92 GS with Blown Tranny-What's it worth?

equium · Post by **equium** » February 22nd, 2007, 5:07 pm

My son bought a 92 GS several months ago. It's in very good condition. The ATX was rebuilt about 18-24 months ago; but now it's bad. It started with a clicking noise from the drivers side. It was coming from the tranny. Anyway, to make a long story short, I need to know how much this vehicle is worth so I can sell it. My son paid $2000 US dollars. Here are some of the specs i can remember:
'92 GS
1.8 V6 with approx 150 to 170K on vehicle.
Engine runs extremely well, very powerful.
Nice OEM aluminum rims with nice tires (lots of tread left)
Color: White. No major dents. Nose has small dent from previous owner. Some paint touch-up needed.
Sunroof
OEM Radio and CD player. Display is messed up-can't see the numbers.
Interior: very, very clean. No rips or tears in seats. No dash cracks.
I don't know what else to write; It's a damn clean car with a great engine and a blown transmission. I wish I had the time and money to do the ATX to MTX conversion.
I would like some honest opinions on what it's worth; should I part it out? This would be a very easy project car with only the tranny being bad.
The vehicle is located in Cameron Park, CA. 30 miles east of Sacramento along highway 50.
PM me if you like.
We are both sad that we can't keep the car.
thanks
Danny 530-558-5602

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » February 22nd, 2007, 5:28 pm

Likely you would make more money parting it out than you would selling it as a whole. However.. thats really only true if you dont value your time. There is someone on my local craigslist that has a similar car.. blown ATX.. I offered the lady $500 for it. The only reason I offered even that much was cause I have a spare tranny I can bolt into it and turn around and sell the car for $2000-$2500. And if you were 1500 miles north from where you are now.. I'd make you the same offer

Tunes67

mazdaguy25mx3 · Post by **mazdaguy25mx3** » February 22nd, 2007, 6:52 pm

If i was you or your son, i would just replace the tranny, i have had mine go out three times. i finaly did the mtx convertion and i enjoy it, it is worth the money i think.

equium · Post by **equium** » February 22nd, 2007, 10:10 pm

Thanks for the replys. I really wish I had the time to do the conversion; heck, i wish i had the time to just replace it with another ATX. Let me ask you guys this: just how hard would it be to just replace it with a used/junk yard ATX? I'm no stranger to working on cars. It's been awhile, but i just might be able to pull it off on the weekends. So, how hard is it? would I need any special tools? engine hoist, etc. Let me know. thanks
And while you're at it: if i was confident enough to tackle a straight ATX replacement, how much extra work would there be to do an ATX to MTX swap? heck, if I'm going to get greasy anyway....

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » February 22nd, 2007, 10:21 pm

The ATX to MTX swap is a bit more involved.. and finding ALL the parts you need is more often than not.. easier said than done. But, having done one myself on my GS (which is why I have a spare ATX tranny) I can say that its not really that difficult.. especially if you bribe a friend to deal with all the under the dash work. The pedal swap out is by far the most annoying & difficult job. Now there are different parts combos out there that will work.. but.. you may end up modding axle lengths if you get axles from a car other than your same year. There is plenty of info around this site on how to do the swap. If you spend a week of nights doing a bit of research and then are also able to find all the parts you need... you wont have too many hiccups to deal with.

As for the ATX replacement.. The ATX tranny weighs like 200lbs.. if your burly and have a strong back.. you can probably lift it out yourself (not recommended though). Otherwise a lift or come-a-long of some sort will be needed. Pretty straight forward though.. However.. Dunno if I would advise getting one out of a junk yard. Unless they are willing to give you at least a 6 month warranty on the tranny. Also.. if you do get one from a junk yard.. and see that the car has no body damage.. inspect the engine to see what else might have put the car there to begin with.. likely.. its tranny is bad too. These ATX's were designed by Ford.. so by default.. they automatically suck (Pun intended LOL). Which is why if I did get my hands on another MX-3 with a blown ATX.. I would swap in my still working ATX and sell it for cash instantly.

Please dont ask me to sell you my ATX. God only knows how long its life will be.. but I dont want to sell it to someone on this board and have it crap out on them.

Cheers

Tunes67

P.S. Look at all the cool little red lines.. this board does such a nice job of telling me how bad my grammar is

equium · Post by **equium** » February 22nd, 2007, 10:46 pm

Thanks for the info tunes67. So let me see if I understand this: the ATX lifts out from the top? not dropped out from the bottom? interesting. Now that I think about, I have a brother in law in San Jose that has become an expert in rebuilding trannys for GMC motorhomes from the seventies. they are the same trannys used in the front wheel drive Olds Toronado. maybe if I pull it and drive it down there, He could "fiddle" with it. I wouldn't be in no hurry. He's such a perfectionist, I just might get back a rock solid tranny. I'll let you know.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » February 22nd, 2007, 10:55 pm

You could pull it out from above or below.. You have to remove the axles first.. then unbolt it from the engine.. probably have to unbolt and remove the torque converter at the same time to get the tranny to clear the engine completely. Or you could remove both the engine and tranny as a unit.. if your approaching time for a timing belt replacement or waterpump replacement.. they sure are a heck of a lot easier to do with the motor out of the car. Something to be said for all methods here really.. just depends on what will work best for you. When I did my ATX to MTX swap.. my engine was at 92k miles.. and I didnt know when last the timing belt or waterpump had been done.. so.. I yanked the motor and trans as a unit.. did all the maintenance to the engine while it was on a engine stand.. and then put it all back together as one. The tough part if separating the two.. will be getting the tranny to clear the frame rail on the drivers side. You will need to separate them far enough that you can lift (or drop) the tranny cleanly. Even if you decide to take it out from underneath the car.. you will still have to remove all the stuff on top of the tranny to get it all disconnected. Its not brain surgery though. And the online shop manual might even be able to give you accurate procedures for removal and reinstall. Best of luck

Tunes67

2fazed · Post by **2fazed** » February 24th, 2007, 8:28 pm

Not sure about the V6 tranny. But the I4, I pop that out in a few hours time. Since you live in Sacramento, you have access to all the junkyards in Rancho Cordova(Sunrise Blvd). They've got a foreign PicknPull and two Mazda dismantlers there. If you go to Picknpull, find an Mx that has body damage from an accident. Then you know that the tranny is good. They will only charge you $80. If you go to the dismantler, they will charge you $300+. But they might give you an exchange policy if it's bad.

mowambi · Post by **mowambi** » February 27th, 2007, 11:16 am

id look on ebay for a new tranny

i know they are out there... with low mileage and warrenties too

xxxguineapigxxx · Post by **xxxguineapigxxx** » March 18th, 2007, 2:19 pm

to be honest....dont' get rid of the car, with that many miles on it it has plenty more to go. i would look for the manual swap, there's kits for it someplace that come with the clutch and all the things you need. or you can find a parts car with the manual tranny and take all the parts you need. it's a little involved but well worth it.

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » March 18th, 2007, 9:30 pm

I have never been to fond of auto mx3s. You can always part it out and make more than selling the shell.

NorCalMX3 · Post by **NorCalMX3** » March 21st, 2007, 2:33 am

hey equium, its cory, i looked at your mx-3 today! my dad seemed very intruged, i'll have an answer for you by tommorow. I really, really want it tho! and we're thinking that we might make an offer.

tysoe · Post by **tysoe** » March 21st, 2007, 4:49 pm

Heh, wonder if this is the one that was on Sacramento craigslist last week. I was asking about a sending unit over the phone and was really tempted to buy the whole car when told the price. Was worried about the smog test in my MX-3 which thankfully passed

If it gets parted I'd be interested in quite a few parts since the car is a white 92 just like mine.

NorCalMX3 · Post by **NorCalMX3** » March 22nd, 2007, 2:21 am

tysoe wrote:Heh, wonder if this is the one that was on Sacramento craigslist last week. I was asking about a sending unit over the phone and was really tempted to buy the whole car when told the price. Was worried about the smog test in my MX-3 which thankfully passed :)

If it gets parted I'd be interested in quite a few parts since the car is a white 92 just like mine.

nope, sorry, i just bought it today, i will be installing a manual tranny in it in the next few weeks, i've always wanted a GS. and now i have one!!!