Ok regrading my 2000 Honda Accord EX 4 cyl. My tranny is on its death bed (P0700) and (P740) after the check engine light came on. The car slips when it goes from gear to gear (I had 2 tranny shops tell me this and the dealer). I need an opinion from you guys. So Honda America told me that they would pay for a re-manufactured auto transmission and a torque converter clutch with a 3 year/36K mile warranty on the power train for $1650 after taxes. My friend says just trade in the car for a brand new Kia (Great warranty and prices) or a Mazda (Great prices). I bought the vehicle in 12/07 with around 47K miles for $8,800, the car now has 56K miles. I had to replace the ECU ($900) spring this year, the transmission fluid ($65 special) in late spring this year, I needed new tires ($280), new brakes and brake discs ($280). The timing belt was replaced (at least it says so on the car fax at 40K miles). It might need a tune up. I can get a brand new car for around $11-$18K + tax, my insurance would only go up from like $380 to $850 a period. Is there anything else that can go wrong with this car? Should I just trade it in or sell it and use the $1650 towards a new car? I really don't wanna spend $1650 and then a year down the road something not related to the powertrain goes bad? What are your thoughts?

 

if the transmission shop has a guarantee what i would do is spend the 1650 on the new tranny and what not then possibly use the car as a trade in... i know it sounds pointless but you can get about 4-5k or more for a car with a great tranny than you can with a car that has a bad one.

 

call american honda, and find out if they may assist you with the tranny work, your years are up, but milage is low, the 98-2001 had a tranny recall and the warranty advanced to 100k or 5-7 yrs. look up the recall before doing the tanny work.

 

How would they do the car has a bad tranny if I pull out fuse 13. Do they actually do a test drive on the car before they trade in?

 

some dealers do a test drive if the car looks good to put on their sales lot. , and they will try to kill the car, this is their job. If the car is older and beat up, no test drive,goes to the auction yard. only give low trade in value ( rock bottom ) If you pull the fuse and no light, and later trans fails, and they find the fuse pulled, you will answer to it ( if caught ) Not all dealers are unsmart. This is their living. You can try.

 

Yes, but if I fix the problem and try to trade in the car or sell it in 2 years or so, the tranny replacement will be on the car fax and won't no one want to buy it then? Aren't I better off trying to do it now before it goes on the car fax? In addition, the car will be 2 years older and the trade-in value will be $1,500 less or so. What dealer would want a 11 year old car with a replacement tranny on it for a trade in?

 

you can trade it in to a dealer and loose approx 2500 from the value of the car, You can over haul the trans and drive it another couple of years and sell it for the trade in value, it does not matter if it comes up on carfax. These year Accords had trans problems, it shows you took care of it and the value hold good. As Hayden says, value holds and recupe it good. 11yr old car, many people still like that year model, and You can sell in Craigs list,k or the recycler or private for more money then the dealer will give you. If you have a trade in, they will give you trade in value and sell you the new car for a discount. If you buy the new car with no trade in, now you can drop the purchase price a lot. If you buy with cash, 500 over invoice is a good purchase. By overhauling the trans, You also appear to buy yourself 2 more years. If you do good care to the car, its value holds better than most any car. But this is up to you, you can trade it in and get yourself a new car, the payments and insurance will have to be factored in.
If you know nothing about cars, and send it out for maintenance, you may concider getting a new car and trade it in now as you say.
You can save even if you trade it in ( less approx 2500 ) The car dealer looks at it as if you are sending it to the salvage yard. not much value in a non-running car, or running but trans out.
You are wise to start to ask questions on what is best for you , in this economy, advise and help is cheap on these forums. Keep asking to get all the info you need.
Carfax is usually used when someone buys a car, Used car lots and Dealers go buy their own personal mechs, You and i the consumer look a car fax because we have the time, the dealers used and new go according to how much they can make or recupe and the most profit. Keep asking questions until you are comfortable and happy with what you might decide to do, ask others that have many cars they have purchase and sold or fixed.