Auto Gearbox Repair

[sye73]

Thanks for your post. Always good to hear opinions.
The things I'm pretty set on are:
1. Not undertaking this kind of work myself: partly through a lack of confidence/experience, and partly due ot a lack of tools, space and facilities.
2. I'm not inclined to spend the entire value of the vehicle (when functioning correctly) on what I believe to be a fundmentally flawed gearbox, unless I can be convinced that a reconditioned unit will give me good service if maintainence intervals are adhered to. Of course, by the time a g'box service would be due the engine would be on 230k miles, so that'll probably let go!

Irrespective of how I progress, I'll be treating the gearbox as a serviceable item and NOT sealed. There seems to be sufficient evidence to suggest this is a reasonable view to take.

I totally agree with your comments in respect of older vehicles. As mentioned previosuly, my old 850 was a much better car in my view. All I'd say is that despite my v70 now being 8/9 years old and with a load of miles, certain things are still nice-to-haves ona more modern vehicle (heater that works, decent headlights etc, as well as the £30/year tax and good fuel economy).

Utimately, the decision to recon. the gearbox will be decided by whether I think I can get anything "better" for £3k. My feeling is that at that sort of price I'd probably be buying just a different sort of trouble.

Let's see. If I go down the ATF change route and there's a positive outcome, I won't need to make any decisons and I will happily keep the car.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by sye73

Thanks for your post. Always good to hear opinions.
The things I'm pretty set on are:
1. Not undertaking this kind of work myself: partly through a lack of confidence/experience, and partly due ot a lack of tools, space and facilities.
2. I'm not inclined to spend the entire value of the vehicle (when functioning correctly) on what I believe to be a fundmentally flawed gearbox, unless I can be convinced that a reconditioned unit will give me good service if maintainence intervals are adhered to. Of course, by the time a g'box service would be due the engine would be on 230k miles, so that'll probably let go!

Irrespective of how I progress, I'll be treating the gearbox as a serviceable item and NOT sealed. There seems to be sufficient evidence to suggest this is a reasonable view to take.

I totally agree with your comments in respect of older vehicles. As mentioned previosuly, my old 850 was a much better car in my view. All I'd say is that despite my v70 now being 8/9 years old and with a load of miles, certain things are still nice-to-haves ona more modern vehicle (heater that works, decent headlights etc, as well as the £30/year tax and good fuel economy).

Utimately, the decision to recon. the gearbox will be decided by whether I think I can get anything "better" for £3k. My feeling is that at that sort of price I'd probably be buying just a different sort of trouble.

Let's see. If I go down the ATF change route and there's a positive outcome, I won't need to make any decisons and I will happily keep the car.

There is another possible option, that of a secondhand gearbox and have it fitted by one of your local indies. I'd guesstimate the cost of this to be somewhere in the region of £1250 +/- £250 as a bit of a ball park figure to include supplying a secondhand box, fresh fluid and removal of the old and fitting of the new boxes, sundries (e.g.coolant) etc.
I may be wrong on this figure but it would no doubt bear investigating as another option - you seem fairly set on keeping the car and this is a good compromise between a completely rebuilt box and trying to nurse this one back to health. If you can get a secondhand one with sub-100k miles and it has fresh fluid you should be good for a fair while yet.

[XC90Mk1]

The real issue here to be remembered, and this is important.

The Ford powershift boxes are considered unreliable and not good. If you shell out a stack of cash you may find that in 50,000 miles (if that) you are getting another.

I would be tempted to recon it, use it while in warranty and then part ex it for something better.

Don’t ‘invest’ 3k expecting another 180k as the box is not very good when new quite often.

[sye73]

Thanks Dave - Yes, that is something I've considered. There are certainly some benefits to be had if I were to find something suitable. I'm weighing up my options as still undecided.

@XC90Mk1 - Yes, I tend to agree. I wouldn't buy another car with this 'box.
That said, it might well be that if one was to be thoroughly maintained then their relibility (and associated poor reputation) would be significantly better. I suspect the majority of vehicles that are now showing g'box faults are "old" and have fallen out of regular maintenance schedules.

[Whyman]

The trouble is that the gearbox oil change is an optional item on a service and in an older car the question “ Would you like us to change the gearbox oil and filter at a cost of £300?” Is likely to be declined.