My CSVT has about 80k miles on it, and I have to say it looks like it is riding a little bit lower than when I bought it 2.5 years ago, and feels a bit mushier than I remember.
So I'm thinking that the shocks & struts should be replaced sometime before the winter gets here. I'm also getting new summer tires on Saturday (Goodyear F1 GS-D3's), and I figure a new suspension would prolong their life somewhat.
I don't autocross, or drive like a total maniac, so I would be inclined just to go with OEM parts.
Question #1: if I go to the dealer, what range of prices should I be prepared to hear? Is $400 too much? Would it be a bargain? (Note: The dealership hasn't actually quoted me $400; I'm just throwing it out there for the sake of illustration.)
Question #2: I tend to be very averse to visiting places like Midas or Monroe, on the basis that I think they try to bend you over a barrel and make it seem like they're doing you a favor. I'm going to assume that you would all suggest I continue that policy for the purposes of replacing my shocks & struts.
Question #3: On the subject of aftermarket suspension parts, would anyone recommend anything that isn't ridiculously expensive that would be an improvement over OEM parts? Like I said, I don't auto-x, or tear up the roads (that much), but trying to replace the tight feel of the car is something I want to do. However, let me put it this way: I don't want to drop $1000 on this kind of work. In fact, I think my ceiling would be around $750, maximum (including labor). (Unless I am being completely unrealistic as to my expectations of how much it would cost to replace everything with OEM.)
Thanks to everyone for helping out a guy who knows about -zero- when it comes to suspension issues.
