess ignorance as to whether this would require other components to be replaced. If it doesn’t, what kind of springs would be recommended that would improve handling without dramatically affecting the ride qualities of the car?

If you think there is other info that could be helpful, please feel free. Thanks.