I have a 2005 Monte Carlo LS with the 3.4L. It has 225,000 miles on it. Everything is in working order on the car except the transmission and it still gets 25 mpg avg. The trans fluid is burnt it shifts hard and slips, it's gone. I have had several shops give me an estimate and they range from $2000-$2500 for a rebuilt trans and labor.

Would you put that kind of money in this car considering the mileage and age?

I do have other transportation but I don't want to use my other car as a daily driver. I can fix this or try to find another work car for around 4-4.5K. I just dont want to fix the trans and then the rest of the car fall apart? Also is there anything else I should get replaced while the motor and trans are out for repair if I go that route?

Thanks.

 

Frankly for a 2005 that's a lot of miles I would use that two grand towards a Monte with fewer miles. but that is just my opion.

 

Get a a used trams from a junkyard, I got a quote of $400 for my monte and it only had 70k miles :p
Then just get a local shop to install it, probably end up spendin less than a grand lol

 

I'd go with a good used trans or just buy a different Monte.

 

Yea, its a lot of miles on it. My father in law put all of them on it. It was his work car and it's litteraly all highway miles. Unfortunately for me I gave him $2500 for it and now 4 months later the trans decides to go. So I'm looking at having $5000 in a car that's not worth half. I could do a junkyard trans but that's a shot in the dark. However anything else I buy will be a chance also. Shop rate is 8.5 hours to do the swap.

 

Personally, I'd bite the bullet and look for another car. With 225,000 miles on it, if it's got the 3.4 litre engine, I don't think the engine will last too much longer either.

 

Yeah i wouldnt put the money in it, use the money for a diff lower milage monte & trade yours for what you can get outta it

 

It depends on what condition the rest is the car is in. If the body and interior are good I saw look for a wrecked monte or impala with the same motor and trans and swap. Of course If you can do it yourself it will be worth it, but, if you had to pay for the work I'm sure it would cost too much.

 

The body and interior are in great shape. The maintenance on the car was performed on the car without fail from new by my father inlaw. Everything works on the car except the transmission. I'm leaning towards dumping it. I just don't know if I can get anything in any better shape for the $4500 I have put back.

 

I think the whole powertrain swap is a good idea too. It would probably cost less to swap in a used, low kms wrecker engine and transmission then to buy another car. to me '05 isn't that old, so the rest of the body is likely solid. A great time to upgrade - maybe go supercharged? That won't help the mpg.

I don't think you should trade. You won't really get anything to sell the Monte either