i have a gmpp strut tower brace for the ss if anyone wants it

 

Really? Dammit!
Then I'll have to take a good look at them after all this snow passes. Maybe there's something wrong with the mount tab(s), or they're binding on something? I just assumed it was the shocks themselves, as I've never owned a car with them on the trunk before. Do these Montes have the "auto-latch" mechanism that some of the older Caddys came with (where you just lightly drop the trunk lid, and it grabs and pulls it shut the rest of the way for you)? If so, that might be my issue. Thanks!

 

You definitely have to close it the whole way by yourself.

But you shouldn't have to SLAM the trunk closed, especially multiple times.