New Motor Mount Installed - Car Is Like New

I got the upper motor mount on my 2000 SL1 replaced today. The car had been
vibrating like a Ford Pinto at lower RPMs. 88K miles on the odometer.

It took around an hour and was $165. I started the engine after getting it
back and was very surprised how quiet the car was. It drove like a new car
and the transmission felt tighter upon shifting. No more vibration and
soooooo much quieter when idling in traffic.

The service advisor suggested my brakes need bleeding and the radiator needs
flushing for the next visit.

 

Same here, except I did it myself at home for the cost of the parts
($94). I used a jack and wood to lift the engine, then took the old
mount off. Put the new one on, jacked it up a little more, then
tightened up the bolts. It took me about 15 minutes and it's like
driving a new car!

 

I owned two Ford Pintos. I only wish my Saturn's engines were as well
made and ran as smoothly.

Ed

 

Actually, they were worse oil burners and had bad cams (soft).

 

Pintos were some of the highest mileage cars I had seen at the time. I grew
up in Atlanta and Pintos were quite numerous. I had seen many with over 150K
on the odometer. I helped worked on a few as it was such a simple engine to
service. Looking back, the Pinto was a near 1970s Model T.

 

Not mine. I can't speak to all Pintos, but the ones we owned were
terrific little cars. I sold one to a friend. His children drove it for
years (got them all through college). I do know people that didn't
bother to change the oil and/or used the wrong oil had some problems
with cam wear, but that was true of a lot of early 70's vehicles. For
instance Toyotas of that era routinely ate timing chains when not
properly maintained. Of all the cars I have owned, I'd have to say the
first Pinto I owned was the most cost effective vehicle I ever bought.
Between me and my Sister we owned the car for a decade and over 100k
miles In all that time the only failure was a bad strater. And that most
likely failed becasue I purchased gas at a station that included a
couple of gallons of water. For a couple of weeks everytime I went up a
hill the car would stall. I had to lean on the starter repeatedly to get
the car going. Eventually I had to remove the tank and clean it out.
After that the stalling when away but the starter has a bad spot and
eventually quit working. However, it was still under warranty and the
problem never reooccured. And for as long as I owned the car, I
autocrossed it a couple of times a month. I was not the best of drivers,
but I held my own in class. I have a lot of fond memorys of my Pinto. I
only wish my Saturn will be as good. But at least the Saturn has AC and
an FM radio.

Ed

 

In Atlanta, maybe. In Minnesota they all dissolved into piles of
rust at about 120K. The old Chevy Cavaliers were much more durable.

 

Chevrolet did not start selling Cavaliers until 1982. Ford quit making
Pintos in 1980. So you are comapring a car designed in the late
60's'early 70's with one designed in the early '80. I would only hope
that the Cavaliers were better.

Ed