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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / April 2006Ford Windstar Transmission Slipping in First Gear
It's a 1998 Windstar with 145000 miles. Transmission sometimes slips when starting out from a dead stop. So far I've only had one shop take a look at it. They offered to rebuild the transmission. The repair would have an 18,000 mile warranty, which is approximately the same number of miles we put on the van each year. I don't mind spending money on repairs, but I need to get more for my $1700 than just one year's worth of use. If you have experience with this vehicle, or transmissions in general, please share your thoughts. Is it possible to get this transmission repaired so it lasts at least another 70,000 miles? We like the van, but are thinking our money might be better spent going toward a replacement vehicle. > I don't mind spending money on repairs, but I need to > get more for my $1700 than just one year's worth of use. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > but are thinking our money might be better spent going toward a > replacement vehicle. A good shop can rebuild the transmission so that you should get at least as many miles out of it as you did the original....maybe more. If there have been upgrades in the parts or methods since that tranny was made, and if the rebuilder incorporates them in his work, then 'more' could apply. Most shops limit their warranty period. This is not an indication that your tranny won't last longer than that...but they limit their exposure this way. If the tranny doesn't fail before a year or 18,000 miles, it is a reasonable guess that the failure wasn't due to workmanship. If you want to rebuild, spend some time checking out shops in your area. Use resources such as the Better Business Bureau, the AAA, etc. Some large franchises have very spotty reputations. Decide whether you want to keep this Ford for several more years. Some of those Ford vans, and I dont know which years and models, had engine problems, tranny problems, etc. > It's a 1998 Windstar with 145000 miles. Transmission sometimes slips > when starting out from a dead stop. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > van each year. I don't mind spending money on repairs, but I need to > get more for my $1700 than just one year's worth of use. One year warranty is a damn good deal IMO!! The warranty doesn't mean that the transmission will fail at the end of the year!! - Providing the rebuild was done correctly you should have no problems at reaching 145,000 miles on the rebuilt transmission > If you have experience with this vehicle, or transmissions in general, > please share your thoughts. Is it possible to get this transmission > repaired so it lasts at least another 70,000 miles? We like the van, > but are thinking our money might be better spent going toward a > replacement vehicle. >It's a 1998 Windstar with 145000 miles. Transmission sometimes slips >when starting out from a dead stop. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >but are thinking our money might be better spent going toward a >replacement vehicle. The rebuilt transmission should last as long as the original. Maybe even longer depending on what updates have been made since it was originally manufactured. The trans shop only warrants it for X number of miles but that doesn't mean they think it will only last that long. I would recommend a good independent shop over a nationwide chain any day. Steve B. > It's a 1998 Windstar with 145000 miles. Transmission sometimes slips > when starting out from a dead stop. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > but are thinking our money might be better spent going toward a > replacement vehicle. ========== ========== KC, My warranty is 3 years, 3600 miles at the shop. I do know that some AMCO's offer the same warranty, though they charge extra for it. (I am not an AMCO shop) The $1700 sounds a bit low to me, but pricing is definately subject to overhead. I am charging $2200 to do the same job. I would HIGHLY suggest that you call the local Ford dealer and get a price for the unit and ask what they're warranty is. You're not after getting them to do the job, just get some comparisons on the price/warranty aspect. A warning for you...please, please, take it for what it's worth and where it's coming from. A LOT of dishonest tranny shops are out there. Not just selling jobs that don't need to be done, but selling jobs that their not capable of doing a good job on. For some interspective on a good shop, know that a TOP transmission rebuilder makes $1200-$1500 a week plus perks. The guys doing the pulling and installing (aka R&R techs) should be making $800 or more a week if they're at the top of their game. So....look around the shop and see if the techs and the shop look like they fit that bill, if not, run! hopefully informative ~:~ MarshMonster ~:~ >>It's a 1998 Windstar with 145000 miles. Transmission sometimes slips >>when starting out from a dead stop. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > KC, > My warranty is 3 years, 3600 miles at the shop. 3600 miles? That's about moths of driving for most people. > I do know that some AMCO's offer the same warranty, though they > charge extra for it. (I am not an AMCO shop) > > The $1700 sounds a bit low to me, but pricing is definately subject to > overhead. Agreed. I would have guessed at least 2K. I am charging $2200 to do the same job. > I would HIGHLY suggest that you call the local Ford dealer and get a > price [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > they > fit that bill, if not, run! Its also knowing what questions to ask. Many will quote allow ball basic rebuild with no "hard parts". Then when the trannie is out of the car and they got you by the balls the price goes way up. Some shops are just parts changers and don't do the rebuilds. Many shops, a rebuild is there only repair. I doesn't matter what the problem really is. I asked one shop about doing a valve body repair on my 4l60E and they said they could not do it, only rebuild the trannie. Bob > hopefully informative > > ~:~ > MarshMonster > ~:~ The quote is from an independent shop, not a chain. I will do myself a favor and have a couple of other places give me their opinions on what needs to be fixed, and how much they would charge. I typically maintain my vehicles and get them fixed when necessary without giving it a scond thought. But as one poster alluded, these vans have a history of other problems. I've heard that before, too. That's why I'm on the fence about whether this repair would be a wise use of money. But thanks to all of you for answering the the question about what kind of longevity I could expect from a rebuilt transmission. That was a big concern. Forgot to mention in reply to Bob's comment that ..."Many shops, a rebuild is there only repair. I doesn't matter what the problem really is." This happened to me once, too. Another of our car's torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid went out, and I suspected that was the problem when I took the car in to the general mechanic that I had been using pretty regularly. But rather than give him my guess, I dropped the car off and figured I'd let him confirm that was the problem, since he would probably know what was wrong far better than I would. He took it for a test ride and told me the transmission was bad, and needed to be replaced. I suppose iit was dirty pool for me not to having mentoned my suspicion of the TCC soleniod to the mechanic either before or after he gave me his opinion. I ended up just picking up the car taking it to a transmission shop to have the TCC solenoid replaced for about $200. I guess my point is I that so farreally only have on person's opinion about the Windstar tranny. Having a couple of other transmission experts might uncover a fix that doesn't involve a tranny rebuild. Or it might just confirm what the first guy said, but at least I would have some kind of consensus. |
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