hey guys, i'm new to this site and i was wondering if you guys could help me out a bit. I currently have a 96 integra manual w/151k miles. I really want to get rid of it, i work at a car dealership and today we got an 02 type s with 180k miles. The mileage is ridiculously high, but there literally isn't a single scratch on the car at all. The car drives great, question is how lucky would i be with the trans issue i keep hearing about? Do you think it's worth $4,000? I'm seriously in love with the car, but the tranny stories are really scaring me..it seems to be a permanent issue that no one can get rid of also no matter how many they go through. Please give me some advice! thanks

 

If it got all the services up until that mileage and you are aware of the Tranny Issues and still dont care, I would go for it. It will be a ZILLION times better than an Integra ride/confort/power wise.

JUST REMEMBER OEM SHITTY TRANNY!!!

It can be doable if you swap a AV6 Tranny from 06-up AUTO Tranny that bolt up fine just swap the sensors and you can forget about tranny issues...
Or
Go the super fast & furious style and swap a 6 Speed MT.

Either way its just the OEM 2G or if you like to say Honda 1st Gen 5 Speed Auto that its the real problem, If you swap that tranny the car is Excelent in any way shape and form.

 

ok so it's possible to swap the tranny with the 3rd gen tl's tranny??? w/o any problem at all?

 

Check if it's a replacement trans by looking for blue bolts on the trans case. Also, check if it's a post 2005 trans. The dealership installed transmissions after 2005 are much less prone to failure.

 

and i can find that out just by checking the vin?

 

get the vin and phone acura for that info on what transmission it has.

 

oh ok, good idea!!

 

I bet it needs the timing belt job,,, and a trans in its future verrrry soon

if you have not educated yourself to the trans issues and how to see what trans it currently has,,,the TL may not be the right car for you
200 is nothing on the car,, but some expensive things will need to be replaced

If you really have to have it: keep 3 grand on hand for trans replacement or 6 speed swap...

 

acura 800 doesnt always know the trans was replaced!! you have to look and verify

 

i have actually educated myself very well on the issue, i just have to find out whether or not the trans was replaced post 05. Timing belt isn't a huge issue for me, main concern is the tranny

 

From what I read the New version (After 05) doesnt have a Jet Kit and have Blue Bolts sooo.... if it was a previous version it will have blue bolts + jet kit that would be a Before 05.

And yes the 3G Auto 5 Spd should bolt right away just swap sensors... And get the 06 TL one.. (I Heard its the same from the AV6).

 

Yea the post 2005 trans have the oil jet kit INTERNALLY. So basically, you won't see it on the outside.

-So if the trans doesn't have any blue bolts, DON'T get the car!

-If it does have the blue bolts but also has the oil jet outside, prepare to spend $3k on a new tranny.

-If it does have the blue bolts and no visible external oil jet, then you should be ok.

Other than the transmission, 180k on the car doesn't mean it won't last. You could put down another 100k no worries. Much much more if you maintain it right.

 

Koffinb, in case that you're not exactly sure about the car's tranny, don't buy it.

It is best to stay away from 2G TL's and 2G CL's. I would rather lose a good deal than be sorry later having to fork out $3k-$4k to replace the shitty tranny in the future.

 

i understand what everyone is saying, but wouldn't you think that with 180k miles the prev. owner would have already replaced the tranny? I mean what are the chances that is the original tranny in the car?
Can someone let me know about the guy that works on transmissions up here in northern va? Maybe he can help me out.

 

there are the lucky owners that never had a problem,,or even knew there was a trans issue
car went to 150-200kmiles on oe trans! if they owned it that long
this being a tech help forum, the failure numbers are higher than national average

acura was forced by the court to give 7 year+9month or 109kmiles trans warranty (114.5 on odometer error VIN cars)
so a LOT of the cars got a freshened trans between 2004 and 2010, maybe even a few trans per car!! until most of them were past warranty limits

It was FREE trans= so any way possible to get it to qualify would be done~

the blue bolt head ck and external or missing oil jet kit in the ATF filler plug hole
is too simple to tell whats happening!

after warranty the owner can go to a private repair shop for $2500
you can usually tell those units by original VIN plate intact and other bolts mangled by air tools

 

It is well known that the crappy 2G tranny is faulty by design, so the failure numbers are really outrageously high, among typical trannies that have been designed properly.

Unless it is absolutely sure that the TL for sale has been replaced with the latest and final version of the factory rebuilt tranny, it is like playing Russian roulette but the odd is not on your side.

I was young once. I knew how it felt to have find a car that I loved, and also at the right price.

But I also have heard far too many sad stories about 2G TL and CL owners who were forced to take alternately transportation, simply because they could neither cough up the required $$$ to fix their stranded cars, nor sell the crippled cars which were essentially worthless.

 

hmm interesting...i'm really torn as to what i should do now. I would really like a new car, esp a TL

 

you work at a dealer- tell the used car manager what you want, your purchase and annual repair and operating cost budget.. and see what they suggest

edward-
even the post 05 case change did not fix the problem, there is no latest and greatest trans revision that has guaranteed immortality
Per the head tech at acura dealer-who rebuilds these for friends and has been trying to make a fix for 10 years,,,`there is not enough room inside for whats needed`
If you get over 100kmiles from one you did good!