Changing engine mounts cost can vary depending on the type of vehicle, labor rates, and whether OEM or aftermarket parts are used. On average, the cost ranges from $300 to $1,500, with luxury vehicles and trucks often falling on the higher end of the spectrum.
A key vehicle repair is changing the engine mounts of cars that are vibrating, shaking, or knocking while the engine is running. Engine mounts undo the engine’s vibrations while keeping the engine secured to the car’s frame. If the engine mounts become worn or damaged, more serious issues can happen to the engine or other parts. These damaged engine mounts can make for an unpleasant driving experience.
Knowing the costs of changing engine mounts is important for car owners that want to keep their cars comfortable. This article will discuss cost factors concerning engine mount replacement, the average cost, and ways to save money during the process.
Contents
What are Engine Mounts, and How Important are They?
Engine mounts are car parts that fix the engine to the car body. They are made of rubber and metal. The metal is used to keep the engine from moving too much, while the rubber absorbs the vibrations the engine makes. This makes the ride smoother. Without engine mounts, the engine would move too much, and this would create a bumpy ride and damage other parts of the car.
Most cars have between two and four engine mounts. They can have more or less depending on the design of the car. Engine mounts keep the engine from moving, and they protect the car from damage. If the car has bad engine mounts, the engine can move and that can create unsafe driving conditions.
How Do Engine Mounts Get Damaged?
Engine mount damage occurs when they experience extreme heat, pressure, and bad road conditions. The rubber mounts begin to deteriorate and break from the vehicle’s age, engine, and road impacts. The engines become increasingly less secured.
Some of the more established reasons engine mounts fail include:
- Harsh Engine Heat: The rubber in the mounts can harden and crack, losing their efficiency.
- Vibrations: Mounts do absorb engine vibrations, but over time, constant exposure causes them (in this case, motor mount) to deteriorate.
- Wear And Tear: Natural wear and tear happen to most mechanical components over time. Engine mounts are no exception.
- Road Conditions: Harsh driving conditions, namely rough roads, and off-roading, accelerate wear.
- Accidents: Be it collisions, potholes, or striking curbs, impacts from any obstruction can also wear it down.
Uncomfortable driving experiences arise from loud noises and excessive vibrations. These are some issues that arise from poor motor mount functionality.
How Much Does It Cost to Change Engine Mounts?
Several reasons cause the price of changing engine mounts to differ. This includes the vehicle and model differences, part quality, and mechanics’ labor rates. A cost breakdown will provide clarity.
1. Cost of Parts
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and aftermarket part differences aside, engine mount costs vary with the vehicle’s make and model.
- OEM Parts: These are the engine mounts made precisely for your car. OEM engine mounts are made to fit the original manufacturer’s specs. These are usually more expensive than their aftermarket counterparts. OEM engine mounts can cost anywhere between $100 – $300.
- Aftermarket Parts: These engine mounts can be made by any third-party seller with little to no vehicle quality assurance. These engine mounts cost around $30 – $150. These engine mounts can be made by any third-party seller with little to no vehicle quality assurance. Engine mounts can be made by any third-party seller with little to no vehicle quality assurance. These engine mounts can be made by any third party seller with no vehicle quality assurance.
The price to pay for engine mounts depends greatly on how many mounts a car has. They can come with 2 mounts or up to 4 or 3 per car. 500 dollars worth of engine mounts can be expensive.
2. Labor Costs
The job can be made more complex depending on how accessible the mounts are.
- Time Required: Usually it takes 2 – 5 hours to do an engine mount replacement. This is largely affected by the vehicle design. In some cases, the engine may need to be partially removed to access the engine mounts. In this case, this will require more time.
- Hourly Labor Rates: The mechanic rates will depend largely on geography and the service provider. You can expect to pay from $50 to $150 an hour. If the job takes from 2 to 5 hours, the cost can easily be from $100 to $750 per replacement.
3. Total Cost of Replacement
Overall, the full cost for engine mount replacements can be in the ballpark of $300 to $1500. This will depend largely on the vehicle.
- Standard Vehicles: If you need your standard sedan or compact car mounts replaced, this will cost $300 to $800 for a single mount, and $500 to $1200 for all mounts.
- Luxury Vehicles: If your car is a luxury or high end vehicle, the replacement cost will be extremely high. Replacing 1 engine mount will cost you $400 to $1000, and for all mounts the cost will go up to $1500 or more.
- Trucks & SUVs: Bigger vehicles like trucks and SUVs may have more complicated engine mount systems and more expensive labor costs because of their size. For a complete replacement expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,500.
Factors That Can Increase the Cost
Although replacing your car’s engine mount is a simple process, there are several factors that may raise the total cost of replacement.
1. Vehicle Intricacy
Engine mounts can be complex, with some being more finicky than others, leading to having to remove, or work around, other more intricate components. For example, if you need to deal with an engine mount of a front-wheel drive car, you may have to access and remove the transmission for the mount replacement.
2. Specialty Vehicles
Heavy duty, or exotic cars can drive cost up rapidly due to how specialized and costly the parts are. Also, some of these repairs can be costly due to the special tools required, and the time dedicated to the repairs.
3. Location
Location is another major cost factor, with the costs/high population density being the major cost factor. The more populated, and larger the city, the higher you should expect the costs to be for repairs.
4. Quantity of Mounts
Most vehicles have several engine mounts, and replacing all of them can be cost prohibitive, but in some cases, mechanics will recommend that all the engine mounts be replaced if one starts to show wear.
Indicators That Suggest Replacing Engine Mounts
If you are having doubts about whether you need to change your engine mounts, you can look out for one or more of the following engine mount symptoms:
- Strange Engine Vibration: If the engine shakes or gives out slight vibrations while idling or driving, it may be because the engine mounts are damaged.
- Engine noise: If you hear strange pounding or clunking sounds when you shift gears, or accelerate, the engine mounts may need to be replaced.
- Engine Misalignment: If the engine appears to be tilted or uneven, it may be because the engine mounts have failed their job of securing the engine.
- Poor Handling: If the car begins to sway while accelerating or braking, it could be because of engine mounts that need replacing.
- Uncovered Wear: If any of the mounts are cracked, or the rubber parts are damaged, it could be time to replace them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some most asked questions about changing engine mounts –
- How long do engine mounts last?
The answer to that question is anywhere from 5 to 10 years provided the vehicle undergoes the rigors of driving on even the most terrible of roads. These should be inspected regularly to check for wear.
- Can I Drive With Broken Engine Mounts?
No, it’s not safe to drive with broken engine mounts. A damaged engine mount will lead to engine misalignment, excessive engine vibration, and damages other components of the engine, resulting in even more costly repairs.
- Is Engine Mount Replacement a Hard Job?
From a professional’s standpoint, engine mount replacement is not difficult. However, in the case some of the mounts are more difficult to access than others, it can become time-consuming and labor intensive. In those instances, leaving it to a certified mechanic is the best option, and they can do it safely.
- Can Engine Mounts Just Be Repaired Instead of Replaced?
An engine mount can’t be repaired. When they are damaged, they must be replaced. There are some aftermarket “repairs” that involve re-bonding the rubber, but this is not a common practice.
- Are Aftermarket Engine Mounts Good?
Aftermarket engine mounts are good, but like the other mount options, the quality depends on the brand. Make sure to check the brand’s reputation and warranty in order to ensure trouble free performance.
Conclusion
Carrying out such repairs as replacing engine mounts helps your vehicle keep performing optimally and ensure driving comfort and safety. Repairing engine mounts costs anywhere from $300 to $1,500 and depends on vehicle type, number of mounts to be replaced, and labor rates. Repairs may seem expensive and engine mounts may seem more costly to replace due to their nature, engineering of the vehicle, and time constraints, but you need to understand that the mounts aren’t the only thing that will be damaged.
Not replacing mounts will cost you more repairs as their damage is secondary to repair damage and more expensive than, repairs. Understanding more on the subject will help you keep your vehicle in more operating condition going forward.
