Del

What's up guys? First time here and I'd like to say I'm very happy to find an all Toyota forum. Anyway, I have a 94 4Runner and the transmission is starting to slip. I think the guy before me never got the fluid changed because when I did, it was completely black and needed a flush. It was fine before now its slipping. Anyway, my question is, would it be better to get a new transmission or have it rebuilt. The 4Runner has 120.000 miles and is 4X4. Also, if I should get a new one, is there a cheap place I can pick one up? I live in So. Cal.

Thanks,
Daniel Del Vecchio

Robinhood150

Read this, for next time.

I don't know whether you should replace or rebuild, but good luck. Somebody should chime in though.

Welcome.

Steve

Del

Thanks for the article. Very informative.

Memphis4X4

Be very careful no matter what choice you make......rebuild vs replace. Auto transmissions are one place you can get ripped off very easily. I looked at both options 2 years ago, when my Runner had 100,000 miles and the auto trans started acting up. I found the local Dealership to be the best place for a replcaement.....believe it or not, I trust them when it comes to parts. For the 2nd gens, my local Dealership carried remanufactured transmissions for about $3,000. This means that it was rebuilt to like-new specs with new parts. Rebuilt typically means that a shop will keep a lot of your original parts and replace what they think needs replacing. A lot of times, they rummage through a drum of parts to get what they need....or worse, they buy used parts from another shop to put in. A friend of mine owns a reputable shop nd I have seen and heard of a lot of horror stories. I had him rebuild mine.....really, he remanufactured mine because he replaced all parts with new parts. He charged me $1,600 for the job and it was really a $3,000 job. It was the first one he had seen and didn't know all that it involved (He told me that 4 Runners rarely need trans work but Pathfinders come in all the time). I will say, that I did not know him before he did the work but he and his wife have become good friends since he worked on my vehicle (what I'm really saying is, he didn't give me a 'friend' discount) I have since put 50,000 miles on the 'new' trans and am very pleased with it.

David