wrote:
> Tough call whether to rebuild or put a used one in. The rebuilt
> trannys are frequently unreliable. I assume that your '93 has a
> 3-speed auto, you'd probably have better luck rebuilding, while the
> later 4-speed autos are a lot more complicated.

don't think honda ever made a 3-speed. all honda's this age i've ever
seen have been 4-speed, with honda's unique "replace a standard
transmission's synchro with a clutch pack" transmission rather than the
planetary gearboxes of the 3-speed types. this honda concept is very
reliable and very efficient. the downside of this concept is that it
tends to be much more fierce when shifting than planetary gearboxes and
can't cope with high torque as well.

>
> If you put in a used one, it could fail anytime, or give a few years of
> good service. On the other hand, if yours is *correctly* rebuilt, it
> will far outlast a used one.
>
> I'd say rebuild a 3-speed, but only if you can find a shop with a
> sterling reputation for good work. Ask everybody you know, check the
> Better Business Bureau, etc. This is a very technical job and
> everything is hidden. An unscrupulous shop can tell you that you need
> a new torque converter, for example, AFTER they've torn everything
> apart. And how are you to know differently, even when they don't
> replace it? And if they don't get it done right, they can goof around
> with the car for 7 weeks without being willing to drop the tranny and
> start over (my personal experience in fact).
>
> What ever you do, charge the repairs to a credit card, begged,
> borrowed, or stolen, so you can dispute the charge if you don't get
> proper service. It's the only reason I wasn't out $800 myself, while I
> was unemployed to boot.
>