I took my car to a mechanic and was recently told that I have a signicantly torn CV boot that requires an complete axle replacement. I am strapped for cash until June and am wondering "what is the worst that could happen" if I replace the axle later vs. now. I would appreciate any honest feedback. Thanks.

Hello ,

I would recommend fixing it , though I have driven cars with this problem for up to a year . Worse case , it will break and cause a lock up of the wheel which could cause a accident . The axle boot is filled with grease and when the boot rips , the grease flys out and the joint is exposed to the elements . It will stay quiet for a while and then will start to make a clicking noise especially when turning . It will get worse and worse over time and eventually break . I would recommend fixing it , but I have seen and fixed cars that have went long periods with this problem , so its hard to tell how long they will go . If your tight on cash , you could let it go for awhile but be easy on it , especially when you are turning . Hope this helps you!!

If you fix it now, you can probably save your axle and CV joint, by repacking with CV grease and installing a new boot; otherwise, you get a remanufactured axle. By letting it go you also run the risk of getting the grease flung all over your disc brake pads--you know what that means. Fixing what you have will cost around $150 for replacing the inside and outside boot. You could probably save some money by only replacing the outside boot.