flyingd

Any known reputable suppliers of factory rebuilt transmissions that you would recommend?

If I go with a factory rebuilt transmission, what should I expect the cost of the tranny and labor?

Well, here's the deal. If you try to sell it "as is" with a failed transmission it will essentially be worth its Salvage Value which is most certainly less than what you owe on it. On the other hand, it sounds like you have kept the RX well-maintained so if you put in a re-manufactured transmission (my personal preference) you likely will continue to have reliable transportation for some years to come. Of course that 'reliable transportation' will include continued and increasing maintenance on an older and aging vehicle. But, the drive train components - which are the most expensive - are probably going to serve you well. After a couple of years of continued use, you probably will need to be thinking of trading while the RX still has some decent resale value remaining.

Unless you know a local transmission service shop in whose work you have great confidence and know they will stand behind their work, the re-manufactured transmission is probably your best bet. These transmissions are "rebuilt" in a facility where that's all they do and your chances of long-term satisfaction are likely to be much greater than the initial cost difference between that and a 'repaired' product from one of the chain/independent transmission shops. A 3rd option is to take the least-cost route with a local shop and then drive directly from the transmission shop to the car lot and trade for something else.

Caveat emptor.

I travel extensively for work - 40-50K highway miles a year. My 2002 RX has served me very well until now. The vehicle has 165K and the tranny is shot. I felt the gears shifting hard but was getting close to home so decided to continue on. I called my local mechanic and schedule a transmission fluid change for the next morning, but never made it. Typical of transmission seizes, the car lost drive stranding me 30 miles from home. All the gears locked up and would not budge. I had it towed to the transmission shot, not an easy task with the gears frozen - tires will not move.

Here is the dilemma. I owe $5,000 on the vehicle. I have been quoted around 4K for a new transmission and around $3,500 for a the shop to rebuild the tranny in mine, but they will only give me a 12K warranty either way. Will I get another 50K - 100K out of the car, or will I be throwing my money away. The engine runs good (change oil every 3K - 4K). I just had the brakes, timing belt and tires done. If not, what is the resale value of the vehicle with a shot tranny?