New Struts for a '97 SC-2?

After 80,000 miles my mechanic says the struts on my 97 SC-2 are shot
and that both front and rear struts need to be replaced. The cost of
this job, he estimates will be little over a grand and that includes a
four wheel alignment.
Before I go ahead with this can anyone tell me what if any are the tell
tale signs of struts being shot? Forgive my ignorance but what exactly
do struts do?
Also if possible supply any links to cheap on line parts site.

Thanks for any help.

 

They can go bad two ways. One is they loose their dampinging and get a
little bouncy anf the other it they they wear out and leak and start
to rattle. When they do they later it is time to replace them but
raely do all four go bad at once. I would replace them in pairs with
the worse ones first to lessen the pain with the front ones being the
most important. If the car tracks and handles fine, the front struts
are likley okay.

 

Maybe I've been away from Saturn too long, but my gut tells me to suggest
you get another quote, preferable from a Saturn dealer...

....shocks (or rather strut cartridges) shouldn't be more that around $70
each - so all 4 installed should come in under $500. Add another $100 for a
4-wheel align and you're out of there.

Anyone else?, am I way off here? (about the comment, not in general...)

Bad ride and handling, and funny tire or suspension part wear can be the
signs of worn struts. Normal driving in town and to the store and over a
long time (I'm assuming you're the original owner) might be hard to detect
unless you drive a 97SC2 with new struts, and then drive yours to compare.
Struts/shocks/dampers are designed to dampen the motion of the chassis
pieces (tires and wheels being the heaviest) going up and down.

 

Dont know where you live but in the NY/NJ area 70 bucks buys you cheap
shit struts that arent worth a damn and the labor rates range from 70
to 100 per hr.The alignment price is about the same,so your looking at
a price of a min.280 for struts, 4hrs labor(going rate is 1hr per
strut),thats another 280,plus alignment,100 plus tax= about 700.
Mind you now,this is on the low end.If you buy quality parts and take
it to a higher price shop,1000 bucks is about right.

 

<snip>

Wow, between this and the guy who was quoted $700 for a water pump and
t-stat, I'm beginning to think that I am in the wrong business!

I replaced the front struts in my 95 SW1 a few months back. bought KYB
struts from TireRack for about $62 each. I put them in myself, took maybe
30 minutes for the first one, 10 for the second. $70 for an alignment and I
was done. I am about to do the same for a 97 SL1 that I am putting on the
road this week.

I do all my own mechanical work, are repair bills really this high these
days?? On my 91 Ford F-150 truck, In the past month I have replaced the
ground and battery cables, rear U-joint, new radiator and hoses and T-stat,
and exhaust system and am upset that it has cost me a little over $300.

-David

 

last time I need struct on a car I took it to sears when they were on
sale and got them installed too for like 40 buck a pair installation
charge and they had a lifetime warranty and if they installed them
they will install replacements for life of the car.

 

autozone.. 48 each strut. front upper mounts 56.00 each total for 4
struts and 2 mounts ( I would definetly replace the strut mounts in the
front for you have th take them off either way) $304.00 plus a rental
spring compressor for $42 which you'll get back when returned. Front
end alignment is $49.00
Rears require 2 people to replace easily for you have to work from the
inside of the car. Fronts are a peice of cake.. 3 bolts on top and 2
bolts on the bottom. The rear requires you to remove the rear
sidepanels and shelf cover.
I did the fronts on one day and the rears on the next only because it
was so cold out. Make sure the car is on jack stands BOTH SIDES or you
won't get the fronts off!!
The following month I did my car ( just the fronts) and it took about 3
hours.
So if you do it yourself it looks like $353 dollars and if you add
labor figure about $50 per wheel. There would be NO difference if you
repalce the upper mounts in the front or not for the upper mount has to
be removed from the old trut to get the spring off.
Phil

 

I just replaced all four of mine. Mine is a 92 saturn sl. I replaced the
struts and the mounting caps on all four all that together cost me $500.00
From Advance Auto I installed them my self which was very easy. Then the
aligment cost me about $60.00. I would suggest that you get another quote
from somewhere else. or ask how much it will cost you if you supply the
parts.