Having used cheap shocks (Monroe, no-names, Gabriel, etc) in the past, I absolutely refuse to put those POS's on any of my cars. Brands I will use and have used:

Tokico
Eibach
KYB
Bilstein (currently have Bilstein HD shocks on my Miata.. they're $125 each.. if/when I need to replace them.. I'm going to see about having them re-valved so they're even firmer)


Why put cheapo shocks on a car that you dump tens of thousands of dollars into for engine/transmission stuff? The suspension is a key component of getting that power to the ground, and maintaining a safe, predictable ride.