Curious question
#1
01-06-2015 | 02:33 PM
Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 5
Curious question
I have a dilemma with my 2003 ion. I can't afford a new transmission and I'm not sure what I should do. The engine starts right up, the car goes in reverse just not forward. I have updated a few parts and just feel that the 183$ the pick and pull offered is kind of offensive. Can anyone give me some sort of direction?
#6
01-07-2015 | 10:36 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,135
From: Anniston, AL
Did the guy at the shop tell you what he THINKS is wrong with it, other than telling you it would cost that much to replace it? Even at two grand, if the rest of the car is in good shape, it may be worth considering. You sure as hell can't buy much of a replacement car for that and a down payment that low on a new car won't make much difference either. Paid for, cheap to insure and spend two grand or take on new car payments for six or seven years and have to get full coverage insurance. That dilemna is something only you can answer. If it were me and I had the money, I'd probably get the trans replaced or repaired.
#7
01-07-2015 | 11:11 AM
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,027
From: Slightly off center
EDIT: Sedan Auto Trans is NOT a CVT
I completely agree with Rube's logic --- however we need to know is this a manual or CVT auto trans? The answer makes a big difference. I'm guessing CVT. This greatly influences my opinion.
EDIT: This is NOT a CVT
Rebuilding what's wrong with it now may or may not significantly extend its life. A complete rebuild would have a better chance but tranny shops are known to cut corners since you can't ever tell. They may cut a corner (lack of parts availability, etc) that takes 5 years off the life of your new tranny. Or it fails in a month---great...it's under warranty from them. Now what? They just demonstrated the quality of their work to you.
You're prob being quoted for a complete rebuild.
For all you know they are buying that $183 tranny from the pick n pull and using it as a donor tranny for yours. Much more profit for them as their total parts cost is $183.
Oh, and then there's the "change 5 parts so it won't fail until after warranty ends" trick but you pay for a full rebuild.
Why am I so jaded towards tranny shops (I knew you were gonna ask)?
I had a 1980 Grenada that, after a bizarre series of events, would not idle under 2000rpm. If I took it out for a drive, I had to manually shift it (1,2,D) or it would slip out of gear into neutral. Foot off gas, back into gear.
Took to national chain tranny shop
1) claimed they diagnosed it in under an hour (I surprised them on purpose by returning early)
2) told me I needed a complete rebuild
3) tried to scare me into the rebuild --- service manager actually yelling at me b/c I said no
True issue: Timing jumped a tooth. Not enough vacuum created to properly operate the tranny
I'd sooner pay for a low mileage CVT EDIT: THIS IS NOT A CVT --normal auto tranny pulled from a crashed vehicle and labor to someone you can trust to do the swap (AND recondition the trans and seals so it doesn't self destruct from years of sitting ) than take my chances at a 2K fustercluck where you have no idea who is doing what to your tranny.
There is the option of converting to a manual; several members have recently completed said conversion.
EDIT: This is NOT a CVT
Rebuilding what's wrong with it now may or may not significantly extend its life. A complete rebuild would have a better chance but tranny shops are known to cut corners since you can't ever tell. They may cut a corner (lack of parts availability, etc) that takes 5 years off the life of your new tranny. Or it fails in a month---great...it's under warranty from them. Now what? They just demonstrated the quality of their work to you.
You're prob being quoted for a complete rebuild.
For all you know they are buying that $183 tranny from the pick n pull and using it as a donor tranny for yours. Much more profit for them as their total parts cost is $183.
Oh, and then there's the "change 5 parts so it won't fail until after warranty ends" trick but you pay for a full rebuild.
Why am I so jaded towards tranny shops (I knew you were gonna ask)?
I had a 1980 Grenada that, after a bizarre series of events, would not idle under 2000rpm. If I took it out for a drive, I had to manually shift it (1,2,D) or it would slip out of gear into neutral. Foot off gas, back into gear.
Took to national chain tranny shop
1) claimed they diagnosed it in under an hour (I surprised them on purpose by returning early)
2) told me I needed a complete rebuild
3) tried to scare me into the rebuild --- service manager actually yelling at me b/c I said no
True issue: Timing jumped a tooth. Not enough vacuum created to properly operate the tranny
I'd sooner pay for a low mileage CVT EDIT: THIS IS NOT A CVT --normal auto tranny pulled from a crashed vehicle and labor to someone you can trust to do the swap (AND recondition the trans and seals so it doesn't self destruct from years of sitting ) than take my chances at a 2K fustercluck where you have no idea who is doing what to your tranny.
There is the option of converting to a manual; several members have recently completed said conversion.
Last edited by derf; 01-07-2015 at 11:43 PM.
#8
01-07-2015 | 07:05 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 5
Did the guy at the shop tell you what he THINKS is wrong with it, other than telling you it would cost that much to replace it? Even at two grand, if the rest of the car is in good shape, it may be worth considering. You sure as hell can't buy much of a replacement car for that and a down payment that low on a new car won't make much difference either. Paid for, cheap to insure and spend two grand or take on new car payments for six or seven years and have to get full coverage insurance. That dilemna is something only you can answer. If it were me and I had the money, I'd probably get the trans replaced or repaired.
#9
01-07-2015 | 07:10 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 5
I completely agree with Rube's logic --- however we need to know is this a manual or CVT auto trans? The answer makes a big difference. I'm guessing CVT. This greatly influences my opinion.
If it's a CVT, it's a death sentence transmission. Rebuilding what's wrong with it now may or may not significantly extend its life. A complete rebuild would have a better chance but tranny shops are known to cut corners since you can't ever tell. They may cut a corner (lack of parts availability, etc) that takes 5 years off the life of your new tranny. Or it fails in a month---great...it's under warranty from them. Now what? They just demonstrated the quality of their work to you.
You're prob being quoted for a complete rebuild.
For all you know they are buying that $183 tranny from the pick n pull and using it as a donor tranny for yours. Much more profit for them as their total parts cost is $183.
Oh, and then there's the "change 5 parts so it won't fail until after warranty ends" trick but you pay for a full rebuild.
Why am I so jaded towards tranny shops (I knew you were gonna ask)?
I had a 1980 Grenada that, after a bizarre series of events, would not idle under 2000rpm. If I took it out for a drive, I had to manually shift it (1,2,D) or it would slip out of gear into neutral. Foot off gas, back into gear.
Took to national chain tranny shop
1) claimed they diagnosed it in under an hour (I surprised them on purpose by returning early)
2) told me I needed a complete rebuild
3) tried to scare me into the rebuild --- service manager actually yelling at me b/c I said no
True issue: Timing jumped a tooth. Not enough vacuum created to properly operate the tranny
I'd sooner pay for a low mileage CVT pulled from a crashed vehicle and labor to someone you can trust to do the swap (AND recondition the trans and seals so it doesn't self destruct from years of sitting ) than take my chances at a 2K fustercluck where you have no idea who is doing what to your tranny.
There is the option of converting to a manual; several members have recently completed said conversion.
If it's a CVT, it's a death sentence transmission. Rebuilding what's wrong with it now may or may not significantly extend its life. A complete rebuild would have a better chance but tranny shops are known to cut corners since you can't ever tell. They may cut a corner (lack of parts availability, etc) that takes 5 years off the life of your new tranny. Or it fails in a month---great...it's under warranty from them. Now what? They just demonstrated the quality of their work to you.
You're prob being quoted for a complete rebuild.
For all you know they are buying that $183 tranny from the pick n pull and using it as a donor tranny for yours. Much more profit for them as their total parts cost is $183.
Oh, and then there's the "change 5 parts so it won't fail until after warranty ends" trick but you pay for a full rebuild.
Why am I so jaded towards tranny shops (I knew you were gonna ask)?
I had a 1980 Grenada that, after a bizarre series of events, would not idle under 2000rpm. If I took it out for a drive, I had to manually shift it (1,2,D) or it would slip out of gear into neutral. Foot off gas, back into gear.
Took to national chain tranny shop
1) claimed they diagnosed it in under an hour (I surprised them on purpose by returning early)
2) told me I needed a complete rebuild
3) tried to scare me into the rebuild --- service manager actually yelling at me b/c I said no
True issue: Timing jumped a tooth. Not enough vacuum created to properly operate the tranny
I'd sooner pay for a low mileage CVT pulled from a crashed vehicle and labor to someone you can trust to do the swap (AND recondition the trans and seals so it doesn't self destruct from years of sitting ) than take my chances at a 2K fustercluck where you have no idea who is doing what to your tranny.
There is the option of converting to a manual; several members have recently completed said conversion.
#10
01-07-2015 | 11:32 PM
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,027
From: Slightly off center
OOOOOPPPPSSS
You said sedan. That did NOT come with the CVT automatic. Only the coupes did.
So basically ignore my references to the CVT, it does NOT apply to your situation. But the rest of the info does.
________________
I agree w Rube. Sorta. But I would spend my cash on a used tranny before I had someone rebuild one.
However, I would NEVER use a tranny shop that quoted me a price to fix something without telling me what is wrong. If that isn't a red flag, I don't know what is.
________________
Find out what is wrong and see how much it will cost at a reputable tranny shop where they actually open it up and diagnose it! Then you'll get a quote and can compare it to the cost of (see below)
Finding a low mileage tranny (Aisin AF23 5-speed automatic transmission was stock, may be alternatives) and go for it or do the manual conversion. Used auto tranny + labor should not be 2k.
SORRY for the misdirection on this one. Nobody's perfect.
You said sedan. That did NOT come with the CVT automatic. Only the coupes did.
So basically ignore my references to the CVT, it does NOT apply to your situation. But the rest of the info does.
________________
I agree w Rube. Sorta. But I would spend my cash on a used tranny before I had someone rebuild one.
However, I would NEVER use a tranny shop that quoted me a price to fix something without telling me what is wrong. If that isn't a red flag, I don't know what is.
________________
Find out what is wrong and see how much it will cost at a reputable tranny shop where they actually open it up and diagnose it! Then you'll get a quote and can compare it to the cost of (see below)
Finding a low mileage tranny (Aisin AF23 5-speed automatic transmission was stock, may be alternatives) and go for it or do the manual conversion. Used auto tranny + labor should not be 2k.
SORRY for the misdirection on this one. Nobody's perfect.
Last edited by derf; 01-07-2015 at 11:48 PM.