02 Protege 5, strut needs to be replaced?
 

I have abotu 55k miles on my 2002 Protege 5. I brougth my car into Sears this past weekend to get the tires rotated, and the mechanic told me that the front tires were worn down. I checked the tires later with a penny, and I dont see the top of lincolns head.

The mechanic also told me my struts need to be replaced. Off hand, I dont think I have any issues with the suspension, but how can I tell if the struts really need to be replaced.

Im not sure if the mechanic really knew what he was talking about, or maybe . He didnt even know what TOYO tires were, and made a comment along the lines that they werent good tires.

First, stop taking your car to Sears, lol. Or Firestone. Or Walmart. Or any of those places.
You can't trust them. They are paid to suggest things for replacement.
The problem is most people DON'T know if the stuff really does need replacing and so they are scared to say no.
If you are not sure (there are certainly a lot of things that I don't know!) you really need to find yourself a mechanic that you can trust.

Sears is good enough for changing tires and getting them rotated. The reason I chose Sears is just for the tires. I had lifetime rotation/balance, so thats why I went there.

I would NEVER have those places do any major work on my car. I have a mechanic that I trust, which specializes in imports. He puts OEM parts or better, unlike those other places.

I just posted this question to see if I could get any tips on checking the struts on my car. :D

Leakage from the bottom of the strut, oil dripping on the tire, clunking noises when going over bumps ... all symptoms I had when mine went bad.

Thanks. How much did it cost to replace? Did you do it yourself? Replaced with OEM or aftermarket?

I do have a clunk sound that comes from the right front tire when going over dips in the road sometimes (potholes). Ill have to roll the car up on ramps to see if any oil is dripping.

Yoou will see oil on the wheel. It gets slung off the strut onto the wheel. Also, the ride gets 'jouncy'.

At 60K - they might be due. Lowering Springs? Now would be the time (since the struts are off anyway...) ;)

It cost me about $500 for the struts (all 4) cuz I went with Tokico Illuminas but you can probably get by with $300 if you get stock or the Tokico HPs ( I recommend Tokico over stock ... several reasons)

1. More durable
2. Better performance all around
3. Lifetime warranty

Installed them with a friend, it took us a whole afternoon but we weren't in a hurry. Just make sure you get a spring compressor (you can rent them for free at Advance Auto) if you decide to do it yourself. It can get dangerous without one ...