I recently bought a 2000 Honda accord lx with 188000 from the owner who got a newer car. I took it for a ride with my mechanic friend who gave me the go ahead. I paid $1800 for the car. It was running fine for a couple days then I found it had an EVAP leak. I didn’t worry about it but got some maintenance done on it after the shop saw it was overdue. Overall I ended up paying around $3500 for the whole thing.
Now a month later, the transmission is slipping and the shop said it needs a rebuild.
My question is, should I fork out the few grand for a rebuild or cut my losses and try to find another used car. Everything else besides the EVAP seems fine.
Any thoughts?
Cut your losses and sell the car as is. It’s over 15 years old with 188K on the clock. I would not put a few grand in this vehicle even if it is a Honda. Besides…what major component will fail next? The gamble is just too great. Part ways with this Accord as soon as possible.
The other alternative is install a used transmission.
The wife’s transmission went out on her 97 Accord.
The used transmission I installed cost $300.00, and the transmission fluid cost $75.00. With taxes the total cost was $400.00.
Tester
I’m going to agree with missileman on this one.
I don’t like offering this opinion, but you could try one of those transmission fix solutions in a bottle just to band-aid the transmission for a little bit. It may work, it may not, but at least $10 is worth a gamble to see if you could get a bit more time to make a better decision on what to do.
Yeah I looked into the liquid option. My mechanic buddy will look for a used transmission. This car is my only way to get to work and I don’t have the money to really do anything right now.
My vote is for a used transmission and I will bring up one other item.
Has the car had a timing belt kit as part of any maintenance. If not, it’s due now and critical.
As to the transmission issue you could always try a can of Berryman B-12 carburetor cleaner. It’s cheap and has been known to squeeze some extra life out of an ailing transmission. Just add to the fluid and forget about it. If it works; fine. If not, the trans was doomed anyway.
Just curious, but did the shop change the trans fluid as part of the service before the transmission started dying? Just wondering if the correct fluid was used is all.
I had the timing and the water pump replaced. The transmission has had no fluid change after I got it. I did look at the color and its a darker shade of brown.
Brown fluid is not a good sign and points to aged fluid. Before jumping off on a new transmission why not have the fluid changed and add some B-12 (maybe half a can) if you so desire.
This won’t cost much and who knows; it could save the transmission or at least buy some time on it.
For what it’s worth, I’ve done the B-12 trick for over 30 years with no problems.
You bought a 15 year old car with 188,000 miles on it and took a mechanic friend along and nobody checked the color of the transmission fluid?
I’m also wondering if there are other code readers that shops use compared to autozone, because the shop said all the codes they got were for the internal problems but when I took it to auto zone there were no codes for the transmission.
@ok4450 I agree that a used transmission is the only alternative to the crap yard.