Replace tranny or trade it in??

2976 Views 15 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Steve Luch, Jan 28, 2011

buckfever

Discussion Starter · Jan 25, 2011

2002 Isuzu Trooper 3.5 V6 4wd Limited.

142,000 miles. Loaded to the gills. Power everything. TOD, Push button 4wd or you can grind it in with a stick to make you feel manly!

Leather, heated seats, power seats, winter drive, power drive.

Crappy gas mileage which one would expect out of this vehicle. Maybe 15 to a gallon.

See what I can get on a trade or fix the trans and drive it for awhile longer?

2002 Isuzu Trooper Consumer Reviews

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buckfever

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 25, 2011

Oh yeah it does burn oil like a maniac. Looking through the reviews on it and find everyone elses seems to as well.

I have a good mechnic that will fix anything on it except a complete trans overhaul.

gfdeputy2

· #3 · Jan 25, 2011

BF
daily driver or woods bomber in other words what is the condition of the rest of the vehicle, from what you have said to this point I would go w/ trading it as I don't know what the rest of is is like, how much oil does it burn more then 1qt between oil changes? this is normal for cars w/ high miles older GM's used up to a qt even new
how is the rest of the drivetrain, body, frame, brakelines ect...
if all good I would go with a used tranny but check to see if trans problems are common then DON'T DO IT

buckfever

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 25, 2011

Daily Driver. You just have to check oil weekly!

Trans problems are common from what Ive read online this morning.

Everything else seems in good shape. It uses quite a bit more than 1 qt between oil changes. 5w30 tends to run out very quickly. When I add 10w30 it lasts a little while longer.

If I can get someone to offer something like 2500 on a trade I think I would shake their hand.

on_the_fly

· #5 · Jan 25, 2011

nows the time to trade one in !!! tax time is when all the dealers are fighting the most for your business.

i wouldnt want anything i had to keep that close an eye on my oil.(your valve seals are probly bad, unless your a lead foot then your piston rigs could be wore but a compression test would tell ya that. my money would be on the valve seals, knock on wood my truck has 208,000 miles an doesnt use a drop of oil yet. i've had a trany problem with it but filter and fluid change fixed that. its a 01 ford sporttrac. now most of my miles are what would be considered highway miles for living in the country its 20 miles round trip to the grocery store

tator

· #6 · Jan 25, 2011

buckfever said:
2002 Isuzu Trooper 3.5 V6 4wd Limited.
142,000 miles. Loaded to the gills. Power everything. TOD, Push button 4wd or you can grind it in with a stick to make you feel manly!
Leather, heated seats, power seats, winter drive, power drive.
See what I can get on a trade or fix the trans and drive it for awhile longer?

First off why'd you buy an ISUZU?!?!? haha joking! I quoted your text at the top b/c I have an '02 Dodge Durango that has ALL the options (like yours) and has around 115,000 on it. That thing is a peice of JUNK. I've rebuilt two trannys in it, put a whole new rear end in it, wife's hit a deer with it (10 pt!), and now it's having electrical problems (door locks, windows). I swore to my dad about a year ago that I'd never buy another DODGE again. To me, and I know this is my opinion, they are JUNK.

Now getting back to your case... I would imagine you could get around $2500 for it IF the tranny was fixed. Seems like trucks right now are what's keeping their value the best. SUV's were about 3-4 years ago, but I think trucks have surpassed them. Basically what I'm saying is this,, when the first tranny went out, i thought to myself, it should be good to go from now on... well about $5,000 later I wish I had traded it in.
I would think with the way it is right now and if it's in good cond. you could get around $1000-$1500 for it. A good tranny job is going to cost at least $2000.

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gfdeputy2

· #7 · Jan 25, 2011

tator said:
Now getting back to your case... I would imagine you could get around $2500 for it IF the tranny was fixed. Seems like trucks right now are what's keeping their value the best. SUV's were about 3-4 years ago, but I think trucks have surpassed them. Basically what I'm saying is this,, when the first tranny went out, i thought to myself, it should be good to go from now on... well about $5,000 later I wish I had traded it in.
I would think with the way it is right now and if it's in good cond. you could get around $1000-$1500 for it. A good tranny job is going to cost at least $2000.

I agree with this even a junkyard tranny will probably run $600-$800 then installation cost so by selling it for $2500 all you will be doing is breaking even on the tranny job & depending on what is causing the oil consumption you may be into it for a whole lot more could be valve seals, head gasket to piston rings or could need a complete engine overhaul

Need to weigh the costs of fixing the transmission, upcoming repairs, up until now has the vehicle been reliable, any major expenses? do you see any other major expenses in the future? do you put a lot of miles on it each year these are questions you really need to think about with almost 150,000 & sucking that much oil I think you may be lucky to see it go another 50,00 -100,000 miles I am guessing it will be closer to the 50,000
in the long run a car payment may be cheaper

Hunting Man

· #8 · Jan 26, 2011

I'm thinking get what you can and put it towards something else! Just my thoughts.

buckfever

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 26, 2011

Well Im glad I have yall fellows to back up my thinking. Wait let me back up a sec and throw this out there!

I ABSOLUTLEY CANNOT STAND DEALING WITH DEALERSHIPS!

But they seem to usually offer the most for a trade when your having major mechincal issues so in the postion I am in I drove it to a couple of dealers.

We argued for several hours. I got up and left once. Finally decided I do not want to risk not making it back to a dealership as bad as the tranny was acting up and decided to make a deal.

Ended up trading it on a 2005 Chrysler 300 Touring Sedan. Has a 3.5 V6 Rwd with 65,000 miles. Taxes, title, dock fee, (which dock fee is a crock) everything was $11,500

Got like $2,543 on the trade. I rode with the guy when he test drove mine. I told him how to drive so the tranny does not fall out in the road. He didnt learn very quickly and l am just happy we made it back to the dealership.

As long as they leave the car up on their site this link will work.
2005 Chrysler 300 300 Touring For Sale Winchester

Basically I paid their asking price on theirs they paid what I wanted on my trooper, $2500
Canceled the dock fee.

Vehicle drives smooth, very nice on the interior. Sun roof, Leather, power everything etc.

I started out wanting a 2005 Nissan Altima with the intent my wife use it for a year or so and then we retire this car to what I drive back and forth to work since it gets great gas mileage. 3 car seats will not fit in the back of an Altima.

The 300 has plenty of back seat room. Blows the trooper out of the water as far as interior space. SInce the 300 does not get awesome gas mileage this car will just stay our family vehicle until we decide its time for a change.

I didnt get an awesome deal but one I think was fair. I was not in the best bargaining postion with a vehicle on the crapper as my trade.

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buckfever

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 26, 2011

Another question..

This car has satillite radio. Do some vehicles come with SAT radio for life? Or is it just running on a subscription from whoever had it before? Never had this before.

It seems built in. I push a mode button on it and it changes to SAT from am/fm.

BruceBruce1959

· #11 · Jan 26, 2011

Great looking Car BF, Congratulations!!! I think you got a nice fair deal on this one... AND it's a Mopar product so you know I'm luvin it!!!

ickle:

as for the satelite radio, I think a lot of the Dealers (or maybe the Manufacturers) currently have contract deals going with Sirius Radio and offer short term sattelite service on new & used car sales, you can ask your Dealer if that's the case OR maybe you're using out the previous owners Sirius radio contract. You can look at Sirius Radio online to find out more about prices once your cars subscription ends...

buckfever

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 26, 2011

Thanks Bruce.. I have to believe its just a previous owners scrip.. I would have thought the dealer would have bragged on this as a selling point if they were providing it..

I just hope the SAT company forgets to turn it off.

BruceBruce1959

· #13 · Jan 26, 2011

I was only supposed to have a 1 year "Free" subscription when I bought my new truck but it was left on for 18 months... :whistling:

tator

· #14 · Jan 26, 2011

I'm pretty sure sat radio is something you have to pay for... never had it myself, but a friend had it one time and I remember him telling me it was something he had to pay for.
You may be right, it's probably something that the previous owner had and you are getting some free time to use it! enjoy!

BTW- congrats on the new car... not big on chrysler, but heard many good things about the 300. They are a NICE looking car too...

gfdeputy2

· #15 · Jan 26, 2011

Congrats BF wise choice on getting rid of the Isuzu not a Mopar fan but the 300 is a better chrysler

Steve Luch

· #16 · Jan 28, 2011

I love the Chrysler 300. I work in the car business, and have never heard a bad thing about them. Reliable, sharp looking, and durable. You can't ask for much more out of a vehicle. Nice ride.

As for as the satellite radio, I'm pretty sure they run off a one-year subscription, so when that runs out, you'll either have to renew it or lose it.

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