I saw a guy on youtube doing this on a Mazda 5 and he made it look easy - he just used a jack and a socket set (with a long socket).

Has anyone done it and is it easy?

 

17 mm on the bottom and 14mm on the top. I'm pretty sure my grandma can do it. Yes it's that easy

 

Yes, it is very easy. What you saw on YouTube is correct.

 

thanks guys, in the end I've found a local garage who will do it quite cheaply (still more expensive than me buying the axle stands and other tools and doing it myself - but I've got no time at the moment and I'm having to deal with storm damage and a broken central heating system at my home ).

What is interesting is that these Monroe shocks they are going to put on have a lifetime guarantee, but the Mazda ones (that the main dealer would put on) only have a 1 year guarantee - I think this explains all the angry posts about shocks absorbers here!