Ok i just bought a 03 Prius and it rides pretty soft like the shocks are worn out on it. So i am a mechanic but i have never really done anything on these cars other than a oil change. So anyone know what is involved and what does a typical shop charge? Oh ya and it has 90k miles and is all stock..
The dealership wanted $600 (labor only) or so to swap my struts and springs on all 4 corners. I went to a local performance shop, and they offered the same labor for $120. The Prius does have fairly soft suspension, so your ride experience may be normal. A quick visual inspection to see if the struts are leaking would be a good start.
It really is not hard to do this job if you have experience replacing the struts on other Macpherson strut-equipped vehicles. The first photo shows the cowl parts that you have to remove to gain access to the top of the front struts. The second photo shows a removed rear shock, just for fun (I didn't take a photo of a front strut.)
it has been reported that the 7 year 100,000 mile extended warranty covers shocks and struts, the prius house of rumors and urban legends says they are not specifically excluded from coverage. if you bought into that, it might be worth checking out
