1998 Honda Accord EX V6 with previous transmission problem - buy? - READ ONLY

16 messages, Last post on Dec 13, 2004 at 9:23 PM

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What is this discussion about? Honda Accord, Transmission, Sedan

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#3 of 16 by mobius Dec 06, 2004 (10:27 am)
Hi tlcman, It's an automatic. I'm worried about future problems. Why did it need to be repaired so early? When I take the car to a mechanic, what should I have them check besides the transmission? Thanks.
#5 of 16 by tlcman Dec 06, 2004 (10:37 am)
i take it the car was never in a wreck (even small ones count) if it was the fram could be slightly bent causeing angles that would warp a running transmision. I highly doubt this, it was mostlikly faulty assembley or use of the trany that caused it to go. just have him check the usual, drive train engine suspension. That should be all you need.
#6 of 16 If you are that worried... by isellhondas Dec 07, 2004 (7:13 am)
I wouldn't buy the car. Simple as that. However, the chances of a recurring problem are VERY slim. The owner would have been better off saying nothing. As it is, they only raised fears in your mind. Transmissions don't "warp" either! These are great cars but I would have a dealer or a competent shop check it out for peace of mind!
#7 of 16 mobius / Buy or Not Buy by atlantabenny Dec 07, 2004 (8:20 am)
First off, Honda's unfortunate tranny problems escalated with the V6 engine-equipped model of the '98-'02 generation. Honda of America recognized this by replacing problem cars with rebuilt trannies starting with the 2000 model, extending the tranny warranty to 100k miles. It's also known that HOA accommodated rare '99s for people who complained intensely enough. That said, your prospective purchase wasn't likely included in the factory replacement program. If the tranny was nevertheless replaced at owner's expense with a rebuilt unit from HOA (dealer just switches out the old with the rebuilt) and a 100k warranty, $9k would be a fair but not great deal. Edmunds appraises a 68k mile car at $10k private party, clean, and imo excludes a history of major component replacement like a tranny. If the repair (not replaced with rebuilt) was done at the local dealer, or worse by a non-Honda shop, I'd bid $6.5k max for the car considering the high likelihood and expense of a recurrence. I used Edmunds' "rough" condition to determine this price for a car that could probably break down at owner's expense. Some of Honda's tranny failures have been attributed to owner abuse (street racing, etc.), so it'd be a good idea to test-drive other similar mileage examples to compare overall drivetrain condition. Abused cars usually exhibit wheel bearing whining/groaning and other "tired car" symptoms. Lastly, a Carfax report is but 1 of 3 major purchase references. A repair which was borne by the owner, and not claimed against insurance, will not show on Carfax. A mechanic inspection is recommended to round out your evaluation.
#8 of 16 re;isellhondas by tlcman Dec 07, 2004 (10:16 am)
I know they dont warp. their solid what i mean and should have used different words was they can be angled awkardly causeing unusual wear on components. I have seen it happen.
#9 of 16 by mobius Dec 07, 2004 (10:42 am)
Thank you for everyone's input. Much appreciated. I saw the work invoice for the tranmission repair. It was done by a Honda service shop. A couple of the lines on the invoive reads: Transmission and/or torque converter Exchange. Use only with A/T rebuild program. The owner also took the car back to Honda to verify that the transmission was okay. This was done yesterday. The owner was afraid that when I go to get the car checked out at a mechanic, that they would find a problem with the transmission. I saw the work order for this recent check as well. They say no defects were found. The car has extended warranty that is still good until 8/7/05 or 100K miles. The transmission replacement has a warranty of 1 year or 12K miles. I'm planning on bringing the car into a different Honda service shop to inspect the car. What should I make sure they check besides the transmission? I think if everything checks out, I will purchase the car. Atlantabenny, you said carfax was 1 of 3 major purchase references. What are the other two? Thank you all again.
#10 of 16 mobius / Checkpoints by atlantabenny Dec 07, 2004 (11:28 am)
mobius, glad to be of help up to this point. The 2 other checkpoints are: 1) VIN stickers on all body parts and panels like doors, trunklid, hood, and front fenders. 2) Even if 1) checks out, look for taped-over signs in inner body areas (like door openings) that suggest repainting. Also, check for paint overspray. On the tranny, other consumer forums have indicated something like 50% or higher chance of problems recurring in rebuilt units. I'd really bargain hard for $8k knowing this, and the fact that you only have 8 months of warranty left.
#11 of 16 Totally disagree with those numbers! by isellhondas Dec 07, 2004 (2:51 pm)
As I understand it, around 2% of those cars were affected. Yes, a reman transmission CAN cause problems but nowhere near the "50% of higher" you stated. Also, minor body repairs when done correctly do not diminish the value or desirability of a car. Lastly, do not depend on a CAR FAX for 100% accurate information.
#12 of 16 isellhondas / Failure Rate by atlantabenny Dec 07, 2004 (5:03 pm)
The "50%" or higher is a non-scientific sampling of posts in another forum. The actual % would be hard to pin down. Point is, if we were buying the car for ourselves or family members, wouldn't an established new-unit failure rate of 2% (8,000 cars yearly based on recents years' Accord sales), limited or no warranty, and reports of recurring problems in remans give pause ? Minor repars, unfortunately, do affect resale. If Carfax showed a damage claim even if minor, chances are the buyer would leverage this information to negotiate, saying that "another car I'm looking at has no accident history."