What is that clunking??

I have a 97 neon expresso that clunks loudly every time I go over a bump or crack in the road. If my family is in the car with me it's not as bad, sometimes you can't hear it at all with the additional weight of passengers. It sounds like it's coming from the rear passenger wheel but I'm not sure. I just bought it used from a very small lot. I called and spoke to their mechanic and he said it's just a "small car" noise. My common sense is telling me differently. What could it be?

Could be bad struts and/or bad strut mounts. How many miles on the car and have the rear struts been changed to your knowledge?

It's got 67,000 miles and I don't know if the struts have been changed (best guess would be no). The mechanic said he checked them but again, I'm not sure that he can be trusted since he works for the dealer. The car runs and looks great and if it weren't for this clunking noise it would be just perfect.

if you don't mind paying to have an alignment done afterwards, you could always put some of the blue silicon permatex between the strut mount and the strut tower (body of the car). guys on the srtforums have done it and cured the problem. if you go to srtforums.com and go to the search part, look up strut mount filler how to.:icon16:

if you don't mind paying to have an alignment done afterwards, you could always put some of the blue silicon permatex between the strut mount and the strut tower (body of the car). guys on the srtforums have done it and cured the problem. if you go to srtforums.com and go to the search part, look up strut mount filler how to.:icon16:I don't know if that would work on a 1st gen neon though. I'd personally rather fix it right! My guess would be to look at the strut mount and make sure it's still good and that the bolts are tight.

Thanks a lot, I'll check the struts. Hopefully that is what it is and I can get it fixed. Thanks again.

Strut mounts, I have that exact same sound.

Thank you all for the info. It was the strut mount and it's all taken care of. Thanks again! -Kat

Thank you all for the info. It was the strut mount and it's all taken care of. Thanks again! -KatGlad to hear it's fixed. Did you fix it or did someone else do it?

How much was it to change?