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Transmission dead in the water

Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Car's fucked. Needs a trans. Front pump went out on it this morning, and it's sitting at work. Luckily my service guy gave me a car for the weekend. Now it's going to be decision time. Gonna call around on Monday, and see what kind of price/deal I can get from shops we work with, and depending on teh results go from there. I found a 94 Olds Ciera close to home at a used car dealer, (reputable,) for $2995 before $1500 guarenteed trade. Could be driving that. Have really been wanting another one since I had to get rid of mine 5 years ago. Could be my out if need be, as I still owe 2 grand on the Taurus.
 

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BRGTold

BRGTold

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
gheesh!! that sucks... Maybe shop around..I would buy a bar car..before i would drop the $$ into that one.. Good Luck..:beer:
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
this is stressing me out. on one hand, the fix isn't extremely difficult, though time consuming and price of the part (I could probably do it myself). on the other hand, it has a bunch of other stuff wrong with it. and it's becoming difficult to find a nice low mileage GM that isnt way overpriced (I think that Ciera was sold). grrrrr
 
A

Av8r3400

Gone Flyin'
That Cierra is an old a-bodied car, please don't waste your money on it. It will surely be a money pit worse than the Taurus has turned into. Not to mention, reputable or not, $3k for a '94 Cierra is robbery even with a $1500 push-pull-drag deal. I will bet you $100 here an now he has less than $500 in it.

Sell your Taurus for what you can get and look for an early 2000's Impala or Malibu. They are cheap, plentiful and reliable in the extreme.

Every major city has one of those dealers that specialize in ex-cop cars. start there.
 
Dargo

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Av8r3400 said:
That Cierra is an old a-bodied car, please don't waste your money on it. It will surely be a money pit worse than the Taurus has turned into. Not to mention, reputable or not, $3k for a '94 Cierra is robbery even with a $1500 push-pull-drag deal. I will bet you $100 here an now he has less than $500 in it.

Sell your Taurus for what you can get and look for an early 2000's Impala or Malibu. They are cheap, plentiful and reliable in the extreme.

Every major city has one of those dealers that specialize in ex-cop cars. start there.
Click to expand...

Yup, a '94 Cierra is a $500 to $700 piece to the dealer. Should be able to buy it for $1000 to $1200. Asking $3k for it is sky high; out of any book. They are not collector classics. I would immediately consider that dealer NOT REPUTABLE.
 
Dargo

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Rusty Shackleford said:
this is stressing me out. on one hand, the fix isn't extremely difficult, though time consuming and price of the part (I could probably do it myself). on the other hand, it has a bunch of other stuff wrong with it. and it's becoming difficult to find a nice low mileage GM that isnt way overpriced (I think that Ciera was sold). grrrrr
Click to expand...

Most 'late model' GM's in the price range you're talking about would have been built when GM was in their nose dive stage and their vehicles were pure shit. Go look at an early 2000 Impala. Just open the door. You don't have to go any further. Look inside the door jam. Notice anything different? GM got SOOO cheap and cut so many corners to pay the union such high wages that they didn't even bother to clear coat the door jams, under side of the trunk lid, under the car, they used seam sealer by the gallon on them for misfit panels etc. With no clear coat, dirt sticks to the rough textured paint like a magnet. That dirt holds moisture. The base coat paint was never made to hold up without being covered by a clear coat, so it goes away fast. That leaves you rust. Besides, just ask ANY mechanic about Impala's steering linkage problems. They need to be worked on or replaced about every 30k miles.

Other than my 60's muscle cars, a 2004 Impala was the LAST GM vehicle I had and will ever own. It was a pathetic example of pure shit for workmanship. I'm fortunate that it got totaled and it's gone now. Look at GM stock now (after all previous GM stock was declared completely worthless). For the government to break even on the GM bailout, the IPO would have to have been at $52.50 per share. Instead, it started at $35 per share. It's been like a lead balloon since then. I live in an area where there are a LOT of GM suppliers. They are extremely concerned that GM will go under and be no more. The suppliers build to GM specs. The workers at those plants tell me the parts are junk because too many corners are being cut so GM can try to make a profit.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
If the abody platform is so bad, then explain to me why there are SO MANY of them still on the road? Also, it seems I didn't meantion that the ciera has verified 45k miles. I know what I am getting into with the Ciera. We have had several int eh family, and I drove a 94 for years, the car I learned to drive in. It was extremely reliable consiering the abuse I put it through, and would be overjoyed to have another one in the driveway. 45k miles, or 245k miles. Those circa 2000 Malibus, now those are junk. I see them falling apart, broken down, ect eveywhere aroundhere. I would never own one of those things.
 
A

Av8r3400

Gone Flyin'
Buy what you want, Rusty. We're just trying to help you.

I've worked on enough a-bodies to know I will never own one. As for the early 2000 GM Impalas, I'd buy one of those in a minute. Malibus are similar but you're right, not as nice.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
I know, and I appreciate it, but my dad has been an Olds/GM tech since the 80s, and knows those inside and out, . Also, by 94, rust issues were pretty much gone. I have seen very few abodies after 89 with rust. but either way, it look slike it might be sold. didn't see it at the lot, unless a salesman is driving it for the weekend
 
muleman

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
There is a 2002 Taurus with 113K on the clock for $2500 near me. Private sale in the local paper.
 
Dargo

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Rusty Shackleford said:
http://www.kbb.com/oldsmobile/ciera...ge=45000&condition=excellent&pricetype=retail

Sounds about right to me...
Click to expand...

Um, you do know that KBB "retail" is the highest price to be found and generally what 'buy here/pay here' places use for pricing their cars, don't you? As others said, it's your money. However, with your thinking, you're a used dealership's dream customer. And, if you didn't know, this is the business I've been working in for the last 20 years.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Well, that's full retail. Nobody pays full retail, especially me. Matter of fact, the poor rookie saleman I bought the Taurus from actually lost money. I may sound naive, but I am not. I do know what you are saying, not trying to show you up, or say you're wrong, because you're not. Just pointing out generalities about this specific vehicle is all.
3 grand is full excellent retail, and it what they want to get. They know they won't. On a car like this, they will make a prrofit regardless. It's just a matter of how much profit, and that all depends on who the interested party is.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Around $2400 for a rebuild at a good trans shop down the road from home. $500 for the repair kit if I attempt it myself. So far I've succeeded on repairing this car myself, big jobs and little, but I've never done trans work before. Smart guy would not try this myself. Cheap, stubborn guy would. I dunno, got another couple shops to call first.
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
That $2400 is about right. Check out the price of a factory reman at a Ford dealer. The tranny can be overhauled, but, if something else goes out in the transaxle set, you will have a $2400 pile of junk anyway.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Actually I am waiting for a callback from a shop owned by a family friend, and I can get a remanned, updated replacment unit from fleabay for $200, free shipping, lifetime warranty. This unit has worked well for other Taurus owners, so this could turn into an affordable (or at least moreso) option.
 
muleman

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
I would help you do your tranny if you can get the @%#$#%% rusted in place axle bearing out of my suburban. Going to break out the torch tomorrow and heat the housing. If it still don't break loose I may have to split the front axle and remove it to drive it out from behind.
 
Snowtrac Nome

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
buy a vw nissan toyota or subaru you will be happy subaru's are a good deal for you guys they usualy sell cheep down there here in alaska they comand a premium price because of the all wheel drive
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Nah, I don't want any foreign crap. I am in contact with someone about a replacment part, hopefully it will pan out. The only answers tho this problem my Mom is coming up with is the Taurus heading to the scrap heap. I would really rather that not happen, considering all the work I have put into it this year alone. So if I can keep that from happeneing, that would be grand. (Money is a huge issue here, and I will likely be taking a financial kick to the nads, regardless. At least my solution, if it pans out, will not include steel toed boots.)
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
OK my goal has been to get it fixed for less than $500. Going to order a remanned valebody/pump for $200 shipped, with one year warranty and a brand new pump shaft for $20 shipped. So we have $220 tied up already. Going to take a day off work and use the resources I have available to me to do the job. That will be a loss of $92. So now we have $312 tied up. If I have to take a second day off to finish the job (estimated 10 hour job, but I have some tricks up my sleeve) that will be another $92 coming out to a total of $404. Now, if I get the guts apart and see that it is worse than thought inside (metal everywhere) I can send back the valve body/pump for a full refund, no problem. So I am gonna go for it. I figure it's worth a shot, as I have had the car for over 5 years and about 63K miles, and so far my total repairs have come to less than $300, so it has been a pretty damn good car, I think. She deserves the ol' college try, I say!
 
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