This will be my first time ever replacing any kind of suspension component on any car. Just did a little research on struts/shocks. Struts have 3 main components from what I read: Shocks, Springs, and mounts.
My vibe has 134k miles (I think I should change my serpentine belt, too), and I'm assuming I'd get a smoother ride if I replaced them. Stop me right now if I'm wrong
I'm pretty handy, and I like working on my car, but I know the springs are under quite a large force. Is this something I should take on by myself or let a shop handle it? I don't mind taking multiple hours to do what a shop could do in half the time.
If I decide to replace them, would it be fine to just do the front two, or should I do all 4? Should I replace just the shock absorbers or the shocks and mounts? I'm sure the springs are good. No rust from what I've seen.
What's the average cost of something like this? Am I looking at around $150 per strut, more or less?
What's a good brand for suspension? I don't really want low end items, and probably couldn't afford high end ones, so something in the mid range would be nice.