I’ve been planning to sell my 2002 Honda van (120,000 miles) and use the proceeds to get a used Hyundai. Blue Book says that I can get approx. $6-7K for the Honda Van. But as luck would have it, last week I got some very bad news from my mechanic. He said that my transmission was starting to go out and I’d soon need a new one. Rebuilt cost quote was $4K. I’m told that a used transmission might cost well under $1K. So the question is: What’s the best way to get the most money for this car, given the transmission problem? Rebuild the transmission, install a used one, or forget it and just sell the car “as is” and risk getting just a few thousands dollars for it?
Personally I would just fix the transmission and motor on.
If selling get the $1k unit and get it patched together and sell is your best option. Selling a broken van is not easy as it is a very risky purchase for a limited set of buyers.
In all honesty, that’s why people trade in vehicles all the time. If it is “starting to go out”, but not “gone” just drive it to the Hyundai dealership and take WHOLESALE for it. The wholesale price may not be $6 or $7K, but it will be what it’s worth. You don’t even have to mention the tranny. Yes, that’s the way it’s done
$6k-$7k is for an Odyssey in “Excellent” condition. If it has 120k miles on it, “Good” condition is about the best you’re going to be able to do. Very, very few cars every qualify for excellent condition, those that do are generally trailer queens, that never get driven in anything other than sunny weather, get washed every week whether they need it or not, have never been eaten in ,etc.
If you’re honest and try to sell the car as is, it’ll be worth a grand or two. If you can get a junkyard transmission for less than a grand and get someone to install it for a reasonable amount, you’ll probably do better than way. But again the value of the vehicle will still take a hit, since the condtion of the junkyard transmission is an unknown, and that will be reflected in the value of the car.
In any case make sure you flush your transmission cooler(OK only if you are going to keep it flush the cooler,all others its buyer beware on a Odyssey with a used transmission).
Wow $1000 for a used trans? I would ask another mechanic. It is a bunch of labor to replace so how much is he spending on the trans? if the trans is really on the outs then I would decide how bad the trans was in terms of driving and knock the $1k off and sell it as is.
I think that if you went for a used transmission you could very well end up with one that is in no better/not much better condition than the one you have now. The weak point in all minivans has been their transmissions. It is worse for certain models/years and the '02 Odyssey was among those less than reliable models/years.
How about you clue everyone in as to the actual issues/symptoms that the transmission is displaying. A lot of people - many mechanics included - sort of write off a transmission if it gives any problems at all. But not all problems are catastrophic. If your computer has been scanned for codes and delivered any post those if you can, and describe anything strange that the car is doing.
Park it down by the fence on the left side next to the rest of them and bring the keys and plates back to the office…