Ok, so as the title says, I have this thump/clunk sound (and I haven't met a mechanic yet who apparently knows what I mean when I say this) right before the car comes to that complete "stop". If no-one still knows what I mean (and no, I'm not saying I'm doing 100mph and slamming the brakes) but as you're braking the car has this final momentum "push forward" before a full stop. Almost like if my arrows represent the "force" you feel when driving, car going forward you "feel" < so:

< < < < < braking . . . . > (clunk/thump) STOP - if that helps to elaborate on what I mean.

Now, it also seems to make the noise when going from R to D, it's an auto, so it's P R N D but I double-checked last night and it definitely didn't seem to ever make the noise when doing P-R, R-N, P-R-N, only, N-D (thump/clunk when 1st gear engages and I'm still applying brake)...

I never heard it when doing P R only when it actually hits D which made me think it was either brakes/rotors/calipers, almost as if when the engine gets that "jolt" of hitting D (while holding the brake down obviously) but I replaced brakes/rotors/passenger control arm bushing/tires/alignment as well as both tie rod ends about 5 months ago and this just started happening within the past month or two.

Oh, I don't know if this is related and I kinda hope it is, but in terms of hearing the sound AND feeling it, depending on just how how bumpy the road is, and if conditions are "just right", conditions being speed (although only seem to ever notice it if I'm going extremely slow <5-10mph), degree of RIGHT turn (and by degree I mean, going from 1 lane to the other type right turn) I can "feel" a thump/clunk in the steering wheel which follows the bump(s) in the road, as a layman I'd call it almost like feeling two pieces of metal bumping off each other in turn feeling it on the steering wheel as if it might be (bad wording) the linkage of the steering wheel or something. Could any of that be related? If so, hopefully it's one small thing and nothing major. :P

With the tie-rod ends, the way I previously explained the problem is almost the exact opposite of the sound I had then. Instead of giving it gas too quickly (from a dead stop) and having the thump/clunk sound, it's now, as I said, right before the final inertia of slowing down, a thump/clunk sound from the front of the car.

I read it COULD be the tranny mount, but is there anywhere (a layman) could look into it further before calling the mechanic? Someone mentioned on the ETCG forum that it could be any of the motor mounts, and while I'm going to check them when the wife gets home, from what I've seen there's only 3 mounts, all on the passenger side?

Sorry for the long-winded post, and if you have any idea what I'm explaining (as best I can), I hope it's not a bunch of tiny problems ending up being a costly problem.

TL;DR Got new brakes/rotors/passenger front, rear control arm bushing/tires/alignment ~5 months ago, HEARING a thump/clunk in the front before the "full stop", also FEELING a thump/clunk in the steering wheel depending on the bump/speed/degree of turn. Both of those started happening within the past month, at the same time.

Car: 2005 Dodge Neon SXT. 68k Miles, Automatic. Never touched (outside of checking it of course) the tranny fluid. Never had any tranny work done. Don't believe I've ever replaced any bushings/mounts outside of that one listed above since I bought the car in 2005.

 

I have the SAME thing, I understand your explanation as well, I also noticed if I pull up on the steering wheel there is a slight click

 

Jack up the front of the car and see where the play is. Look and see it there are any signs of leaking fluid that would indicate where something may have failed. This could be a failed CV joint or bad engine mounts.