The transmission on our 2002 Acura MDX just died. The car has 190,000 miles, numerous dents, and the airbags don’t work. On the other hand we just put on four new tires, new back brakes, and had valve work done recently. To replace the transmission with a used/no warrantee is $3373, warranteed is $4813. Do we replace? Put in the used one and sell immediately. Use the money toward an economy car? HELP?
It is probably worth between $2500 to $3000 in a private sale, even with a replaced transmission. Unless you plan to keep it for a while, I would not put a new transmission in it. I’d just trade it or sell it as-is and get another vehicle.
Have you shopped around for a cheaper tranny replacement? I don’t think I’d put that much money into an MDX with 190,000 on it.
I would call for some more quotes on transmissions.
The 2001-2003 transmission is a weakspot for Honda/Acura except Civic. They corrected the problem 2004+.
I Don’t know An Acura From A Tohatsu Run Pet Sport, But Engine And Transmission Repair Before The 200,000 Mark Does Not Bode Well For This Car’s Reliability.
Add in some dents and broken equipment and what have you got ?
That price for a used transmission sounds high to me. Have you checked other facilities ? Some auto salvage yards sell and install used transmissions. I’d check that out. If you could buy a swap for less than $2000 installed, You could do that and then sell it. Depending on how beat up the body is though, even that could be difficult. With lights lit up on the instrument panel it gets worse.
CSA
“Tohatsu Run Pet Sport”
That’s Runpet Sport. Oh, but then again, maybe you’re right!
“That’s Runpet Sport. Oh, but then again, maybe you’re right!”
As a teenager, my best friend and I each bought brand new Hondas (around $350 OTD), black Honda “65s.” It was a giant step up from my Sears Allstate Moped (Puch - Austria ?) A friend had a new light-blueTohatsu “Runpet Sport”. We would bomb around the neighboorhood for hours at a time. It brings back fond memories. That was the first in a series of 7 Hondas.
CSA
Airbags don’t work? If you sell that sucker, with airbags that don’t work, have the buyer sign a disclosure statement they don’t work. If someone gets hurt in a wreck because the airbags don’t work, it would not be beyond imagination for them to claim they didn’t know the airbags were dead, guess who gets added to the law suit. Drag that junker to the salvage yard!
So . . . we took all of your advice. We dumped the Acura for $1000 cash. I am now shopping for a new economy car.