Please note I read the rules and this isn't a for sale add.

Just the other day while I was driving on a trip the transmission went out on a 96 accord that I have had for about 2-3 months. I took it to a local repair place that specializes in honda and toyotas and they quoted me 1850 to install a used and working transmission in there and 3500 to put a rebuilt transmission in there. The problem is I only paid $2500 for the car and then put a few hundred more into it to fix a few small things.

What I want to do is just find a new car and sell the car as is with a broken transmission.
I have no clue how much is a realistic amount that the car is worth in this condition though. I want to put an add on craigslist for the car but I don't want to ask way too little for it nor a super high price that no one would do.


Here is the pertinent info on the car

It is a 1996 accord wagon ex with the v-tech engine. It has a little bit over 183,000 miles on it. it has the sun roof on it which still works and doesn't leak. According to the records I have on it within the past year the brakes were completely replaced, the timing belt and waterpump were replaced, v-tech solenoid gaskets replaced, the ignition distributor was replaced along with a few hoses and a cv boot.

So like overall it has been maintained really well and everything is in good shape. The only problem now is that the transmission is shot. The only other thing is it has a CEL for the EGR ports. I copied this code from another thread on here to be specific on what they said the code was. P0401 80 EGR Insufficient Flow Detected. But that it wasn't an extremely important fix to do right away because it wasn't causing any issues with the car.

So does anyone want to take a guess on what this thing might be worth in its current condition?

Thanks for any help yall might be able to give me. Or any advice on what to do if I should just keep it and fix it or something.

 

where do ya live, i have a transmission that will fit that from my car, only 126,xxx miles on it, its yours for $200.

only took it out cause i swapped it to 5spd, very little wear on it atall

 

I'm in the southeast, us. So Canada is probably a bit too far to get it.

Just another note. I had posted it on craigslist for 1300 bucks. I got a call today from an auto repair and dealer That was very interested in it. My mom said the lowest we would possibly go was 1000. The girl that we talked to was like for a thousand I'll send a tow truck out to you this evening and buy it so I feel like 1000 might be a tad low because it almost seemed like she was wanting to hurry to get it before someone else could ****** it up.

Then also she said if we just wanted to fix it they could do it for $1200 which was 600 less than the shop that is probably a good bit better. But the local shop said the used tranny they found had a little over 90,000 miles on it and the shop that contacted me from the add said they could get one with 150,000. So is the disparity in cost probably related to how one transmission is supposed to have 60,000 less miles on it or more so that this cheaper shop might just cut some corners and not do as good of a job making sure everything is done right.

I would be worried about a transmission with 150,000 on it already just to save 600 short term and then in the long term have it crap out on me after 10,000 miles. I guess that's always possible with the lower mileage one also but probably a lot less likely for that to happen?


I Just can't decide weather the best decision would be to fix it and hope it ends up lasting for me or to just sell it and use the money for something with less miles. My mom has a friend whose neighbors husband died not to long ago and are looking to sell his truck. it's a 94 ford ranger but with only 90,000 miles on it. 5sp manual extended cab. I guess im just ranting now but I have no clue what the smart thing to do would be.

 

$1850 is a bit heavy for a used transmission installed. $1200-1300 is about right, and is reasonably in line for a region with average/non-exhorbitant labor rates.

If you're really not interested in fixing it, $1000 is more than fair for a 14+ year old, 180,000+ mile car with a bad transmission, a P0401, and who knows what other problems that you may have left out. You certainly wouldn't get that much for a trade-in on another car from any dealer unless they were manipulating the values.

The shop wants to come and get it right away because they know they can do the repairs and they have the money ready - something you won't see from most private buyers. They're also probably looking for some work to fill up the books.

If you want to play silly hardball games with them over a couple hundred dollars, that's your choice, but they aren't going to beg you to sell them your car so don't be surprised if they lose interest. You're probably going to end up selling it to them for a grand weeks or months down the road anyway once you realize that the other hits you're going to get will be lowballers and flakers.

 

^like he said i would try to get 1000-1100 for it and if you to buy that truck go ahead but ford miles are like dog years for every 1 honda mile a ford has 5 miles in terms of wear imo

 

I don't want to sound like a dick but that car has not been maintained well if your trans took a dump at less than 200,000 miles. Confucius say, 1000 in your hand now is worth more than a g in your hand tomorrow.

well him or economics 101.

 

It's definitely not unheard of for an Accord automatic to take a dump before the 200k marker (which it sounds like it's an auto, correct me if I'm wrong).

If it was a manual I'd be surprised.

But as has been suggested by others, I'd let the shop take it off your hands and move on. The price they are offering is very fair.

 

I agree, my buddys accord's auto trans took a dump on him at 240K. My original manual tranny in my accord is still going at 284000 miles. Those earlier honda autos just don't have the same gumption as the manual transmissions do.

As for the car, Think of it this way. If you drop a used JDM tranny into it, then it will cost you two grand. Well, you could get one grand for the car, in which case you would have to spend at least another 1000-1500 for a working car. When I say working I mean one that runs. It'll probably have problems, may be similar, may be different. Who knows.

Is the car in otherwise good shape? Are any other repairs that it needs ones you can do on the cheap yourself?

Accord wagons are hard to come by. I would keep it personally, but that's me. I think they are baller. It all depends on what you think would be more economical. Fix the car you have, or buy a new used car.

 

accord wagons are nice and rare. but you gotta do what is economically better. i'd just park the wagon in the back yard while i get another daily driver.