Dumb question re: strut mounts
 

The bearings are bad in my front upper strut mounts and cause an annoying creak when steering, especially in the cold. Though it doesn't really hurt the car at all, I'm looking to fix it just because it bugs me so much.

I've never done any suspension/shock/strut work at all and am pretty dumb when it comes to the subject, so bear with me.

The only non-Mazda "strut bearing" I've found so far is from Checker and is described as "Mcquay Norris SM7281 Strut Bearing Plate: Front, w/ Bearing."
My dumb question is:
Is a "strut bearing plate" the same thing as an upper strut mount?

And if it is, is there any reason why I should fork out the extra $$ for the Mazda mount instead of the Mcquay? Will a non-Mazda mount prevent my AAS from working (since it does SO much anyway)?

Thanks.

Sounds like same part. For the upper mount I would think the McQuay Norris is fine. It's not a simple fix though as you'll need to remove the strut and need a compressor to keep spring compressed while removing the mounting plate. Make strut location so as original alignment is retained.
I would remove the rubber dust covers and spray some WD40 or like lube in there. Mine make that creaking noise, and has for years when cold weather arrives. I keep lubricating them waiting for the struts to wear out before I replace the mounts. It seems as though they are never going to give up. They are the originals and been on there for 173,000 miles. As it's a Turbo, they are still just as stiff as when new. You can't bounce the body at all, and no leaks.