A drive for adjusting an adjustment element of a motor vehicle, the drive including a hollow cylinder, a rod guided axially therein, two articulated parts configured to provide linear drive movements to the motor vehicle and form a drive connection to the adjustment element and the rest of the motor vehicle. The one articulated part axially fixed to a first component of the components of the drive unit and the other articulated part axially fixed to a second component of the components of the drive unit in the installed state. The drive has a drive spring assembly including a drive spring acting on the articulated parts. In the installed state, at least one of the components of the drive unit is axially fixed to a securing element by a threaded connection, and the securing element projects radially into an axial projection of a spring material of the drive spring assembly.