More car advice sought

[RobertInOntario]

....Late last week, my mechanics said that the car was OK for the weekend but that I should get the repair done within a week, if that sheds any light on the issue.

Cheers, Rob

It definitely sounds like CV joints, Rob (the right side is often first to go, supposedly due to the fact that most right turns are done more sharply than most left turns) and if it breaks, it can do damage to other nearby parts. This is one of those things that can sometimes be spotted early by the car owner, simply by turning down the radio and heater fan for a minute or two, and listening while making turns. If I recall correctly, (it's been a while since I've had one go bad) making a left turn puts stress on the right CV joints, causing them to make the noise, and vice-versa with a right turn. Your mechanic will know which one needs the work, and should be able to tell you if the other one is acceptable or if it's near to needing replacement, too. Money-wise, it's probably preferable to have to replace only one at a time, but some items (shocks, tires, brakes, f'rinstance) should almost always be replaced in pairs).

Here's a link to some more info on CV joints.
Wayne

Thanks, Wayne. Because I had some extra time, I took the car to two different garages. I trust both of them but there's one that I trust a little more than the other! At any rate, both said practically the same thing -- that it's the passenger side axle/joint that's going. Apparently, the driver's side is OK -- I asked specifically about that. Having said that, I'm still a little cynical that it (or something similar) will go soon.

Until we get it fixed, or decide to get rid of it, we're just going to use the car for local trips now.