I think the MINI goddess was trying to tell me something.

So this morning, took it out of the parking lot and went to put it in second, and while releasing the clutch there was a snap. Gears 2-5 don't connect when clutch released, 1st works still. While the clutch is in and the tranny's in gear, there's an awful noise like the fluid has bits all in it.

So, with 240k miles, I don't think a $4k tranny is worth it. (Despite having a GREAT body and paint for the age.

Unless anyone can give me a reason to drop in a new tranny (or anyone's heard of this before and it's fixable), I think I'll drive it (in first) off a cliff? :D

(That's a joke.
I have no cliffs here.)

-Mike.

 

Go to a junk yard and find a cheaper trans.

 

If my car needed it, I'd give my left foot for a new transmission. I could still operate the clutch with a stump.

 

Quick research, from one company can get a used for $2300 (unknown shipping). Or a new w/ 2 year warranty $3200 shipped.

My question is - with all the trouble with trannies, if I get a used one how likely is it that it'd last more that a trip around the block before getting the same fate?

 

I would not bother with the used one. Is the "NEW" one really new, or is it a rebuild?

240K miles, WOW, that is great Gives us all hope, even thoughts of us with a measly 107K miles

Mark

 

Sorry, it's a reman 'new'. I had to call them back to find out if there's a core charge, and thought to ask.

Up until the end, she ran great. Was time for a driver-side axle, but other than that it was in top shape. The body's in gorgeous shape, and I constantly got comments from people wondering when I got it, thinking it was new.

 

Mike, aren't you the same fellow who had an oil issue recently too?

If so, I'm thinking a complete engine/tranny swap out of a newer low mileage car is an even better answer. Why scrap the rest of the car when all that's wrong is the powertain, and it's readily available in the recycler's yards...

You could even update it to an S if you wanted......and get the Getrag 6 speed as a bonus.....

 

Yup!

In fact, as two side-notes, the dealer looked at it and found no 'undue damage' from lack of oil. They said that some tolerances were slightly wider than normal, but said it was in-line with having 240k miles on it. That's good. On the down-side, my laywer says that because of what happened to the Tranny, the likelyhood of getting any kind of "put right" money or anything from the quick-change place would be much harder. I went ahead and told him not to worry about it, since the dealer said that the engine looked fine.


I have thought of this, actually.

I'm only iffy about the cost and time overriding the value of the vehicle.
(For changing it to an S, for example, need the engine/tranny, new axles, shifter cable, new hood and a supercharger if it didn't come with the engine, and a compatible ECU..) For as much as I can do that, I could pay more than half to a nice S someone has on here for sale.

 

There is a used 6-speed for sale in Northern Virginia; look on Craigslist.