after some intense diagnoses its the center mount thats bad and whilke in there mine as well replace the belt, water pump and anything else that is accessabile, but its just too much money and labor to mess with it intead of just driving it as is with the noise/vibration. It requires basically a PITA removal of the front of the engine. this car aint worth messing with all that for a vibration problem of that center mount. my daughter said she will just drive the car till it just dont drive anymore then get rid of it on a trade in. there comes a time when a inexpensive new car (paid $13K new for it), becomes a throw away car and not put any more money into it and we shouldnt have just wasted money already for mounts and control arms either that made no change in the problem. This time is now to drive it till it just wont drive anymore. hell cept the bothersome vibration it gets and doesnt use oil between changes, 25 mpg and we havnt put a dime into this car for any maintenance until now cept for tires, brakes and oil changes. Not bad for a 2002 with 85K miles on it.

thanks to all for your responses.

if anyoneis in Ncalifornia and wants to buy in a few months lemme know..

 

So, because a mount is bad, you are just not going to maintain it anymore? You can just wait until it is actually time to replace the timing belt and water pump, like I am, to replace it since you have to remove it anyways. I'd blame the dumb mechanic for spending all of that money. Control arms for an engine vibration? Hell, I'd go talk to him just for telling your daughter that those needed to be replaced to fix the problem. That's BS itself.

 

Well the control arm bushings were shot to hell so they changed them. both engine mounts were shot as well. I dont fault the mechanic for changing that stuff cause it was shot and thats where I would have started as well replacing things if I was messing with it.

I could not get down there to evaluate the problem otherwise I would have never even fixed any of that and just driven to a car dealer and traded it in. It was a waste of 1200 bucks (yes $1200 bucks!) and still not fixed and im sure not gonna dump even more money into it at this point. I could have changed out all those things myself for $300 or less but just couldnt get down there to look at it. Could have put that $1200 instead down a new car and been happy as can be for my daughter to have a new car.

Like I said the car aint worth spending anymore money on at this point unless something actually breaks and then I will trade it in and buy another car for my daughter with way less miles on it or even a new car with a 7 year warranty and not have to worry bout a dang thing.

They wanted to tear down the engine down cause the oil light was flickering and said oil pump was bad. Idiots.. I felt the connector and it had oil dripping off it. They had no clue the sending unit was leaking through internally and shorting connector. I taught them a few things or two about cars while I was down there. Half the mechanics out there in shops are backyard hackers...they aint worth a damn.

 

Ah, so they just went the route of doing the entire control arm instead of the bushings. Nice. I'm sure that is typical though, or routine, whichever. That is still a lot for those three things though.

LOL. A bad oil pump!? I agree with you there too. The oil pressure sensors seem to go out on these things more often than not though.

 

I dont fault he mechanic like I said. I spoke with him on the phone and my wife and daughter were under the car looking at what he was telling me to verify. Like I said we had to start with simple things first and it was kinda of a mergency try as werentsure how serious noise was with drieability with car and safety of my daughter in it.

I pointed ou tthe mid engine frame mount and they didnt even know it was there. It wasnt a Dodge dealer so im sure they were learning as they went. They didnt even know to measure the top mount for the 119mm distance on it so I showed them how to do that aswell for future reference on other Neons they might do.

Yea it was the labor that the cost came from well and parts too. They chanrged $50 labor for top mount which I could change in 5 minutes but they probably have a .5 hour min charge. Thet charged $240 for bottom mount which I though was way out of line. Both mounts were $175 which was way out of line as well. Both control arms cost $380 (way out of line again) and labopr to replace both was $360 which was too much I think as well. They also said 2 rear wheel cylinders were leaking so they charged to fix those as well.

I knew up front what they were charging but I was i an tight spot and had no choice but to let them do it. I tried toget down but couldnt get away from work. Should have told my daughtert to park it and go rent a car for a week and itwould have saved me in the long run.

I did let them know their prices were out of line though when I was down there last weekend. They told me thats what book calls for and they are right nothing really to argue a point on.

Anyway...its bee na damn good car since bought new Jan 2002. Not a thing has ever gone wrong with it in 85K miles. Its still looks perfect inside and out and I might just keep it as a spare vehicle up here for myself and just get her something else since its paid for and inbsurance is only $25 a month on it.

 

I understand you don't blame the mechanic, but some of those labor rates are absolutely insane! I was just asking though, curious.

 

Yea I just looked again at receipt and it was
parts $598 (2 engine mounts and 2 control arms and 2 rear wheel drum brake cylinder rebuild kits)
labor for all plus alignment $680
tax $52

damn it came to $1341 and not $1200!!!!



You learn lessons everyday..

Oh this was a Firestone dealer that did all this BTW.

 

I have a vibration issue also, only its while stopped & worse in reverse, goes away under power. The rt mid load bearing mount looks like it is pushed out at the bottom. Not looking foreward to changing it. Wish it was removed via the rt fender well. Wasnt available when i did my belt & pump..... crud.

 

So it was the mid frame mount on passenger side that was causing all the racket. Got water pump, timing belt, tensioner, hoses, t-stat and mount all done for under $500. Im happy...

 

That seems to be the mount that causes problems for all! Glad it's all fixed. That's a pretty decent price for everything too.