Grand Am Suspension (or, is it all in my head?)

I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM SE, 4-door, 2.2L engine. 29,100 on the clock.

Lately, I'd say within the past month and a half or so, I've been experiencing what I *think* is a diminished ride and handling quality since about 28,000 miles. This car used to handle corners wonderfully, had a rock-steady ride and was a joy to drive.

Recently though, I've been noticing more and more that the car isn't so steady anymore. If I have just one other person riding along, it bottoms out with a thud on dips and bumps a lot more easily and in places where it hadn't ever bottomed out before, and seems on the whole a bit "bouncier." It's nothing like the old jalopies I see gliding along the freeway with their rear tires bouncing along a smooth road like a basketball, but it's still a bit annoying. Even driving by myself, turns are also hell now, as it feels like the car tips over to the side way more than before. And while the car clearly drives straight on a newly paved road and alignment seems perfectly fine, I still find I have to be a lot more attentive to the steering wheel when I'm driving, as every tiny little bump, crack or seam in the road seems more likely to the push the front end in a slightly different direction than straight. This requires me to correct the steering more than I remember having to before.

The skinny of it is, my Grand Am used to handle like a Grand Am. Now it handles like a huge 1970's area land yacht (you know how to drive those things: locate a visible landmark about two miles away in the direction you want to go, aim the car at it and pray?). Still road-worthy I suppose, but definitely not as fun to drive.

I was guessing it might be the struts. So, I call up the service shop where I got all my warranty work done (not much so far, just wind noise and a faulty O2 sensor, both fixed on short order and with no hassle), ready to price out getting the struts replaced. They were surprised: "New struts, so soon? Hmm, it's still under warranty, bring it on in and we'll have a look at it. Could be weak springs."

So I bring it in. Tech test drives it and finds absolutely nothing wrong with the way the car handles. After going back and forth with them and even stressing that I'm *willing to pay* to have them diagnose the problem, and not have the problem fixed under the precious warranty, they still insist the car is perfectly fine, as is, and that there's nothing to fix.

So I take my keys and leave in a huff. Along the drive home, the car is still as bouncy and annoying as when I brought it in, so clearly the problem hasn't just fixed itself.

Of course, I'm looking to have it checked elsewhere, but before I do, anyone know what this could be? Could it be struts, springs, both, or something else I haven't even thought of?

Is this something to be expected as the car ages and I should just live with it? Or, could it just be all in my head and I'm being a nutcase?

This is the first car I've ever bought new, all my previous cars were old heaps: learned to drive in a '74 Chevy Suburban with a 454 Engine (boy was that fun), then I had a '86 Buick Park Avenue, and an '88 Dodge Raider before finally deciding it was time to buy new. So, falling-apartness and having the local tow company on the cell phone speed-dial was something I was used to and coped with regularly until

Not having driven a brand-spanking new car out of the lot before, I'm not used to driving cars as they go from new to heapdom, so I'm not sure if this should be expected so soon.

Any help? Thanks!