# Need a New Transmission: Rebuild or Replace? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 31, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898 "2002-12-31T17:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/1 "2002-12-31T17:36:31Z")
Well, crap. But anyway, what do you think? A transmission shop told me 1700-2100 (wont know for sure till they get it open) with a 12 month/12K warranty. My mechanic offers to replace (not equipped to rebuild) for $2k ballpark figure (not an official estimate either) also with the 12 mo/12K warranty. Whatcha think? ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/2 "2002-12-31T17:46:51Z")
If the prices are within a few hundred bucks, I’d replace it with a remanufactured unit instead of “rebuilding” (which, in your mechanics case sounds like a synonym for “fix”) it. A properly remanufactured unit is for _most_ intents and purposes, new. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/3 "2002-12-31T17:55:19Z")
I got a transmission rebuilt once. It cost me a small fortune due to several trips back to the shop, to another shop when the first shop failed to fix it, back to the original shop… You get the idea. It was a huge, huge pain in the bum. The sticking point ended up being the fact that a rebuild is, as **bernse** put it, a synonym for “fix it”, and once they get it open, _all bets are off_ - it could be anything. A new transmission eliminates _a lot_ of variables. Sure, you may get out of it cheaper with the rebuild, but then again, you may not. Throw in the relatively predictable time-frame for installing the new tranny compared to the aforementioned _variables_, and you’ve got that in the replace column, too. Good luck! (and let us know how you make out) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/4 "2002-12-31T17:55:26Z")
Well, forget it, they can’t find a used one. I have to get it fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/5 "2002-12-31T17:56:51Z")
I was leaning towsrds replace myself. The problem is that it’s an older Japanese car, and my year (91) was the last model year. screwed-ee-dood-e-dood. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/6 "2003-01-01T02:59:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hello Again \* > I was leaning towsrds replace myself. Do you have an auto-dismantler in your area? Did you look for one on-line? I have found reputable ones for my car . You may have to do more searching than I did. But I think you could find resources… > [@](#): > > forget it, they can’t find a used one Don’t give up though,IMHO I think you could find one yourself…do a search: “auto-dismantler foreign” or variations…good luck …unfortunatly my resources for my car wouldn’t work for you tho… ---
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-transmission-rebuild-or-replace/145898/7 "2003-01-01T03:18:29Z")
I’d go to the local junkyard and get one for 150 bucks and slap it in. As a '91, your car is likely high mileage and probable in need of replacement soon anyway. Why spend 2K on something that old?