10/28   Hi guys.  I have a 1996 Camry DX (85K miles) and the mechanic says I
        need to replace my shocks.  He quoted me $800 for parts&labor.  Is
        this fair? This place (non-dealership) has done a good job previous
        visits, uses OEM parts most of the time, and is Japanese-owned.
        Thanks.
        \_ check out wheelworks.. usually buy 3 get one free ($600)
           on struts.
        \_ if you tires are bouncing (you can tell if you get groves
           deep wear evenly spaced/spread across your tires (like
           if you were bouncing a basketball). if so you need new struts
        \_ The price is about right for a shocks&struts job.  I can't
           comment on the realiability of the labor, which is what you
           comment on the reliability of the labor, which is what you
           should really care about
        \_ Kais Motd would've given you the answer.
        \_ You go on living your life how you want, but I'll just point out
           that your little "problem" will cost you more than I have spent on
           my current bike and my previous bike and all the bike related
           accessories I've ever bought.
           \_ as i've thought throughout college, riding bike is good, but is
              not so good for non-bike dates
        \_ sounds a little on the high-side, but not unreasonable for good
           quality work.
        \_
        \_ One more question:  In the context above, is it just the "shocks"
           he's replacing?  I read on howstuffworks that a "strut" technically
           includes the shock absorber too. -op
           \_ A "shock" is a big spring; it's responsible for absorbing jolts
              from the road. A "strut" is a passive hydraulic piston that
              dampens out the vibrations in this spring; if you didn't have
              struts, your car would porpoise up and down after hitting a bump.
              You usually replace shocks and struts at the same time. Shocks
              do less as they age due to fatigue on the metal; struts also wear
              down. I had my shocks&struts changed out a year or so ago on my
              '95 car, and the handling and ride comfort both improved. It was
              less than $800, but not by much. (I have an American car.) -gm
              \_ http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-suspension5.htm
                 From the above URL, it sounds like a "shock" is a piston type
                 device, not really a spring ... -op
                 \_ Hey, how about that. Disregard prior "expertise". -gm
                    \_ No worries ... I almost think some mechanics would look
                       at me funny if I told them taht
        \_ Shocks don't ever really need replacement, unless the ride
           quality is unacceptable to you.
           \_ I was wondering about this as well, why is a guy driving a
              10 year old car worried about how smooth the ride is?
              \_ mechanic said it was time -op
              \_ mechanic said it was time.  Personally I would wait at least
                 two more years or pass the cost to the next owner; I can
                 stand the car bouncing down the freeway, even at ~ 80mph.
                 It's actually my gf's car, though. -op
                 \_ For a car that old, the time to fix things is when
                    they break. Exceptions are anything to do with the
                    cooling system (e.g. hoses), the safety system (e.g.
                    brakes) and the timing belt. You want to replace those
                    items before they break. Shocks? No way.
                    \_ after reading the comments, I've come to agree -- I'd
                       personally replace at leaking shocks (i'd be worried
                       about metal-on-metal grinding).  eh, some people say
                       shocks are part of the safety system, but thanks for
                       the advice.
        \_ I always ask: 1) is this a safety issue?  2) will it cause any
           other damage if I don't pay you a zillion bucks to fix it.  Based
           on those answers I decided if my money will be well spent on a fix
           or not.  I'd spend a few bucks on minor stuff, I'd spend as much
           as reasonably needed for a safety issue (or just replace it if it
           was too much), but wouldn't spend $800 on a non-safety issue that
           didn't bother me.
           \_ Jah.  I'm basically saying, let's assume it's a safety issue.
              Then, Is $x fair for repair y? -op
              \_ Yes, if it's for good quality parts and a good job.