Scotty, greetings from Southern California ! Is driving a car with a messed up suspension dangerous ? My grandpa has a 2007 Toyota Camry with 185k miles and that thing bounces as I go over bumps and driving it more than 65mph feels kind of sketchy despite having brand new tires. When I am turning and there is a little dip in the road where rain water flows, it feels as if the steering wheel gets pulled even more into the direction that I’m turning and I have to resist it. When I was driving down the highway in the rain (big time regret), I did not feel safe driving over 55mph in this thing as it felt like it was trying to slide everywhere, while I have no problem doing 75 in pouring rain in my 2019 Camry. This car has been seriously let go since it hit its 12 year age mark. Would fixing these issues be expensive ?
Yes it is dangerous. Changing your shocks will do a world of good.
Puddles will always pull your car to the side. Slow down so you don't lose control.
Check repairpal.com for an idea of cost.
Get an estimate from someone, buy your own parts and pay them their labor, shouldn’t be that bad. If you go the retail route, yes it will be expensive.
Definitely change all the shocks & struts with KYB parts if you plan to take it out on the highway, frequently.
Driving with worn suspension in the city is no big deal, but on the highway is outright dangerous, as you found out!
If all it needs is a new suspension system, I’d do that right away & use the car for the next 10 yrs..
KYB has an ongoing sale on rock auto dot com, if I’m not mistaken.
KYB quick struts is one good way to go. Having said that, before sinking serious money into the car, go get a general inspection. A good general inspection will include reading and assessing codes, and a thorough visual inspection of the car, top-side and underneath.
For example: How's the transmission? The engine health? The brakes? And, of course, other parts of the suspension, as well. What if, for example, all that bouncing around has damaged the front axles, or has done real (and expensive) damage to the wheel bearings? And so forth.
Get an overall assessment, a general inspection of the vehicle, and then make your decision, before you invest a dime in replacing the struts and shocks.
