Cost to fix snap-ring

[Spider]

A car I'm considering buying has transmission numbers that is within snap-ring range. The FAQ says it costs between $7000-$8000 to replace the transmission after a snap-ring failure occurs. Since I don't want to risk waiting for a failure to occur, how much would it cost today to fix the snap-ring problem before failure occurs?

Thanks for your help.

 

[nsxtasy]

Read Mark Basch's advice here.

To summarize his advice: If you want, you can wait until the snap ring starts to fail or you're doing other transmission work (e.g. clutch replacement) so you don't pay twice to open up the transmission.

Here's why.

If you have a snap ring car and you start experiencing the symptoms of snap ring failure (loose gear shift) and don't continue to drive it at that point, you won't have to pay any more to fix it than you would for a preventive repair: the labor cost to open up the transmission (around $800), plus the parts cost of the snap ring and transmission case (also around $700). So you haven't lost anything by waiting.

If you need transmission work anyway - such as replacing the clutch, which typically occurs every 40-50K miles - then you can replace the snap ring and transmission case at the same time, and you've saved the cost of the labor by only doing it once, not twice.

The need to replace the entire transmission (at a cost of $7-8K) only occurs if the snap ring fails and you continue to drive on it. So just become familiar with the symptoms of snap ring failure so you don't continue driving on it if it fails.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 25 November 2002).]

 

[Spider]

Wow, you're fast

Thank you very much.

I'll private you an email to ask some other questions if you don't mind.

 

[Lud]

while FAQ says a new transmission from Acura is about $7000 - $8000 installed at a dealer, it also clearly outlines other, much less expensive, alternatives both before (preventative) and after a failure.
http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Troubleshooting/transmission.htm

I personally disagree with the suggestion on waiting for it to fail, though that is the path many people have chosen. If I had an NSX in snap ring range, I would replace the transmission case. You have to decide what you want to do - everybody has different priorities.

 

[Spider]

Lud, I would want to replace the transmission case and not risk failure in the middle of nowhere. Peace of mind knowing that it's fixed, and not worrying about possible failure and the headaches that come with it, is worth it to me.

For a PREVENTIVE repair (replacing the upper transmission case) by the book it is 10 hours of labor and about $700 in parts.

So about how much would a preventive repair cost? I would like to discount this cost off of the selling price.

Can any Acura dealer do this type of repair? Or does it require someone with expertise like Mr. Basch?

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Spider:
I'll private you an email to ask some other questions if you don't mind.

Sure, feel free.

Originally posted by Lud:
I personally disagree with the suggestion on waiting for it to fail, though that is the path many people have chosen. If I had an NSX in snap ring range, I would replace the transmission case. You have to decide what you want to do - everybody has different priorities.

I've reworded my post above, because I don't think that Mark was specifically making that recommendation. Rather, he was giving alternatives - including how it might not cost any more if you don't fix it right away.

Originally posted by Spider:
For a PREVENTIVE repair (replacing the upper transmission case) by the book it is 10 hours of labor and about $700 in parts.

So about how much would a preventive repair cost?

It would cost 10 hours of labor and about $700 in parts.

If your local dealer charges $80 an hour for labor, that would be about $1500.

Originally posted by Spider:
I would like to discount this cost off of the selling price.

That's between you and the seller.

Originally posted by Spider:
Can any Acura dealer do this type of repair? Or does it require someone with expertise like Mr. Basch?

Any Acura dealer that does a lot of NSX service work should be able to do this repair. Not all dealers do a lot of NSX service work, though.

If I'm not mistaken, John Eagle Acura in Houston does quite a bit of NSX service work. Andy Vecsey is in Houston and can also provide dealer recommendations there.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 25 November 2002).]

 

[Larry Bastanza]

spider,

How many miles on the car? There are a few things here to consider. ALL snap-ring transmissions are not bad. There is really no way to tell, trust me I have tried.

If the car has higher mileage and has not failed I would not be overly concerned.

I would negotiate a $1500-$2000 discount. That is what I did. My car has 33K miles now, I purchased it with 17K miles, in the range and all is well. Heck, I have forgotten about it, it's been three years!

I understand the ideal situation of getting it repaired and not worrying. But....has a NSX transmission outside the range ever broken a snapring?? Well, the answer is yes.

If you really cannot bear to deal with it as is, then by all means change it immediately if you purchase the car.

How often is the possibility that you are actually going to get stuck out in the middle of nowhere??

I have chosen this route:

I am not doing a preventative repair. If my snapring breaks, I will tow the car home and change the trans case and install a new clutch. If my clutch goes, I will replace the trans case and the clutch. Whichever comes first.

If the car has any kind of mileage at all, let's say +30K you WILL do a clutch, when you do the snapring. Not doing so would be like changing the timing belt and not the water pump. Just not a cost effective idea, IMO. It will only cost you the price of the clutch, since the trans is out anyway. So you should think in terms of $2700 total. (stock clutch pricing + snap ring stuff + labor in this total number)

Just one more point, my NSX is NOT my daily driver. If it were, I may have a different outlook on it, and have the work done.

Remember I did save that $2k going in. I buy oil filters with the interest

.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[Spider]

Thanks everyone for the replies, most of my questions have been answered.

Larry, the car is low-mileage -- less than 20k, car fax is clean. Only two major problems so far; it is in snap-ring range, and the timing belt & water pump have not been changed. I have not even asked the owner about the AC and window fix-it thingy yet.

So, $1500 to $2000 discount on the snap-ring, and another $1500 to $1700 off for the timing belt and water pump sound right?

Assuming this car is otherwise clean -- no accidents, no repaint, good clutch -- how much is this car worth?

 

[Lud]

Originally posted by Spider:
Assuming this car is otherwise clean -- no accidents, no repaint, good clutch -- how much is this car worth?

Depends which model year and how nice it is...

$1700 is probably a bit high for timing belt and water pump... $1500 is probably reasonable. Many places will do it for several hundred less than that!

Likewise I think $2000 sounds a little high for the snap ring work, $1500 sounds more in line.

Just negotiate the best price you can! Don't get too caught up in trying to pin a certain dollar value on a specific item. If it is the right car for you and you can get a price you are happy with given the maintenance work you want to do, go for it!

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 26 November 2002).]