[Dan]

This is especially for the guys with the V6 although it happens to the 4cylinders.

Now that our cars are getting older it made me wonder how many would fix it or try to get into something different.

$2500 is a lot of coin for a car that is worth maybe tops 11-12 k

Would you

Fix and Sell
Don't fix and try to sell a broken car
Fix it and trade to dealer

.............

 

[BLCKFLSH]

The car runs great, and I've probably over maintained it, so I would get another transmission and keep driving. To get another car, that I would consider an improvement on this car, would cost a lot more than $3,000 for a transmission. I would probably install the transmission myself, and save half the cost, if possible. I would have to look into just how difficult it is to install.
PS: Why isn't replace and keep driving one of your choices?

 

[JTL]

Had mine rebuilt a couple of years ago for $2.1k and still driving strong. Then got my timing CHAIN replaced so I invested about $3.5k into my honda but I expect to drive it for another 5-8 years.

 

[Dan]

The car runs great, and I've probably over maintained it, so I would get another transmission and keep driving. To get another car, that I would consider an improvement on this car, would cost a lot more than $3,000 for a transmission. I would probably install the transmission myself, and save half the cost, if possible. I would have to look into just how difficult it is to install.
PS: Why isn't replace and keep driving one of your choices?

But what if you replace then trans and then the engine goes...That's what I would fear. I tried making a poll with the thread but it gave me an error...

 

[BLCKFLSH]

But what if you replace then trans and then the engine goes...That's what I would fear. I tried making a poll with the thread but it gave me an error...

Why would the engine go? It runs great, and I don't see any reason it can't easily go to 200k miles (123k right now). I guess it all depends on what shape YOUR car is in, if there comes a time when it needs a transmission. I'm hoping this car will still have 99% of it's original parts when I sell it (maybe in a few more years).

 

[Drew03Accord]

I would get another transmission and keep driving...

...I would probably install the transmission myself, and save half the cost, if possible.

+1. There is a place near me that imports JDM engines and transmissions. I'd grab a tranny for like $500 and install myself. However, I'm doing my best to never find out what that's like by simply maintaining it. Single drain and fill every 20K and I'm on my third filter. Decent fluid and good flow. That is all these trannys need.

Then got my timing CHAIN replaced so I invested about $3.5k into my honda but I expect to drive it for another 5-8 years.

Why'd you have to replace a timing chain? Was the car being neglected at some point?

But what if you replace then trans and then the engine goes...That's what I would fear. I tried making a poll with the thread but it gave me an error...

Simple maintenance and you'll need neither.

 

[jimijam]

But what if you replace then trans and then the engine goes...

What IF pigs fly? Your turn. We can play this what if game all night, bub. :x































































































































Since the decision what to do is a financial decision and NOT an emotional one, I'd run the numbers and take it from there.

 

[t-rd]

There is a guy here with 500k miles. I've seen an 88 Accord with 750k miles and a Del Sol with 600k miles on original engines at my local Honda dealer. What makes you think the engine is going to go? I'm at 200k miles and I don't even burn oil! If you take care of it, it will last. This is a GREAT car.. The engine in my coworker's Saturn blew up before 100k miles, it was burning so much oil that he didn't know, one day it just seized. I'm getting better gas mileage now than when the car had only 5000 miles. What's not to love about this car? It is not slow, it's a grocery getter, it uses 87 gas, no premium required, it saves me a ton of money every year. It is not a Toyota Camry that drives like a sofa on wheels.

Why do you think the transmission is going to fail? By listening to those that change trans fluid once every 60k miles? Mine shifts like new.

 

[BLCKFLSH]

JJ edit that empty space. My scroll wheel is getting hot.:wink

 

[ChrisQ80]

Made the mistake of buying a car with known transmission problems in the past with my TL-S I figured that with a warranty it wouldn't be a big deal. It did fail, and luckily the warranty covered the replacement. After another 60k it didn't feel right and I sold the car.

This time around I went for the safer option and purchased my car with a transmission that Honda actually knows how to build. If it were to go, I'd gladly drop in a TL 6MT cuz I need LSD. I'm most likely doing that anyway. lol, but the manuals are much cheaper to buy.

People fear traffic, and use that as an excuse to put up with the high maintenance and time consumption of owning an automatic transmission. Changing transmission filters, switches, and constant fluid changes isn't my idea of enjoying a car.

In conclusion, NO I would not replace an automatic transmission. Yes, I would replace a manual transmission for a better version.

 

[Drew03Accord]

People fear traffic, and use that as an excuse to put up with the high maintenance and time consumption of owning an automatic transmission. Changing transmission filters, switches, and constant fluid changes isn't my idea of enjoying a car.

Own that car long enough and you'll be replacing the clutch a time or two. Each replacement will cost about as much as replacing an auto tranny, unless you DIY. From what I've seen, Honda wasn't exactly stellar with the manuals either. Hence the restrictor valve deletes and need for GM Synchromesh to combat shifting issues. For reliability and low maintenance/cost of ownership, a well cared for i4 auto can't be beat.

You're right though, get out of traffic and the six speed is great to drive. They're not as much fun if you spend a lot of time in Manhattan though... or Midtown Atlanta, etc. Owned a few for many years, trust me, as you grow older, you get over it. If I lived rural though...heck yeah.

 

[greyhonda]

$2500 is a lot of coin for a car that is worth maybe tops 11-12 k

Figure a new car will cost $2000-2500/year (depreciation and sales tax, maybe financing), not including scheduled maintenance. So if you can get two years out of your repair, and don't need much in the way of other repairs, you'll be slightly ahead. If you do need another major repair, then maybe 3-4 years.

In short, you can probably justify the repair on cost grounds. Then it just comes down to which car you'd prefer: yours or a new one.

 

[ChrisQ80]

Own that car long enough and you'll be replacing the clutch a time or two. Each replacement will cost about as much as replacing an auto tranny, unless you DIY.

Wrong. Clutches last so long as it's being driven correctly. Same holds true for the grinding/ pop-out issue (driver error). For instance my 6-6 is 12 years old with 151k and on it's original clutch grabbing perfectly fine (and it has added a bit more power) No grinds at all. Redline MTL shifts like a hot knife through butter.

Also, it does not cost $2500-$3000 to replace a clutch. I plan on upgrading to a street/strip setup as Id like to add a bit more power. The clutch kit with a new flywheel installed is $1800.

If anyone drives in 100% traffic conditions ONLY, I'd advise finding a job closer to home, or buying a hybrid that uses mostly battery power in those harsh conditions. Not having time to enjoy a car would kill me. I'll never grow out of wanting to drive a MT car.
Autos in Hondas are slow, and slushy not to mention unreliable. Hence this thread.

 

[Drew03Accord]

Wrong. Clutches last so long as it's being driven correctly. Same holds true for the grinding/ pop-out issue (driver error). For instance my 6-6 is 12 years old with 151k and on it's original clutch grabbing perfectly fine (and it has added a bit more power) No grinds at all. Redline MTL shifts like a hot knife through butter.

Also, it does not cost $2500-$3000 to replace a clutch. I plan on upgrading to a street/strip setup as Id like to add a bit more power. The clutch kit with a new flywheel installed is $1800.

If anyone drives in 100% traffic conditions ONLY, I'd advise finding a job closer to home, or buying a hybrid that uses mostly battery power in those harsh conditions. Not having time to enjoy a car would kill me. I'll never grow out of wanting to drive a MT car.
Autos in Hondas are slow, and slushy not to mention unreliable. Hence this thread.

Even driven correctly, you'll be seeing a clutch replacement if you keep it long enough. It's simply the nature of the beast. Living in a heavy traffic, would make it come sooner. Personally, I feel good knowing I won't be shelling out $1800 or whatever cost for a clutch for my 12 year old cars. Same goes for timing belts, but we've already had that discussion.

Most adult people's lives don't revolve around their cars and the "fun" of driving stick. Practicality rules... do you have a wife or kids? Sometimes having kids and wanting to live in the suburbs, means a longer commute into cities. I used to live on the Island and commuted into Manhattan, because that's where the glut of decent paying jobs were. Of course, NYC you'd ride mass transit, but here, it's not that simple.

 

[TMVB]

Even driven correctly, you'll be seeing a clutch replacement if you keep it long enough. It's simply the nature of the beast. Living in a heavy traffic, would make it come sooner. Personally, I feel good knowing I won't be shelling out $1800 or whatever cost for a clutch for my 12 year old cars. Same goes for timing belts, but we've already had that discussion.

Honda forums (this one included) are full of testimonials of owner's on their original clutch at 150K, 200K, 250K, even 350K miles. Also, driven correctly, a Honda manual transmission will be cheaper to maintain and less likely to require repair (more reliable) than a Honda automatic transmission.

Validated by my own experience of owning 10 Honda's. The only ones that gave me transmission problems were the automatics (horrible experience with an '02 Odyssey transmission). No issues ever with manual transmissions or clutches in my CVCC, CRX Si, '92 Accord, '09 Fit and now '15 Accord Sport.

 

[carguy1234]

Well, at almost 140k I'm on my original clutch. I did change the trans fluid at 120k, and the only issue is a minor clicking noise (still feels good though).

I'm hoping my clutch doesn't fail, since I've put a lot of money into repairs the past year. So far all is good !

 

[2i2dk1ny2i3]

Fix and Sell
Don't fix and try to sell a broken car
Fix it and trade to dealer

option 1 will get you most money - in ad, put brand new Transmission and be honest about it and let potential buyers know why your selling it

option 2 you will get least amount of money but may be able to sell it fast

option 3 you will get 2nd least amount of money but probably decent amount if trading in vs. just selling to a dealer


my Transmission went out due to improper maintenance of tranny as most dont even know there is a transmission filter and tranny oil needs to be changed regularly.

overall, mine had 1 previous owner, carfax showed everything done at a dealership which brought me peace of mind

i opted to keep and fix mine because a friend of mine's dad's body shop fixed it. the 1st one they put in, busted during test drive so they put in another and did it right for me


i wouldn't rebuild it, rebuilds won't be as good as putting in another one

honestly, other than Transmission, most all other parts will not cost anywhere near $2,500 or even over $500 for basic maintenance like say shocks/struts


if you can find a shop that will guarantee the work for at least a year, i.e. Aamco or longer, i'd keep it

you can also but extended warranties and make sure they cover things like Transmissions failures

i know it sucks right now and i've been through it. i feel your pain but i would recommend getting it fixed and keep it

if you notice any tranny problems after rebuild, then it may be time to get it fixed correctly and part ways as previous owner/owners may have abused it


good luck and i hope it works out for you, whatever you decide

 

[reframmellator]

I use two financial tests:

1. The Reader's Digest Rule - if the repair cost is more than one-third the value of the car, don't make the repair. So on a car worth $11-12k, I'd make the repair.
2. The Car Payment Rule - if the overall performance/behavior reliability of the car suggests it will last at least 1.5 times the months of a car payment for your replacement, make the repair.

Example - car is worth 12k. Replacing with a $12k loan at 4% for 4 years is about $270/month.

Car A has been eating brakes and tires, using oil, and has shown some cooling system weirdness. In this case I would expect to put at least $1000 in non wear and tear maintenance in the next twelve months. I'd want the repairs to be less than 18 months of car payments comfortable, because the car is being a PITA.

$2500 + $1000 = $3500 in repairs
$270*18 = $4860 in car payments.

Maybe I do it, but I'm looking hard for a deal on another car.

Car B has had no major issues and is still enjoyable to drive. $2500 is 11 months of car payments and I'd expect B to easily go two more years. For sure I do it.

As I told my kids a few months ago: when I was in my twenties, I got rid of cars too quickly. In my forties I kept them too long. Our DDs are a 2004 EX I4 M5 with 170k on it and a 2007 SE I4 A5 with 72k. We're starting to think about a replacement.

 

[BLCKFLSH]

Made the mistake of buying a car with known transmission problems in the past with my TL-S I figured that with a warranty it wouldn't be a big deal. It did fail, and luckily the warranty covered the replacement. After another 60k it didn't feel right and I sold the car.

This time around I went for the safer option and purchased my car with a transmission that Honda actually knows how to build. If it were to go, I'd gladly drop in a TL 6MT cuz I need LSD. I'm most likely doing that anyway. lol, but the manuals are much cheaper to buy.

People fear traffic, and use that as an excuse to put up with the high maintenance and time consumption of owning an automatic transmission. Changing transmission filters, switches, and constant fluid changes isn't my idea of enjoying a car.

In conclusion, NO I would not replace an automatic transmission. Yes, I would replace a manual transmission for a better version.

Maybe buying an automatic was a mistake, for you, but obviously not for everyone.

I don't fear traffic, but in the normal mundane commute (constant stop signs, red lights, and everyday rush-hour traffic) shifting manually becomes a chore, and not the least bit fun IMO. It's not an "excuse", it's reality. If you can drive your Accord on only the types of roads you choose, good for you, but you are not the majority of Accord owners.

 

[ChrisQ80]

Even driven correctly, you'll be seeing a clutch replacement if you keep it long enough. It's simply the nature of the beast. Living in a heavy traffic, would make it come sooner. Personally, I feel good knowing I won't be shelling out $1800 or whatever cost for a clutch for my 12 year old cars. Same goes for timing belts, but we've already had that discussion.

Most adult people's lives don't revolve around their cars and the "fun" of driving stick. Practicality rules... do you have a wife or kids? Sometimes having kids and wanting to live in the suburbs, means a longer commute into cities. I used to live on the Island and commuted into Manhattan, because that's where the glut of decent paying jobs were. Of course, NYC you'd ride mass transit, but here, it's not that simple.

Having a wife and kids is no excuse for me to drive a boring car. No matter what my situation I'll have a car I can have fun with. The reason I got an Accord is because of the low cost of ownership, reliability, and the fact that it came with a MT and V6 engine that gets great fuel mileage when I want to.

As a car enthusiast my car preferences will never change. It doesn't have to so long as the significant other has the car they need. I'm partial to Honda's and Acura's. In Automatic form they are either unreliable, slow, or boring. I too have only had issues with automatics, and never replaced a clutch on any of my manual Hondas. RSX-S, Integra GSR, Prelude, Accord 6-6, Civic HX. A 94 auto integra needed a trans replaced, my fathers and my TL-S needed transmissions replaced, my cousins CL-S, my other cousins Accord v6 4dr needed transmissions replaced.

I'm changing my clutch (eventually) because I want to, not because I have to. My previous prelude has 230k on it now (cousin owns it) and it's original clutch. Changing my timing belt every 7 years for a cost of $600 isn't enough to opt for a 160hp automatic 3300lb sedan.

If spending as little money as possible on a car that takes you to/from work, and you family to wherever they have to go reliably, you made an excellent choice. If the transmission failed would you replace it?