Things that make you sad, angry, or upset.

[Firm]

I'd definitely at least do some research on fixing the Nissan (is it a Sentra or Altima?). There's gotta be some poor soul out there who's business is rebuilding CVTs, and I bet a specialist like that would be more cost effective than a generic chain transmission shop.

I use the test drive thing as a bit of a negotiation tactic, making the deal as easy as possible for the seller gives you the best chance of getting a lower offer accepted. In that situation with the $7500 Civic and the lady who was struggling to accommodate a proper meeting & test drive; I'd have gone to the house, looked at the car quickly, called her back and said "I'll give to $6K right now as it sits and I'll come take it away tomorrow". Most People hate selling cars and see the whole thing as a big inconvenience, if you make it easy for them, more often than not they'll take the deal just to get out of having to make any additional effort.

[Revelations]

My last experience with a Nissan CVT was on a 2016 Murano. Beauty of a SUV, dealer serviced since new with impeccable records and only 140k. Yes, broken CVT.

Two options: New from Nissan or used. I went used. New was 16K. Bought a transmission from a recycler in Calgary with 76,000 km, cost $4200 for the trans and $2000 install. Sold the unit to an older couple and they thankfully bought a warranty. That transmission died 3 months later. My thoughts? The recycler sold me a transmission that A- Had way more miles or B- Was patched together. I called shops from here to Washington state. Nobody rebuilds them because nobody wants to guarantee them. There was a shop in Abbottsford that was offering rebuilt units for $5,000, they stopped selling them as the return rate was really high.

Many in that dilemma. Roll the dice on used or pay for new. 

[Fobroader]

I know two people that have been screwed royally by Nissan CVTs. Both have Nissan CUVs, a Pathfinder and a Murano from the mid 2010s, both have payments left, both do not/cannot afford to repair them. I wouldn't be rolling the dice on a Nissan CVT unless I was left the car in a will or something.

[Firm]

Man, what a mess. Opportunity for someone though, collect the junk cores, rebuild them and sell for $5K with a 6 month warranty. I say that having no idea how difficult they are to rebuild, but I assume it's doable.

[Bridgecity]

My last experience with a Nissan CVT was on a 2016 Murano. Beauty of a SUV, dealer serviced since new with impeccable records and only 140k. Yes, broken CVT.

Two options: New from Nissan or used. I went used. New was 16K. Bought a transmission from a recycler in Calgary with 76,000 km, cost $4200 for the trans and $2000 install. Sold the unit to an older couple and they thankfully bought a warranty. That transmission died 3 months later. My thoughts? The recycler sold me a transmission that A- Had way more miles or B- Was patched together. I called shops from here to Washington state. Nobody rebuilds them because nobody wants to guarantee them. There was a shop in Abbottsford that was offering rebuilt units for $5,000, they stopped selling them as the return rate was really high.

Many in that dilemma. Roll the dice on used or pay for new.

Thanks for the background Rev.  16k, ouch!  I'd be willing to pay up to 4k for a new/rebuilt that had some  warranty.  Anything over that and the car is gone. 

Anyone want a nice little Sentra with a waivering CVT? hahaha

[Bridgecity]

Man, what a mess. Opportunity for someone though, collect the junk cores, rebuild them and sell for $5K with a 6 month warranty. I say that having no idea how difficult they are to rebuild, but I assume it's doable.

Found a shop in Saskatoon (chain) that advertises as rebuilding them.  I'll give them a call and see what they have to say.  I'll also call Nissan just to see how high the price is. 

[Revelations]

Man, what a mess. Opportunity for someone though, collect the junk cores, rebuild them and sell for $5K with a 6 month warranty. I say that having no idea how difficult they are to rebuild, but I assume it's doable.

Found a shop in Saskatoon (chain) that advertises as rebuilding them.  I'll give them a call and see what they have to say.  I'll also call Nissan just to see how high the price is. 

I'd be curious what they say. I too found a few places that advertised rebuilding them but hit dead ends when inquiring. Even my warranty company was trying to go the rebuild route with no success.

[Bridgecity]

With regards to the Nissan Sentra CVT, I called Nissan this morning.  $8800 for new.  I then called Mister Transmission who advertises as rebuilding CVTs on their website.  Ballpark rebuild price is $6500.   

My brother in law is a car guy and is going to call a couple shops that he has contacts with and see if they'll touch it and/or what the pricing is like. 

I think I have my answer. 

[Fobroader]

With regards to the Nissan Sentra CVT, I called Nissan this morning.  $8800 for new.  I then called Mister Transmission who advertises as rebuilding CVTs on their website.  Ballpark rebuild price is $6500.   

My brother in law is a car guy and is going to call a couple shops that he has contacts with and see if they'll touch it and/or what the pricing is like. 

I think I have my answer. 

$8800, so for a Nissan, anything over 3 years old is a mechanical write off. Any way to swap in a manual??

[Bridgecity]

With regards to the Nissan Sentra CVT, I called Nissan this morning.  $8800 for new.  I then called Mister Transmission who advertises as rebuilding CVTs on their website.  Ballpark rebuild price is $6500.   

My brother in law is a car guy and is going to call a couple shops that he has contacts with and see if they'll touch it and/or what the pricing is like. 

I think I have my answer. 

$8800, so for a Nissan, anything over 3 years old is a mechanical write off. Any way to swap in a manual??

Anything can be done with unlimited time/money, haha.  That's not in my wheelhouse.  I can only imagine what that would entail.  Might be a project on a cool car, not on a POS economy car.

 

[Revelations]

With regards to the Nissan Sentra CVT, I called Nissan this morning.  $8800 for new.  I then called Mister Transmission who advertises as rebuilding CVTs on their website.  Ballpark rebuild price is $6500.   

My brother in law is a car guy and is going to call a couple shops that he has contacts with and see if they'll touch it and/or what the pricing is like. 

I think I have my answer. 

$8800, so for a Nissan, anything over 3 years old is a mechanical write off. Any way to swap in a manual??

Hmmmm....new business opportunity?   Manual swapping all these garbage CVT's from various car brands. Some of these cars are well worth saving, but no way to justify the cost to fix. Manual swap and drive for the next 10 years plus.

[Bridgecity]

With regards to the Nissan Sentra CVT, I called Nissan this morning.  $8800 for new.  I then called Mister Transmission who advertises as rebuilding CVTs on their website.  Ballpark rebuild price is $6500.   

My brother in law is a car guy and is going to call a couple shops that he has contacts with and see if they'll touch it and/or what the pricing is like. 

I think I have my answer.

BIL spoke to a buddy at a tranny shop.  They don't want to touch it, but if they did they said $6500-7500.

As soon as we find the kid another car it will be going up for sale.  I want to get rid of it ASAP as it still is drivable, no error codes.  Kid is driving it daily and for the most part its fine to drive.  I will fully disclose the reason for dumping it in the ad. 

What would you guys think a reasonable price for it is?  Its an SL (highest trim with leather, nav, etc) and in better condition than most 2013 economy cars, save for the tranny.  169k km on it.  My "hope" is that I can find someone that will buy it and has the ability to swap the tranny with a used one on the cheap.  I was thinking of starting at 4k and going from there.  Seems ridiculous, I know, but need to consider that if the tranny was in good condition, I'd be listing this thing for around 9k, likely getting 8k out of it.

[Firm]

Sadly, with the tranny issue, it's probably a $1500 unit...Figure someone has to put about $5-6K into it, plus their labor (assuming it's someone that can swap themselves), assume a retail of $8K, there's gotta be some incentive for them to do it.

[Bridgecity]

Sadly, with the tranny issue, it's probably a $1500 unit...Figure someone has to put about $5-6K into it, plus their labor (assuming it's someone that can swap themselves), assume a retail of $8K, there's gotta be some incentive for them to do it.

You're being far too logical Firm.
I have dreams of 4K. Maybe I can get somewhere in the middle, haha.

For $1500 Ill keep it and drive it back and forth to work until it dies and save the kms on my truck

[Revelations]

Keep it. Milk it for whatever it has left to give. Save yourself the painful agony of dealing with selling a vehicle online. You'll get flooded with offers of $500 or less (I think even $1500 is lofty), and the people who buy stuff like this are usually the seediest, scuzziest bottom feeders around. I find nobody wants to fix stuff anymore, even if its cheap, you practically have to give it away. Buyers will be looking at the same dilemma, buy a used trans (total crapshoot) and spend the time and money installing it, or buy a new unit.

If you happen to live near an auction that might be an option too.