Car Suspension Question: need answers quick

[Oz]

Hi Guys,

I am a car enthusiast, but don't pretend to be a mechanic, or knowledgeable about the mechanics of a car in any way.

Today I dropped my car off to get new suspension fitted - springs, shocks, bump stops etc because before it was on lowered spring without revalved shocks and the ride was terrible.

The guy fitting them just rang me and told me that I need new rear bump stops, 3 new engine mounts and new belts at the same time for an extra $500.

Now second gear does move around a bit when backing off, but surely there would be something badly wrong if it had 3 broken engine mounts???

I have no way of knowing whether the belts need doing or not.

Am I being ripped off?



(I know this is the wrong forum, I just need some answers quickly before I pick the car up this afternoon - I'll move it later)

[sganc4life_4]

The belts you can tell if they have any cracks, rips, tears, burs, etc...

As for the motor mounts, sounds a bit sketchy to me...does the engine vibrate a lot while your its idle or driving?

[TexasF355F1]

I would say it's a possibility. What year is your car and how many miles?

[Oz]

It doesn't seem to vibrate any more than it ever has.

It's a 98 model, a cough under 150k kms.

[2.2 Straight six]

engine mounts are usually made of rubber, and over time they rot and disintegrate. this is clearly visible though, and you'll see if they're cracked or not. belts have a lifespan or 15,000-30,000 miles, so check your service book for when they were last repared.

get the new rear bump stops fitted now, as they have to be done while the suspension's off, and you don't want to pay someone else to drop the suspension, fit new ones and re-align everything later on.

take it so a main dealership or trusted garage for a second opinion on belts and engine mounts.

[drunken monkey]

if the car's been runing on lower springs without stiffer shocks then it's possible for the bump stops to have been taking some abuse during that time.
might as well take the time and change them for some poly' ones.

[sganc4life_4]

Yea I agree with everyone, but definitely do a quick visual check of the belts and mounts. Its more then likely that the mounts are fine.

[Oz]

Hmm...the body started rubbing on the tyres about 2 months ago, which was the catalyst for getting the new suspension in the first place. Is it possible this was a symptom of one or more of the mounts breaking?

Thanks for your thoughts so far everyone.

[alphalanos]

If you are referring to the motor mounts, no that has nothing to do with ride height. I would get the bump stops done, but you can check the mounts and belts yourself pretty easily to see if you actually need them.

[l_eclipse_l]

It's very possible that the motor mounts are shot, but they are not super important to replace. It's one of those things like if you want to spend the money now go for it, otherwise it can wait and you can maybe get a second opinion on if they are really bad enough to replace. You would probably notice a difference though if you had them replaced either way.

The belts would be obvious. Cracks or wear is easy to tell and I would suggest replacing any belts with even a medium amount of wear, as they tend to go south quickly once they hit that point.

[Oz]

OK, so the belts probably did need replacing and there's a good chance the motor mounts were shot too. Maybe he was telling the truth and not trying to rip me off.

The last motor mount arrives tomorrow, I pick the car up tomorrow afternoon.

all.

[taranaki]

Be sure to ask for all the worn parts that were replaced.

[lamehonda]

He will probably just put them on a belt sander and use them up.