Does $1200 sound like too much to replace both front struts and mounts?

No, Paul, those are three different areas, or things. The tie rods connect to the wheel spindle that the tire is mounted on. That is for steering. The link rods connect the sway bar to each side of the front end- these are high wear items, often replaced.

The third: now the "strut tops" being noisy, this should be of concern to you, insofar as what are they doing about that? Ask them if that means replacing worn struts (quite an added expense), or checking the security of the top mounting-like loose bolts or nuts. I would want specifics on what exactly they mean. The strut tops are where the two front struts mount on the car frame, and usually found under the hood on each side, like 3 nuts holding the top of the strut, and the bottom of the strut is attached to the wheel spindle or wheel knuckle, same thing. So the strut at the wheel, moving up and down, strut absorbs the shock and diminishes it by a solid mounting to the frame- the strut tops. Hope this helps you understand a bit.

When you changed out the struts, did you also replace the Strut Bearing Mounts that mount the struts to the strut towers on the car? These things are notorious for making the rattling sound.

i would suspect the front strut mounts, 100,000 or 10 years is about all you can expect if you drive like a little old lady. and one does not replace the mounts without replacing the struts as well. however making sure the thing is lubed, such as at ball joints and tie rod ends should not be ruled out before you replace the mounts and struts. those parts are expensive, are labor intensive and an alignment is in order afterwards. look around for some "quik struts" for your car before you pay for separate struts and mounts. the overall labor is lower and you get new coil springs to boot. you may want to shoot the entire load and do them all the way around. that way one alignment this year instead of another one next year when the rear end starts squeaking.

REMOVE**** FRONT SHOCKS, FIRST OF ALL.SUPPORT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WITH A JACK,REMOVE FRONT WHEEL, REMOVE BRAKE HOSE AND ABS SENSOR HARNESS TO THE STRUT BOLTS OR CLIPS,REMOVE ACTUATOR FROM TOP OF THE STRUT,IF EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING SUSPENSION. PAINT ALIGNMENT MARKS ON THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTING BLOCK AND STRUT TOWER AND ON THE LOWER STRUT MOUNT TO STEERING KNUCKLE SO THAT CAN BE REINSTALLED IN THE SAME POSITION. REMOVE UPPER STRUT MOUNTING NUTS, REMOVE THE STRUT TO KNUCKLE BOLTS,REMOVE STRUT ASSEMBLY.TO INSTALL ***** INSTALL STRUT INTO THE STRUT TOWER ALIGNING THE PAINT MARKS MADE DURING REMOVAL.INSTALL UPPER MOUNTING NUTS AND TIGHTEN TO 34 - 46 FT LBS. INSTALL STRUT TO KNUCKLE BOLTS TIGHTEN TO 55 - 61 FT LBS. INSTALL ACTUATOR AND ENGAGE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IF EQUIPPED WITH AAS. INSTALL BRAKE HOSE AND ABS SENSOR HARNESS CLIPS OR BOLTS.INSTALL WHEEL AND CHECK ADJUST THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT. TO ( REPLACE REAR SHOCKS ) REMOVE REAR WHEELS, REMOVE REAR PACKAGE TRIM. REMOVE SPEED SENSOR HARNESS, REMOVE TOP STRUT NUTS,THE SUSPENSION WILL DROP WHEN THE WEIGHT LIFTS OFF THE WHEELS. REMOVE BOTTOM STRUT BOLTS.REMOVE STRUT ASSEMBLY.TO INSTALL ***** INSTALL STRUT ASSEMBLY, INSTALL BOTTOM STRUT MOUNT BOLTS AND TIGHTEN TO 55 - 61 FT LBS.INSTALL UPPER MOUNTING NUTS AND TIGHTEN TO 33 - 46 FT LBS. INSTALL SPEED SENSOR HARNESS.INSTALL REAR PACKAGE TRIM. INSTALL REAR WHEELS.

front stuts need replacement, buy this point it would be both. you can tell most of the time buy if you hit a pot hole on the left and it makes a nosie thats the side. but after a few days of driving like this both are in bad shape and need replacement.

there is no bearing its just the strut, you can tell buy getting a jack stand and lifting the front and moving the tire side to side and back to front. usaly anything over 10-20 thouthands of an inch is bad, and that mean if you feel it it's bad.

but anyways to replace it you will need a sop, you have to compress your front srping in order to remove and install a strut.

The solution is the upper strut mounting plate. To fix it you need to take out the strut tower and take apart the strut. The faulty part is the plate that has the 3 studs that actually mount the top of the strut to the frame. You may want to also plan on replacing the strut as well, when i took mine apart, the strut piston wouldnt go back into the strut body, that means its shot. Also if one side needs this done the other probably does too. The upper strut mount is about 20 bucks only from a dealer and the strut is about 60 from any auto parts store. hope this helps

It sounds like the mechanic may have left the upper strut nut a bit loose, you may want to ask him to check it, but be nice, Toyota had some problems with upper strut mounts. These are on the top of the strut, they hold them to the body of the car. Unfortunately you have to remove and disassemble the struts to replace them. You could try asking your mechanic to just replace the one side and try it. I'm pretty sure that's your problem and he may give you a break since he's done all the other work. There is also a bulletin on a rattle from the side view mirror, but I think since this just started with the strut job, the mount is your most likely cause.
Google: toyota upper strut mount rattle

Sounds like you may have a front strut problem. Over time the struts get weak and the strut mounts also. My recommendation is to have the struts ( and other front suspension components) looked at by a repair shop just to verify your concern. Hope this helps.

the car is aging

there are other bushings and ball joints to make noises at that speed

the top rubber mounts failed for a reason

if i were on that job i would have replaced both gas struts
at the same time....

not much structure to the top strut mounts
see pictures in link
Strut Mount Early Small Chassis Audi Density Line