This is topic what would you do? in forum General Talk at Northern California Ford Owners .
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Posted by Luke87GT (Member # 21) on
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I am driving our 2001 Civic EX auto up I5 from San Diego the day after New Years Eve. I get about 125 miles outside of SD and begin entering Los Angeles.
I start noticing that the tranny is slipping. The motor is free revving while in gear. It catching and transfering power, then slipping. This goes on for about 1 minute. After 1 minute it went neutral in every gear. I put the hazard lights on and get out of the car in the pouring rain and push it off to the side of the road. The A-hole behind me actually had the nerve to honk while I am pushing the car. LA drivers, lol.
Because I don't know shops in that area nor did I really know where I was, I had the car towed to the nearest Honda dealership. This was on Sunday and I was told the service dept was closed until Tuesday. I left the keys in the after-hour drop off box with a description of the problem and caught a flight home from LAX late that evening. It was a LONG day.
I got a call from them a few minutes ago confirming that the transmission was burnt and needed to be replaced. The worst part, they are claiming $3700 + possible tranny mount cost ($150) for parts and labor. Amazing what a dealer will charge for a foerign tranny swap.
Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for me. If this happened locally, I would probably try to locate a used tranny and swap it myself. I've done 4 transmission swaps although never on a foreign front wheel drive car.
If I am not mistaken, Honda changed the tranny in 2001 so finding one might not be easy.
With towing averaging $7 a mile, I was not interested in having it towed 400 miles.
2001 Civic folks. I thought these cars were the poster-child for affordable economical reliability.
Posted by Fostang (Member # 3752) on
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I would probably make the trip back with a truck and a tow dolly from uhaul and tow it back.
Posted by 89point. (Member # 6078) on
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i would do what fostang said to do and take a better look at it and see if its something you can do, or see if there are nay honda websites like cafords and see if there is a good mechanic on there that can do it for you. it might be expensive but i dont see it being anywhere close to 3700.
Posted by JoeT (Member # 298) on
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LA has about eleventy billion foreign car repair shops, pick up the phone, call a few, see what they'll quote for a transmission swap.
Posted by Joooestang66 (Member # 2828) on
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Im not a Honda guy but that price seems reasonable for a remanufactured transmission plus labor. Plus you'd get the warranty.
Posted by 88gt (Member # 579) on
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My cousin had almost the exact same thing happen with his wife's Honda Civic. Driving to the Bay Area from So Cal, they cross the grapevine and stop to get gas. They turn the car one, put it in drive and the tranny catches just slightly, then just starts revving. They towed it to a Honda dealership to have it looked at, and the next day the dealership called and said even though the tranny and car was past it's warranty, they'd give them a new tranny for free, they just needed to pay for labor.
The car/tranny had about 86k miles on it.
Perhaps you could call Honda and see what they say? Maybe they could cut you a deal depending on the mileage of the car, etc.
Posted by hidnn.o.s. (Member # 1219) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Joooestang66:
Im not a Honda guy but that price seems reasonable for a remanufactured transmission plus labor. Plus you'd get the warranty.
Posted by Luke87GT (Member # 21) on
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quote:
Originally posted by 88gt:
My cousin had almost the exact same thing happen with his wife's Honda Civic. Driving to the Bay Area from So Cal, they cross the grapevine and stop to get gas. They turn the car one, put it in drive and the tranny catches just slightly, then just starts revving. They towed it to a Honda dealership to have it looked at, and the next day the dealership called and said even though the tranny and car was past it's warranty, they'd give them a new tranny for free, they just needed to pay for labor.
The car/tranny had about 86k miles on it.
Perhaps you could call Honda and see what they say? Maybe they could cut you a deal depending on the mileage of the car, etc.
Funny you mention that mark... Back in 2002, I was driving down the Grapevine and lost OD in my 92LX hatch AOD. I drove the car in 3rd the rest of the way home at about 40-50mph, lol...
I found out that the plastic grommet that holds the TV cable got brittle over the years and broke off.
All you aod guys, I strongly suggest you swap the plastic grommet to a metal O-ring. Its just a matter of time.
Honda was not willing to cut me any deals unfortunately.
Posted by OldSchoolFormula (Member # 823) on
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I'd be calling LA shops down there and seeing how much it would be to swap the tranny. If you can find the parts up here to do it at significantly less cost, I'd go back down there and rent a u-haul and a trailer and trailer it back.
Posted by 88DroptopGT (Member # 2535) on
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I believe $3800 is a ridiculous amount for a Honda transmission.
Here's one for $700 shipped:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-Honda-Civic-Used-Auto-Transmission-HB08_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33727QQitemZ8014314277QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V
There's tons of auto shops down there that will cut you a deal and Honda junkyards that have 2001+ "improved transmissions". You just gotta sit down and make several phone calls and cut through the BS.
There's a HAP (Honda Auto Parts) center in American Canyon and Rancho Cordova that deals with junked Hondas that give prices cheap if you haggle with them in person with cash. I couldn't find the American Canyon one though. PM me if you want me to look harder for it.
Rancho Cordova HAP
3450 Recycle Road
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742
Toll free: 800-999-9499 Local: 916-638-3311
Posted by n8y8 (Member # 6048) on
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88drop
I was just about to suggest them.
There are all kinda of salvage yards over there. My neighbor just replaced his tranny at a honda dealership here in stockton and it cost him 2500...and I felt that was too high. I think those dudes are ripping you off. I got a remanufactured tranny with warranty for a mitsubishi galant I had for 1300+400 to put it in. I would definately suggest you tow it home then do some research.
Posted by BlackNGold (Member # 655) on
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Sell the Civic somehow, and save yourself the heart-ache.....
.........Just my .02
Posted by 03smknsvt (Member # 5514) on
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id be down to go down for the trip and sight seeing
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