Guys, my '97 Buick Park Avenue Ultra started clunking in reverse in southern Illinois. I continued the trip to Florida with my son, dog and rats and we made sure any time we parked we didn't have to back up. I figured one of the trans mounting brackets had broken and torque in reverse was causing the clunking.
I brought the car to a mechanic down here who kept it for a week and a half, had little communication with me even after I stopped at his shop twice and called him, tried to charge me $900 for two mounting brackets and lowered his price after I pointed out the fact that charging full list price for $700 parts on top of his labor fee was wrong. Seems the bracket(s) did need replacing since the mechanic showed the used ones to me and one of them was broken.
I pick the car up today. It drives fine for around 25 miles. Suddenly the car starts slipping out of drive. My younger daughter was driving. I hear the engine revving and see the tach shooting up when she steps on the gas. I had her pull over and looked under the car. No noticeable problems. No Drive, no Reverse. Car just revs. I turned it off, restarted it and Drive was back. I had a mile to go to my house so I pulled out onto the road and stepped on the gas. First quarter mile was OK then the car slipped into Neutral again. Shut it off, restarted and Drive came back. Got the car home.
I'm debating what to do. This slipping into Neutral is a new symptom that did not happen before today and I don't know if it is part of the original problem or caused by the mounting bracket installs. The car feels fine when Drive is working. I'm thinking the problem might be electrical because I doubt restarting the car would get Drive back if the problem is mechanical. Any ideas from the knowledgeable site members? I don't want to go back to the mechanic because I don't think he's competent. I also left under less than great terms after strong arming him for a reduction of price. I'd prefer to never see him again. If the install caused the problem I will have to take it back. Otherwise, I'd rather find a better mechanic to look at it.
EDIT: PS, Trans fluid level is fine.
I brought the car to a mechanic down here who kept it for a week and a half, had little communication with me even after I stopped at his shop twice and called him, tried to charge me $900 for two mounting brackets and lowered his price after I pointed out the fact that charging full list price for $700 parts on top of his labor fee was wrong. Seems the bracket(s) did need replacing since the mechanic showed the used ones to me and one of them was broken.
I pick the car up today. It drives fine for around 25 miles. Suddenly the car starts slipping out of drive. My younger daughter was driving. I hear the engine revving and see the tach shooting up when she steps on the gas. I had her pull over and looked under the car. No noticeable problems. No Drive, no Reverse. Car just revs. I turned it off, restarted it and Drive was back. I had a mile to go to my house so I pulled out onto the road and stepped on the gas. First quarter mile was OK then the car slipped into Neutral again. Shut it off, restarted and Drive came back. Got the car home.
I'm debating what to do. This slipping into Neutral is a new symptom that did not happen before today and I don't know if it is part of the original problem or caused by the mounting bracket installs. The car feels fine when Drive is working. I'm thinking the problem might be electrical because I doubt restarting the car would get Drive back if the problem is mechanical. Any ideas from the knowledgeable site members? I don't want to go back to the mechanic because I don't think he's competent. I also left under less than great terms after strong arming him for a reduction of price. I'd prefer to never see him again. If the install caused the problem I will have to take it back. Otherwise, I'd rather find a better mechanic to look at it.
EDIT: PS, Trans fluid level is fine.
