Labor to R/R Tranny Mounts

[CaptWSims@domain.elided]

I have too many car projects going at the same time to get them all done 
myself, so I took my Verde in to a local Alfa shop this week because the 
drivetrain has a clunk and looseness when accelerating/shifting.  It was no 
surprise when the passenger side mount was found broken.  The shop says the 
driver side (LHD car) front mount is on its last legs, which is also no 
surprise...the surprise to me is that the shop says the rear mount is shot 
(1.5 hrs. labor), and the DeDion bushing is suspect, and the estimate is just 
over $500 (USD) for parts and labor.   Considering this shop (in Virginia 
Beach, Virginia) had replaced a rear wheel bearing for 1/2 the cost it had 
been in Maryland for the other rear wheel, I was surprised at the high 
estimate...I thought that the front tranny mounts on a GTV-6/Milano were 
pretty darn easy to R&R: just drop the exhaust, remove the 6 bolts holding 
the front cross-brace, let the front of the tranny angle down,then the mounts 
are right there, easy to replace....I'm thinking back on a few years ago when 
I repaired the clutch on a GTV-6, so my memory might be fuzzy.  

The shop manager says the fronts are much harder to replace than the rear 
because they are so hard to get to, and thus the high labor cost.  Is this 
so?   I believe I'm dealing with an honest shop, but the mechanic might not 
be doing the work in the easiest way....  What is the real scoop on replacing 
front transaxle mounts on a Milano?
										
			Bill Sims

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End of alfa-digest V7 #736
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