bmed Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Can anybody reccomend a transmission guy in Spokane WA?I have 1990 Subaru Legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 what do you need done? manual or automatic? in general the best option is a used transmission. subaru transmissions (except the 3AT) are durable enough that a rebuild generally is not the way to go. used transmissions can be found for $200 (or less), which is a far easier route to go than a rebuild. i just picked up a 1996 EJ automatic transmission for $150 a couple weeks ago with only 101,000 miles and warranty. no way i'd pay thousands for a rebuild when i can get that on a very reliable transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 what do you need done? manual or automatic? in general the best option is a used transmission. subaru transmissions (except the 3AT) are durable enough that a rebuild generally is not the way to go. used transmissions can be found for $200 (or less), which is a far easier route to go than a rebuild. i just picked up a 1996 EJ automatic transmission for $150 a couple weeks ago with only 101,000 miles and warranty. no way i'd pay thousands for a rebuild when i can get that on a very reliable transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmed Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 what do you need done? manual or automatic? in general the best option is a used transmission. subaru transmissions (except the 3AT) are durable enough that a rebuild generally is not the way to go. used transmissions can be found for $200 (or less), which is a far easier route to go than a rebuild. i just picked up a 1996 EJ automatic transmission for $150 a couple weeks ago with only 101,000 miles and warranty. no way i'd pay thousands for a rebuild when i can get that on a very reliable transmission. Auto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 there's plenty of good low mileage transmissions out there for your car, the 4EAT is a solid automatic, even the older generation (first generation) 4EAT's are excellent. you sure the transmission is bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I just knew a thread like this would pop up soon! Why? Because I have a rebuilt 4EAT transmission in my 1990 Legacy with 5 months left on the warranty and maybe 4000 miles on it since the rebuild. Why is this a bad thing? Because the insurance company is writing off my vehicle due to the cosmetic damages required to repair it costing more than the value of the vehicle. I've asked about keeping the transmission (just in case I purchase another Legacy or this year or find someone willing to purchase it), but they want a complete vehicle when they tow it away (although they say that it will be crushed!). I've considered finding one in the wrecking yard and swapping it out with the rebuilt one, but that's an awful lot of hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 work something out with this guy!! sounds like a killer deal if you can make it work. the insurance company WILL SELL you the entire vehicle probably for a couple hundred tops on something this old. i've seen people buy-back late 90's vehicles for a couple hundred. it will then have a salvage title, but who cares? buy it back from them and sell it to this guy. the insurance company will only sell the entire vehicle though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 here in VA, cars going to the crusher are bringing around $4.50 per 100 lbs. so if the car weighs 3500 lbs, the cash price is 35 x 4.5 = $157.50. plus they have to pay some one to haul it. yeah, 200$ and it's yours. plus , aren't they paying you for body damage. subtract the 200 from their payment. how bad is the damage? does it run? cut the roof off and go topless. maybe not the best idea in the great northwest. or buy it for 200$, remove the trans, and sell the rest to the crusher guy for 140$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I can recommend Louie's Transmission. They repaired (not rebuilt) my '95 Legacy AT transmission (lost reverse/torque bind) and did some other related work to a Dakota I had....but double-check w/the Better Business Bureau as it's been a few years ago. Louies Automotive & Transmission Service 1323 N Monroe St Spokane, WA 99201 Map (509) 483-2354 If you do need to replace it, I would also suggest saving the $$ and finding a used one....unless you're going to keep this car for a long time....it's unlikely you'd get your $$ back out of it if you decide to sell it soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 work something out with this guy!! sounds like a killer deal if you can make it work. the insurance company WILL SELL you the entire vehicle probably for a couple hundred tops on something this old. i've seen people buy-back late 90's vehicles for a couple hundred. it will then have a salvage title, but who cares? buy it back from them and sell it to this guy. the insurance company will only sell the entire vehicle though. They will either give me $3100 (the max allowed for this year/make/model) and tow it away or else they will give me $2790 ($3100-10%) and let me keep the car, but it is already written off. Just the inspection to have it recertified is $500-600. I have spoken with a guy who recertifies vehicle (there aren't very many around here that do) and he cherry picks the vehicles that he will recertify due to the liability involved. He gave me an estimate of ~$2500 to do the body work and have the recertification done, but this is with me supplying the front and rear bumpers (plus the hardware underneath them that may need replacing) and without fixing the dents in the rear hatch. I told him about a 1990 Legacy wagon that I had found at a wrecker with perfect bumpers, I had already pulled the passenger headlight from it to replace mine. The other estimate I have for the full repair (not including recertification) is ~$4200. I pulled the stereo and new warranty today, the tow truck should be here by the end of the week to take it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 work something out with this guy!! sounds like a killer deal if you can make it work. the insurance company WILL SELL you the entire vehicle probably for a couple hundred tops on something this old. i've seen people buy-back late 90's vehicles for a couple hundred. it will then have a salvage title, but who cares? buy it back from them and sell it to this guy. the insurance company will only sell the entire vehicle though. They will either give me $3100 (the max allowed for this year/make/model) and tow it away or else they will give me $2790 ($3100-10%) and let me keep the car, but it is already written off. Just the inspection to have it recertified is $500-600. I have spoken with a guy who recertifies vehicle (there aren't very many around here that do) and he cherry picks the vehicles that he will recertify due to the liability involved. He gave me an estimate of ~$2500 to do the body work and have the recertification done, but this is with me supplying the front and rear bumpers (plus the hardware underneath them that may need replacing) and without fixing the dents in the rear hatch. I told him about a 1990 Legacy wagon that I had found at a wrecker with perfect bumpers, I had already pulled the passenger headlight from it to replace mine. The other estimate I have for the full repair (not including recertification) is ~$4200. I pulled the stereo and new battery out of it today, the tow truck should be here by the end of the week to take it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Isn't the 90/91 4EAT "special". Seem to recall something about the final drive ratio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Isn't the 90/91 4EAT "special". Seem to recall something about the final drive ratio. 4.11 rear diff for '90 & '91 vs. 3.90 for '91 turbo and '92-'94 Automatics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 I pulled the stereo and new battery out of it today, the tow truck should be here by the end of the week to take it away. it seems to me if some bad guys came and stripped the car while it was waiting to be towed the payment from the insurance would not go up or down. they have already determined the value of the car regardless of it's condition. if a tree fell on it and crushed the roof, the payment will not change. although they are buying the car they are actually reimbursing you for the cost of repair, not exceeding the value of the car. a friend of mine had a 20 year old family station wagon (he bought it new when his daughter was born) and a tree fell on it. insurance was going to give him cash value of the car (cheaper) instead of repairing it. he fought and won, they repaired the car. i have never heard of this happening any other time. could you sell the parts for more than 310$? how much is a rebuilt trans worth? i'd remove the trans. they are giving you car value instead of repair value, the trans does not change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Just the inspection to have it recertified is $500-600. oh i wouldn't bother fixing it myself. i was thinking if you could pick the car up for $200 and let this guy that needs a transmission buy the entire car from you for $400 then you both make out really well. you make some extra cash and let your subaru live on, help someone out, and he gets a nearly brand new transmission for a good price. and yes - insurance companies will repair a car that is "totaled", but you've got to be good...persistent, don't back down, get your way, lots of phone calls and threats in good taste. but for a 1990 legacy who would want to go through all of that. i'm surprised you're getting $3,100 - that is awesome for a 1990 legacy. otherwise i'd demand more considering it does have a new transmission in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 oh i wouldn't bother fixing it myself. i was thinking if you could pick the car up for $200 and let this guy that needs a transmission buy the entire car from you for $400 then you both make out really well. you make some extra cash and let your subaru live on, help someone out, and he gets a nearly brand new transmission for a good price. and yes - insurance companies will repair a car that is "totaled", but you've got to be good...persistent, don't back down, get your way, lots of phone calls and threats in good taste. but for a 1990 legacy who would want to go through all of that. i'm surprised you're getting $3,100 - that is awesome for a 1990 legacy. otherwise i'd demand more considering it does have a new transmission in it. The car is in phenominal shape, there is not a spot of rust on it and the interior could pass for new. I've posted photos of it on a thread or two in the past. Bear in mind that I am in Canada, the insurance rules may be different than those in the United States. Those were the two options they gave me, $2790 and I keep it to recertify or $3100 and they tow it away. I showed the Insurance Adjuster (inspector) all of my receipts, including the transmission receipt. I told the Adjuster that the wheels and stereo (~$4500 together) would be coming off of the car, so he was not to figure that into the value of the vehicle. I mentioned that I still had the original stereo and he could have that and he said that he would like it in the car (not hooked up) if they tow it. I'm not too sure why they would care about the stereo if they were going to crush the car, I think it will be sold to a wrecker for parts first. I am going to find out and, if so, I may try to purchase the car from the insurance company for the same price the auto wrecker will give them (I would be surprised if it is over $100) or find out which wrecker it is and go and pull the transmission ($80). I've considered taking the $2790 and pulling the engine/transmission in my driveway and selling it, but it's a PITA and messy to boot. I don't have the proper supports, it's around 0 C for a high in the daytime and I would have to pay someone to take the rest of the car away when I am done. At least at the wreckers they provide an engine hoist and it is already high enough off of the ground that I have plenty of room to work and won't have to worry about the mess. The flip side to that is there may be 1' of snow on the ground before public has access to it at the wreckers. Lots of options to be considered... It is now recorded as written off, so it would be illegal to drive it at this point. I would gladly take the $2790 and sell the the car to someone else if they wanted it, the damage was only cosmetic and they could drive it home if they wanted to take the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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