My 1999 Volvo S70 has just been diagnosed at the dealership with collapsed engine mounts. Cost to replace: $750! I have noticed no symptoms and am very skeptical. The car has just under 100K miles. I’m planning to take it to an independent dealer and ask them to check the car over and let me know if they find anything that needs fixing (I don’t want to tip them off beforehand that the engine mounts may be a problem). Advice?
Why was the car there?
If it was there for some problem, we need to know that. If it was there for routine service and they told you this, I’m highly, highly, highly skeptical. Bad motor mounts will cause ahaking at idle, clunking when accelerating or decelerating, things of that sort. Occasionally even operating problems as a motor free to move about beyond its norm may pull linkages, cables, etc.
A failed lower motor mount may be almost imperceptible to the driver. Sometimes that “clunk” may actually only be a little “click” that is very easy to overlook. It really depends on the direction of the fracture. But broken mounts put stress on the drivetrain, so they need to be attended to.
If you know another nearby shop, you could get a second estimate. You can also ask them to save the part and show you where it’s broken.
The motor mounts are probably liquid filled and the filling has leaked out. No relation to an exhaust donut. They add a lot of stupid technology to cars these days. It would make sense if the parts lasted longer, but they are designed to fail.
This was a routine maintenance visit. The car doesn’t shake, vibrate or clunk.
I have serious doubts. Get a second opinion.