1993 Acura Legend: Torn CV Boot

Q--At the time of my last oil change, the mechanic noted a torn CV boot on the left side and suggested I replace the boot and the axle shaft on my 1993 Acura Legend Coupe. The car has 128k miles.

Immediately following the repair, an audible and palpable vibration presented itself. This vibration is present at idle when in park, worse when in gear (drive or reverse) while at idle, particularly when the brake is also being applied. The vibration is also present whenever the gas is applied during routine driving.

The repair shop double-checked that they performed the repair correctly, and did some research on the matter. They told me this is a common problem on Legends that have axle shafts replaced, and that the fix is to replace the motor and transmission mounts, which costs approximately $1000. Your thoughts?

A--An axle shaft (or half-shaft) problem usually only manifests itself when the vehicle is in motion. The fact that your car shakes while sitting still makes us suspect an engine problem. If there is a miss, for instance, the engine will shake. This will be more noticeable if the motor mounts or transmission mounts are broken. I would take the car to another shop for a second opinion before committing to having them all replaced.