I need some advice about how to get a couple more months out of my car. It's a '90 Grand Am vTech with an automatic transmission. Basically, the transmission has been acting up since January, taking a couple seconds to kick into drive when I would start it up in the morning. I just figured that it didn't like the colder weather. As it got warmer, that little problem went away, but this weekend it wasn;t shifting when it should have, sometimes staying in too high a gear, other times staying in too low of a gear. It actually cut out on me and went into neutral from 1st gear while going up a hill.

The car blue books for about 500 bux, so I really don't want to have to put 2K into it for a new transmission just to last a couple months until I graduate and can get a better car. I don't mind putting ~ 500 into it to solve the problem, but I also don't wanna have somebody do a half-assed job and make the situation worse.

what all are my options here? I don't know shit about cars, so there is no chance that I would even think about installing it myself, cause I know I'd never have a chance, even if it could be done. Thanks for the advice


Oh, and for the record, the fluids are all where they should be. I check them every time I fill the car up, for one, and I just got the oil changed yesterday, anyway, and they always top everything off.

3/25/2007 5:59:07 PM

have you checked the fluid?

3/25/2007 6:03:24 PM

hehe, I just ninja edited that to say that the fluid is fine. checked it last night

3/25/2007 6:04:04 PM

transmission fluid? redo it

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 6:38 PM. Reason : ]

3/25/2007 6:38:42 PM

try some marvel magic mystery fluid to keep it lasting just a little bit longer.

3/25/2007 7:13:41 PM

outta curiosity, are you checking the trans fluid when the car is running or when it is off?

3/25/2007 7:38:27 PM

And what color is that shit? Doo doo brown tranny fluid that smells like it's been burned means your shit is on the express route to fucked city.

3/25/2007 7:46:36 PM

lucas additive ftw.

3/25/2007 8:13:08 PM

its not a vtech its a 4tech

3/25/2007 8:29:30 PM

lol, i didn't know pontiac made vtec.

3/25/2007 9:00:00 PM

it was an early VORtech prototype, with just half the cylinders, get it?

3/25/2007 9:04:54 PM

no its an iron duke 2.5 4 cyl

get it

3/25/2007 9:07:48 PM

quad 4!!!!11

3/25/2007 9:09:41 PM

i've always thought about doing a 2.5 mercruiser, alpha 1 outdrive in a 12' jon boat, just to have something rediculous

3/25/2007 9:13:18 PM

hondaguy, I check the transmission fluid w/ the car running after it is warm.

i wouldn't say the fluid color was "doo-doo brown" yesterday. It had a reddish or purplish hue to it, though there was also some brownness to it, as well. there was no noticable smell to the fluid, though when i turned the car off, I did detect a hint of something burning, which had me worried. The engine temperature was fine throughout the drive yesterday.

and sorry about my n00b ness on the engine type. just figured "tech" with something on the beginning of it might help, since people have asked about that before.

3/25/2007 9:41:48 PM

seriously, don't even mess with changing the fluid or anything. just throw some lucas in it. i can nearly guarantee it'll live another couple of months or longer.

3/25/2007 9:48:38 PM

Quote :

"lucas additive ftw. "

This stuff treats my bank account nicely.

3/26/2007 12:42:40 AM

i dont see nobody volunteering to fix my transmission? i know i'm hated but damn. well going to talk to the shop now, see what they say, hopefully warranty covers it (rebuilt last year on march 29th)

but the car switched owners...

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 6:54 AM. Reason : ]

3/26/2007 6:54:00 AM

well, the Lucas helped it last long enough. I'll miss that POS car, but now I have A/C, among other things.

5/29/2007 8:03:14 PM

what did you get?

5/29/2007 8:05:42 PM

07 Civic

5/29/2007 8:06:42 PM

si?

5/29/2007 8:25:20 PM

que?

5/29/2007 8:28:34 PM

tres?

5/29/2007 8:28:57 PM

did you get a civic si?

5/29/2007 8:30:59 PM

oh, nah. ex.

5/29/2007 8:33:40 PM

damn man why not get the SI?

5/30/2007 8:08:41 AM

yea, Si is the only type civic I would get.

5/30/2007 9:35:49 AM

cause I didn't need all the bells and whistles...

5/30/2007 11:33:49 AM