Replacing or rebuilding transmission in my 2005 Dodge Neon

9

97prizm

Joined
May 25, 2005
Messages
8,158
Location
USA
Hi all,

So roughly early August my 2005 neon transmission died. The mechanic said that the pump had low pressure and gave it 6 weeks to 6 months to live. It gave out after a month from the diagnosis. Only has 1502k miles and I had just had the fluid and filter changed like It specs every 40k miles. For such a cheap transmission I'm seeing rebuilds in the $1700-$2300 range which seems outrageous. I can get a used one off ebay for $500 but no warranty. A rebuild kit is $150-300. Have any mechanics on here rebuild an automatic transmission with a rebuild kit? Anything to look for, and any brands better than others? Thanks
 
I'd search junk yards for a low mileage donor. Theres half a dozen on car-part.com with mileage under 80k

Edit: prices were around $300
 
Last edited:
If you want to keep the car, just go on E-bay/ Craigslist/ or one of those places and get a used one from a scrap yard. Scrap yards have gotten better than the days I had had to manually search one and try to pick out the best. Climbed many a pile of transmissions and engines back in the day. They now have tiers for their parts. All relevant to mileage. So you can pick and choose the mileage, rather than guess by pullin the dipstick., like I had to do back in the day. They never tracked the mileage back then. Now they do.
 
Owen Lucas said:
I'd search junk yards for a low mileage donor. Theres half a dozen on car-part.com with mileage under 80k

Edit: prices were around $300
Click to expand...
So the weird thing is that Dodge changed the transmission half way through 2003 so I need either an 04 or 05 neon. I initially told my dad that apparently now pull n pay offers a part pulling service. It sounds like either it's only at certain yards or some yards aren't aware that this is offered. At two pull n pays they said that they weren't aware of this, and another email to a yard said the same yet on their website it says its available. My dad found an 04 in Phoenix but it was 108 and way too hot to pull. If my transmission is in good shape is it worth a rebuild kit?
 
97prizm said:
Hi all,

So roug1.5 million ly early August my 2005 neon transmission died. The mechanic said that the pump had low pressure and gave it 6 weeks to 6 months to live. It gave out after a month from the diagnosis. Only has 1502k miles and I had just had the fluid and filter changed like It specs every 40k miles. For such a cheap transmission I'm seeing rebuilds in the $1700-$2300 range which seems outrageous. I can get a used one off ebay for $500 but no warranty. A rebuild kit is $150-300. Have any mechanics on here rebuild an automatic transmission with a rebuild kit? Anything to look for, and any brands better than others? Thanks
Click to expand...
152,000 miles not 1.5 million miles.
 
What is shop time to remove and replace? I am wondering if you buy a used one and swap in, and hope for the best. If it doesn’t work, then look into rebuilding.
 
Kira said:
I'd prefer rebuilding my not-so-old transmission over a 15-20 year old mystery unit.
Click to expand...
I guess one approach to this would be running the Carfax on the donor VIN. Flood car = no-go, non-frontal collision = yes?
 
Lubener said:
If you can do the work yourself with a junkyard transmission for a few hundred dollars , it would be worth it. Otherwise, I wouldn't put a lot of money in your 2005 Neon. It's not worth much.
Click to expand...
Who cares what you, me or some book thinks it's worth? It what it's worth to the owner. Is the car in good shape and will it be for the foreseeable future? Does it meet his needs? Does he like it? If yes to all, then repairs are almost always less than the cost of replacement.
 
Owen Lucas said:
I guess one approach to this would be running the Carfax on the donor VIN. Flood car = no-go, non-frontal collision = yes?
Click to expand...
Sounds good to me. Now find a suitable junkyard Neon listing somewhere.
Junkyard listings don't usually contain VINs. Then get some junkyard attendant to go out and read it.
Then pay for the Carfax...which may or may not bare any information.
Then ship or fetch the transmission.

You see where I'm going with this? The OP knows he hasn't burned his unit up nor submerged it in a pond.
 
97prizm said:
Sorry typo. it was supposed to say 152,000 miles hence why I'm disappointed
Click to expand...
Well my 95 only has a few more than that, and it also has a bad transmission. Forward still works but not reverse. I use it as a pull (push?) vehicle to move my junk around my yard. Junkyards around here seem to send these straight to the crusher.
 
goofy said:
Well my 95 only has a few more than that, and it also has a bad transmission. Forward still works but not reverse. I use it as a pull (push?) vehicle to move my junk around my yard. Junkyards around here seem to send these straight to the crusher.
Click to expand...
Pull n pay puts them out but I rarely see parts gone as they were cheap when new, cheaper as a second hand vehicle. I still don't understand why places want $1700-$2000 for a rebuilt transmission on these. If the trans is good, a rebuild kit is $200 plus a days labor so $450-600 tops?
 
Lubener said:
If you can do the work yourself with a junkyard transmission for a few hundred dollars , it would be worth it. Otherwise, I wouldn't put a lot of money in your 2005 Neon. It's not worth much.
Click to expand...
It's worth what it would cost to replace it. And would also be at risk of having unknown mechanical issues... like a transmission ready to fail. Oil sucking. Carbon build up. Ready to grenade turbo. Electronic issues up the flue. $4000-12,000 later, nothing would be gained.
 
97prizm said:
Hi all,

So roughly early August my 2005 neon transmission died. The mechanic said that the pump had low pressure and gave it 6 weeks to 6 months to live. It gave out after a month from the diagnosis. Only has 1502k miles and I had just had the fluid and filter changed like It specs every 40k miles. For such a cheap transmission I'm seeing rebuilds in the $1700-$2300 range which seems outrageous. I can get a used one off ebay for $500 but no warranty. A rebuild kit is $150-300. Have any mechanics on here rebuild an automatic transmission with a rebuild kit? Anything to look for, and any brands better than others? Thanks
Click to expand...
I like the looks of the 05 Neon. Saw an 02 yesterday while I was out and hadn't seen one in awhile.
Compare the price of that rebuild with some of these modern marvels like Ford's Power Shift. Or a Jatco CVT. Or GM's 6 speed. It will put it in perspective. Is this the three speed? Or did Dodge offer the 4 speed by that time in the Neon?
I have put obscene amounts of money into "worthless" cars because I love them and don't get rid of them.
If you plan on keeping this car for another 100,000 miles, get the rebuild. If not, then a used one with low mileage would be a better move. Either way you'll be better off than being chained to a 72 month loan with a $500 payment on something newer.
Good luck with this. I'd love an 05 Neon and even considered one after my car was totaled in a rear ender.
 
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