Transmission - Rebuild or Salvage? (Raleigh: cost, shops, car)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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I had this issue on a Toyota. A rebuild was quoted to be at least $3000. I bought a newer model transmission with 100,000 fewer miles on it from a newer model that had been updated. In my case, the 2000-2002 models had bad gears in them. I found a 2004 which bolts right in with upgraded gears for $450 and had it installed by my mechanic for $700.
I use Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market to find my transmission. It was in Greensboro, and the salvage yard delivered it to my mechanic, no charge.
I would go for a rebuild over a junk yard tranny any day.
I have had 2 rebuilt. One on a Dodge Ram van and one in an Chevy Astro Van. Both were under $1000. I used Charlies Transmissions in Durham 919-688-9741. I would recommend them. Friendly, informative and reasonable. Everyone else wanted $1500 and more for same job. The Astro lasted a few more years but needed a ring job at 325,000 miles. I sent that one to the junk yard. The Dodge is still going. I sold it to an electrician who still uses it daily 5 years later...
The place isnt in the best area. It has no waiting room, coffee or TVs... or even a place to wait. But whos gonna wait for a tranny to get rebuilt? You pay for all those frills. They did have my vans back running within 24-36 hrs both times.
I would go for a rebuild over a junk yard tranny any day.
Nope.
It all depends on the vehicle involved and the circumstances. The 2000-2004 Hondas and Acuras have a well known transmission issue in the Odyssey, MDX, etc.
Just like with my Tundra. The 2000-2002 have a weak planetary gear that explodes inside of the tranny. Mine started showing the symptoms at 170,000 miles. I found a 2004 in a salvage yard. The 2003-2004 models were upgraded and fixed by Toyota...no known issues like the previous years. So I replaced my 170,000 mile transmission with one that has 70,000 on it, and it runs like new. I wouldn't spend $3000+ on a rebuild, especially on a vehicle not worth more than $5000 as was my case. I came out WAY ahead by going salvage.
As long as you can get a transmission that bolts right into your vehicle, and has been updated by the factory to fix known faults, I see no harm in going the salvage yard route. I would not do it, if I was replacing one with a ticking time bomb though. When I bought my Acura MDX, there were known transmission failure issues with the 2004 and older models, practically any Honda/Acura with the 3.5L drivetrain. I wouldn't ven buy one of those knowing about the issue. I bought a later model for that very reason.
I had to have my 2004 Honda V6 transmission rebuilt this year. Cost was about $3500. There were a a few other odds and ends done at the same time, so I don't recall the exact amount for the transmission itself - probably a few hundred less than that.
My father had a Acura TL that went thru 3 or 4 trannies. His last one was finally replaced at just over 100k. There was a huge issue with Honda transmissions in that time frame, I would not rebuild OR replace with one from that time period. I know the last "new" one he got from the dealer (no charge, BTW) has gone around 100k more miles without issue - they fixed the problem finally.
I do believe it was 2002-2004 model years but a check on google would tell you. I checked ebay and it looks like the 2002-2004 Odyssey share the same transmission. Might want to look and see if the 2004 MY had been fixed or not by that time for your car. If not, find an el cheapo junkyard one, put it in, and sell the car...
As far as rebuilding goes, I agree with the above. Often times good transmissions will last, with proper care, 200k or more miles. If your car was just a fluke, you are better off IMO replacing your tranny with a lower mileage one of the same type. A rebuilt transmission can be a bit of a risk, you don't really know what they are replacing, and since people go with the lowest cost you might not be getting your monies worth. Example...were the solenoids replaced? Valve body? Or just the clutch packs? Gears? etc.
T|K: I called them & was quoted $2400 for complete rebuilding the transmission. However, I could not find any previous customer reviews.
He is smaller operation so it maybe a little hard to find reviews on the larger sites. He just rebuilt an AX15 (Jeep Wrangler) transmission for friend that he did a great job on, and he has built several others for friends of mine. I promise you that Lee is a stand up guy though. He is most well known in the 4x4 community around here. On NC4x4.com he is very well known. Here are just a few of the reviews on him on that site.
"New" transmissions are typically rebuilt units. They removed your's, rebuilt it, and will sell it to someone else at the dealer for $4,300 as "new". My parents did the same thing with a probe about 15 years ago. Paid $4,500 when we could have had it rebuilt for less than half. unless that transmission is still being used on current vehicles, they probably wont have any new units laying around. A rebuild by a reputable person is just as good as a new one though.
I would not dump the car. If you have been maintaining it then keep it. When you buy a used car you have no idea how it's been treated.
I highly doubt there will be a heavy duty transmission. You can find them for police vehicles, because the companies who designed them made them much stronger so there would be less issues. They beef up the transmissions, cooling system, suspension, brakes, and many other parts. I don't recall an odyssey police interceptor so you are stuck with a standard trans Give TLC a try and let us know how it goes, or call around and get some more prices. TLC price seems pretty fair.
True maybe not new, maybe re-manufactured. We waited several days to have one shipped in from Honda.
Thanks a lot to all of you for your suggestions. I went with T|K's advice & gave my car to TLC Transmission in Raleigh. The cost will be around $2200 cash. Although, he does not have any feedback on Citysearch website, the posts forwarded by T|K on NC4x4 is quite reassuring.
Besides, unlike other options I'd explored ($2400 for salvaged or $3000 for rebuilding the tranny, both with 1 yrs 12000 miles warranty), TLC provides 2 yrs 24000 miles warranty & will install an additional coolant system for the tranny.
Once again, thanks a lot to all & special thanks to T|K for his recommendations. Now let's hope for the best!
An additional tranny oil cooler is a good idea. The majority of transmission damage happens because of burnt (overheated) fluid. $2200 is a great price considering a new tranny cooler + install for a shop would run in the neighborhood of $200-$250. He should tell you this as well but personally with a new (rebuilt) tranny I would change the fluid within a few thousand miles and then maybe again in another couple thousand miles. He is probably putting a filter on there as well, so look into that. Then every 30k or so. Toyota uses their own type of fluid, it's pretty cheap at the dealer.
Folks who run oil analysis on their new cars transmission oil show that the majority of particulates happen in the first couple thousand miles of operation.
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Give TLC a try and let us know how it goes, or call around and get some more prices. TLC price seems pretty fair.
