I checked out an '03 r50 today. Really solid car for the most part. 90k miles, shifts like butter with Royal Purple MTL in the box.

I know the Midlands box has a rough reputation, but is it to be avoided entirely?

 

Some say they weren't built strong as it was built with the design of the bearings and seals, but there is a pretty good discussion about the midlands transmission in this NAM thread here.

Edit: this one HERE is a pretty lengthy thread on it as well.

 

Its one of the few transmissions that you can rebuild / get many internal parts for , but with high mileage it does have some history:


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...for-parts.html






https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ds-repair.html






If you can the fluid and it has no problems it should last.

 

They can fail, but it's actually pretty rare. If you don't hear any clicking sound as you drive the car, you should be okay, and although we haven't done it, Mr. ECS is right that bearing failures can be relatively easily repaired in those boxes.

 

If you can check the fill/drain plugs , and they are covered with metal fuzz then you have probable worn out bearings.
It is relatively inexpensive to recondition the box, new bearings/seals.
Figure on $450 if no other internal parts required.
My box had 90k on it, all gears/shafts/syncros were fine.
Jeff