In article >,
Matt O'Toole > wrote:
> IMO *all* automatic transmissions are time bombs.

As is every part of a car. Nothing lasts forever.

> Some last half a million miles or more, but there's no telling if/when
> they go boom. Some models are probably better than others. Driving
> habits and maintenance may make a difference too. But there's always an
> element of risk.

As there is with a manual transmission - most will suffer weakening of the
synchromesh at the same sort of miles.

> This is one reason I stick to the stick. Resale
> prices of high mileage cars suggest I'm not the only one who thinks this
> way either -- manuals do fetch higher prices, and the difference
> increases with mileage.

This tends to be the opposite in the UK with 'luxury' cars - manuals are
rare and marked down. And even small autos will command a premium on the
secondhand market.

The thing is an auto has several clutches and these *will* wear out. Same
as any clutch. Whether regular oil changes help I've no real idea - it's
very difficult to get accurate comparisons, as someone who changes oil
more frequently than the service requirement might also be a more
sensitive driver.

My own personal experience of many different makes of auto says 150,000
miles is about it - if you must put a figure on it.
However, older purely hydraulic designs were certainly fixable by a decent
DIYer - and provided large savings as the majority of the cost of overhaul
is labour. Not sure about a modern 5 speed, though. :-)

--
*OK, so what's the speed of dark? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.