$645 For Transmission And Engine Mount, P & L

[Sengr]

This is an estimate from a Lexus dealer:

$645 to replace the transmission mount and engine mount, parts and labor. Is that a fair estimate?

I have a 1996 LS 400 with 58500 miles. Last month I had the ball joint and strut bar replaced for $1200. At that time I was told to get the transmission and engine mount replaced to get rid of the vibration issue. Recently I feel the vibration at idle at a stop light, and sometimes it is not there. Basically it comes and go. I am going to have it check out on Friday and that is the estimate I am getting from the dealer. Does it sound fair? Your input are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[GKLCPA]

I think you're getting ripped. I usually just buy my own parts and take them to an independent mechanic to install them. This sort of stuff is not what you want to take your car to the dealer for. Looks like the mounts are going to run about $ 136.

http://www.mylexparts.com/partlocator/inde...20&model=LS 400&year=1996&graphicID=8906155&callout=1&catalogid=2&displayCatalogid=0

[oldskewel]

I think you're getting ripped. I usually just buy my own parts and take them to an independent mechanic to install them. This sort of stuff is not what you want to take your car to the dealer for. Looks like the mounts are going to run about $ 136.

http://www.mylexparts.com/partlocator/inde...20&model=LS 400&year=1996&graphicID=8906155&callout=1&catalogid=2&displayCatalogid=0

Also, from replacing the mounts on my '91, I can say that the trans mount is 10x easier and 1/3 the cost of the 2 engine mounts. With very low mileage like that, you may want to try just doing the trans mount first (an easy job with any DIY experience) and see if it fixes the problem. The two jobs (engine mounts vs. trans mount) are completely separate, so there is no benefit to doing them both at the same time, other than lifting/jacking the car up.

If you really do need all 3 mounts, as I recall, the discounted prices I paid were like $100 each for the engine mounts and $60 for the trans = ~$260 total. Trans takes < 1 hour, engine mounts took ~2+ hours. So depending on the labor rate and the fact that you'll be paying full (or higher) price for the parts at the dealer, the price is not out of line, but I agree that you can probably find an indy to do it cheaper.

In general, while you can save money by buying good parts at a discount, and by having a good independent mechanic do the work (if not yourself), the best way to save $$ is to avoid doing unnecessary work. Unfortunately, professional mechanics don't have much incentive to steer you away from this. They do the job, make $$, you feel like something was done, stimulate the economy, and possibly have wasted some perfectly good parts. Makes cash for clunkers look efficient.

[nc211]

This sort of stuff really chaps my tail. Lexus should be ashamed of themselves for charging these kinds of prices for something so simple and easy to do. It's simply criminal, and makes owning a BMW look CHEAP!

As the others have said....buy the parts on line and take them to any ole' indi mechanic. This repair is basic, 123, abc stuff that just about any mechanic can do. The trans mount "referred to as the rear mount" is so easy, you can do it yourself in about 30 minutes. You only need one. The actual engine mounts "called the front mount", you need two of them, and I would let someone with a lift do those for you. I buy my parts from www.parts.com. When I had my mounts changed in my old 95', I went this route. I paid something like $150 for the two "front" mounts (the actual engine mounts), took them to the exxon gas station/repair shop down the road and had them installed for like $100 bucks.

Do yourself a favor...don't touch the lexus dealership for anything that doesn't require the flux-capacitor to be repaired, which if done incorrectly, can result in you, Einstien, and Doc being blown back to 1985. You get my point.....

Another fantastic resource to have on hand is the manual... $20, 4 hours of your time, from this website, can yield you every Pdf. file detailing every single repair of every single nut/bolt/screw/clip/fluild/voltomatrix setting on your car, from bumper to bumper.

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/...o.toyota.com%2F

Buy a one day account. Set up some folders on your computer for the corresponding categories, and download everything. This way, you'll be fully armed on what's what, how's it done, and what's wrong. This, matched by http://www.parts.com, and you're in the game of owning a world class luxury sedan, for the maintenance costs of a Chevy Cavalier.

[90LS400Lexus]

I have a friend whose father is a Toyota tech that does side work at his home... he occasionally works on my Lexus. He quoted me $150. (labor only) for the engine and tranny mount on my 1991 LS400.... I can get the mounts for $189 (engine) on the internet and I have already bought a Toyota tranny mount (referred to as rear mount) from Lexus of Pembroke Pines and it was $52.97, then shipping: $4.24 / Hhandling Fee: $5.00, so it totalled $62.21. Its on its way and I am going to TRY to install it myself this week. I have terrible vibrations and I am sure my engine/tranny mounts are original, so I know they are shot. I just hope that the tranny mount alone helps out alot, because I cant afford the engine mounts now too.... also my car "bucks" like a Bronco sometimes on light acceleration when going from a downgrade to an incline, as if there is major slack somewhere. I am hoping its my mounts and not something like the torque converter in the tranny. <_< Could be that the throttle body is needing to be cleaned too... I will do that and the tranny mount and if that dont help, I can only assume its the tranny and then it will go on the market... CHEAP and I will give my mom my Mercedes instead.

I think my Toyota dealer quoted me around $600 just for the engine mounts!

[Sengr]

Good news. I do not have to have the engine mount replaced. The independent Lexus "Specialist" (one who was a Lexus service advisor who opened up an independent repair shop who uses 100% Lexus parts) who quoted me $841 for the engine mount and transmission mount actually told me I need to have both mounts replaced. I am glad I went to this Lexus dealer now. They told me my engine mount is okay as is, no tears or worn out signs. That is what we have to do guys, get a second opinion from another Lexus dealer or mechanic and compare their notes. You never know, sometime they recommend thing you do not need. Where do you draw the line though? For me anything over $500, get another look but sometimes mechanics want money up front just to do a diagnostic!

[90LS400Lexus]

Good news. I do not have to have the engine mount replaced. The independent Lexus "Specialist" (one who was a Lexus service advisor who opened up an independent repair shop who uses 100% Lexus parts) who quoted me $841 for the engine mount and transmission mount actually told me I need to have both mounts replaced. I am glad I went to this Lexus dealer now. They told me my engine mount is okay as is, no tears or worn out signs. That is what we have to do guys, get a second opinion from another Lexus dealer or mechanic and compare their notes. You never know, sometime they recommend thing you do not need. Where do you draw the line though? For me anything over $500, get another look but sometimes mechanics want money up front just to do a diagnostic!

I am not sure. When my LS400 started vibrating to where it was bothering me, I took it to the Lexus dealer and they said it was the tires and it was not the engine mounts, but they were wrong. New tires, it still did it. You can rev the engine to about 1500-2000 rpms with it in park and literally watch the steering wheel vibrate. I cant afford engine mounts now, but I am doing the tranny mount this week (maybe tomorrow) and hope that takes care of alot of it. Not sure if the tranny mount alone would cause this or not.