I have a 1999 Toyota Camry with original suspension parts at 250k miles and still going. The ride is bumpy however and my mechanic said it'll need a complete strut assembly for all 4 sides and it'll be pricey. He said I'd have better value making it a DIY project. I looked at Toyota parts and haven't had much luck finding full assembled shocks and struts. I'm worried I'll ruin the way the car handles just slapping any brand in there. I am not equipped to assemble separate parts either. What manufacturer is the closest to Toyota OEM quality to return the car to stock handling for a car that's old enough to drink with complete shock strut assembly?
I'm worried I'll ruin the way the car handles
if it's as worn out as you say, then it can't possibly get worse. Anything will be better than what you have now.
Toyota doesn't make struts, so they likely buy them from known manufacturers. Maybe even Japanese brands like KYB or Rancho. Stick to reputable brands like those, or Bilstein and you'll be fine. For such an old car you can even save money with Monroe or Gabriel. Who knows how much longer it will run for anyway.
If you search the board you'll find that KYB are the most recommended shocks here.
