check transmission light - diagnosed

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If you plan to keep the car, just fix the transmission. As long as the rest is in good shape the cost of the transmission repair is still going to be less than any beater vehicle that you replace it with and once the transmission is fixed it's not likely to break again for a long time.

ZV

Plenty of reliable beaters for $1k, at least around here.

 

[exdeath]

If you decide on a new beater, consider going with a manual. A $300 clutch and a few quarts of fluid every 100,000+ miles sure beats a $3,600 overhaul.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If you plan to keep the car, just fix the transmission. As long as the rest is in good shape the cost of the transmission repair is still going to be less than any beater vehicle that you replace it with and once the transmission is fixed it's not likely to break again for a long time.

ZV

Plenty of reliable beaters for $1k, at least around here.

Not that are comparable in overall condition to his Rodeo.

ZV

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If you plan to keep the car, just fix the transmission. As long as the rest is in good shape the cost of the transmission repair is still going to be less than any beater vehicle that you replace it with and once the transmission is fixed it's not likely to break again for a long time.

ZV

Plenty of reliable beaters for $1k, at least around here.

Not that are comparable in overall condition to his Rodeo.

ZV

Maybe, maybe not
That's supposing the $1k gets it fixed, though. Personally, I would be a bit wary of putting $3.5k into a 95 Rodeo at this point... could be fine for another 50k miles or this could be the first in a series of failures.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
1. Put updates in the first post


2. have you looked around to see if you can find a salvage yard with a trans?

That's what I would do too. There is a remanufactured one on Ebay for $700. Labor would probably be less than the $1000 to diagnose the current one.

 

[rh71]

Are the electrical components with the solenoids already inside the transmission? Meaning if I changed in an old transmission (~$1500 at another place as AAMCO won't do swaps), would I have to do anything more? What about other factors like the replacement sitting out in the junkyard exposed for X months prior?

I've already told AAMCO to put it back together as broken ($1k) since they wouldn't go lower than $3400.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If you plan to keep the car, just fix the transmission. As long as the rest is in good shape the cost of the transmission repair is still going to be less than any beater vehicle that you replace it with and once the transmission is fixed it's not likely to break again for a long time.

ZV

Plenty of reliable beaters for $1k, at least around here.

Not that are comparable in overall condition to his Rodeo.

ZV

Maybe, maybe not
That's supposing the $1k gets it fixed, though. Personally, I would be a bit wary of putting $3.5k into a 95 Rodeo at this point... could be fine for another 50k miles or this could be the first in a series of failures.

True enough. Though any used car in that price range is also an unknown. In general, if you spend under about $3,000 for a car you can expect $1,000 to $2,000 in repairs that are immediately necessary (replace all fluids, probably needs new rubber lines/hoses, fuel filter, good chance of an oil leak somewhere that needs to have a gasket replaced). There are exceptions, of course, but those take a long time to find.

IMO it's always better to keep a car you know than to try to swap it out for a beater of unknown history.

ZV

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: rh71
Well my situation is more teh suck right now.

- Cost $995 to even take apart the tranny to diagnose since they didn't find anything else like a sensor wrong with it.
- Overheating (poor design in Rodeo/Passports/Pathfinders) caused the electrical components to fry as I drove on and off like 3 times after the light came on intermittently.. basically need new solenoids... they named like 4 of them, temp sensor harness, pressure control... totalling $3600 after all is said and done. Original estimate was $2k to replace the usual in a rebuild, but apparently all these electrical components are extra. Sound right? Can't diagnose those without taking out the tranny?
- Car is a 2nd car (with only 110k, great 4wd, new tires) but wouldn't sell for anymore than $2k.

Choice now is to pay $1k diagnostic fee minimum and end up with the same broken car... vs. paying ~$3500 to have a working car w/ 1yr warranty I can keep or try to sell. Had plans to keep it as a 2nd car for when the wife resumes work after her pregnancy (can't drive her everyday anymore with infants). Thinking buy another car 6 months from now, instead of fixing, yes? I loved this thing. Damn design flaw.

EDIT: nm. didn't see the update further down.

 

[rh71]

I gave in to them, plus I was on the fence very much... $3400 cash + 18/mo. warranty. I'll have my baby back as opposed to $1k and a perfectly good frame/4wd/new tires wasted. Plus needing a 2nd car in 6 mo. for sure.