How can you tell if a transmission is good or bad on a vehicle?

Question

Hello there,

I am in the market of purchasing a used vehicle (SUV, Acura MDX). And looking at the posting on the internet (craigslist) I see a lot of similar vehicles with different prices. For example, I saw a MDX for $13,900 with 63,000 miles and another for $15,000. at 83,000miles. Something must be wrong.

How can i test (tell) if the tranny is bad on a vehicle and how can I tell if they tamper with the mileage odometer.

Please advise.

Many thanks,

Joel

Answer 1

Cars are priced by options, mileage, and popularity.

Some people think their car is worth more than gold, and some people price their car at market value - which is the price people are willing to pay for that type of vehicle at that time.

Mechanical odometers should match the mileage in the computer. "Clocking" is the term for rolling the mileage back.

You can just look at a car and tell if the mileage is right. If the brake pedal, and gas pedal are worn down smooth, and the odometer says 55,000, then there is something wrong.

One way to check tranny's that are bad, will have burnt fluid. Pull the trans dip stick and smell the fluid, it will smell...burnt. It should be pink or dirty pink, and smell like oil.

Answer 2

I hope you're not thinking about self diagnosing the car when you don't even know how. Just pay the $100 and get it inspected by a mechanic or AAA.

But simple things to look for while test driving:

If you step on the gas and the car doesn't move immediately or there's a delay, that's a sure sign of damage.

If you change gears but you can't feel it engage then that's another sign of damage.

If the fluid isn't pink but looks and smells burnt then that's another sign.

You can check the accuracy of the odometer by buying a report from Carfax.com

Answer 3

Mileage tampering is a little harder to do now because everything is digital and the dealerships and maintenance places keep constant record of mileages.  The cheaper MDX might just have less options, or the seller is motivated for one reason or another.  If your paying that much for a vehicle, spend a couple of bucks and have it pre-buy inspected.  It is usually less than $100, and protects your investment.