[eltorothedeep]

We have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with 175000 miles on it. At the end of last week, it failed at the end of a road trip and needed to get towed to a shop. The diagnosis is that the transfer case needs replacement. Our mechanic (who I trust) has suggested that we replace the transmission at the same time, for a net wallet punch of close to $5000. The trade-in value of the van in the current state is less than $2000, but this replacement will get it to be warrantied for 3 years, 100000 miles. Just had the timing belt replaced and the radiator leaks fixed a week prior to this breakdown. Is this a worthwhile investment? Are there any other big costs on the horizon that will put me deeper in the hole? Is it better to just get another vehicle at this point?

 

[Majafam]

Sheesh that price sounds steep. I'd try another shop or two for quotes on reman/junkyard transmissions. I would expect some lower quotes than what you've gotten. What are your options if you do end up junking the van? New or used? Sometimes keeping the beast you know is better than a new used car.

Just curious, have you ever changes you transmission fluid in your van?

Also, sorry about your van

 

[eltorothedeep]

Sheesh that price sounds steep. I'd try another shop or two for quotes on reman/junkyard transmissions. I would expect some lower quotes than what you've gotten. What are your options if you do end up junking the van? New or used? Sometimes keeping the beast you know is better than a new used car.

Just curious, have you ever changes you transmission fluid in your van?

Also, sorry about your van

Not sure if I would go new or used. I am in the "beast I know" camp at the moment. I have not changed the transmission fluid myself, but I have had that service done at a Jiffy Lube in the past.

 

[circus]

Five years ago my brother suffered the same scenario with a 1st gen Sienna. He gave it away... to me. After sitting behind my garage for years I finally found a neglected $400 Sienna, with 70k fewer miles, worth fixing up using parts from his Sienna. Didn't need much additional parts other than a new windshield and belts.
A lot of farting around but I had nothing to lose.

 

[BillG]

I'm not entirely sure why you would replace the transmission when you replace the transfer case. I can only imagine that they are reducing labor and garage bay occupancy at an increase in cost. I would think you can just replace the transfer case without removal though. Although, I can't honestly say I've ever looked at the repair process, as I've never owned anything with AWD. My opinion is that there is more to a vehicle than an engine and transmission, but if it does everything you want and goes everyplace you want to go with reliability, it's probably worth the repair. That said, at 14 years old, the engine will probably go another 75k miles with proper care and maybe another 10 years on everything else. But around 20 years, you will start getting all those annoying things happening (like your antenna grommet disintegrating) which may tip the scales. In the end, for maybe $20k, you can get a 2015. If it's a sliding scale between $20k for 2015 and $2k for 2006, for $5k, you can probably get a 2008 and if you add a couple $, could probably get into a 2010 and be driving a 10 year old car with a working transfer case.

 

[Roader]

You're right on the edge. Put $5K into a car that, after fixed, is probably worth $5K in a private sale? If I could afford it I'd probably be combing ads for a lower-mile car.

 

[floridanative]

Check around on youtube, I'm pretty sure the transfer case can be replaced without removing the engine/transmission. If your transmission has been well cared for (regular fluid changes), then I'd ask your trusted mechanic how much it would be to change just the transfer case and mention to him/her that it looks like it can be replaced without removing the engine (if that's what your youtube research finds out).

-Mike

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[jiantao]

I'd lean towards finding a cheaper repair, but a repair nonetheless, and keep the van.

Not an expert as to whether the failure of the transfer case may have damaged the transmission (I read about this happening on the Mazda CX-9) but if the transmission is fine, I wouldn't bother replacing it.

Transfer cases and transmissions aren't a design flaw on this car. I don't know what the market for used transfer cases is, but if you could get a low mileage one off a totaled car at a reasonable price, I'd go that route.

 

[xenon2000]

Like others recommended... get more quotes. But I would probably look for a used one to buy instead. I had this scenario with a different car that I owned for 14 years with 207K miles, not a minivan. But it was even more obvious to get rid of it because I could easily replace that car for $2500-3500 with lower miles. Versus the $3000+ to replace the transmission. The cheapest labor if I supplied a used transmission was going to be around $2000. If you look for a replacement vehicle and it's going to be way higher than fixing yours... then yes, worth the repair.

I really do try to go the repair option as I hate the searching and shopping process of getting another vehicle. Which is why I own my cars as long as possible. But sometime the repair cost is just too high. Good luck.

 

[bschwar]

By the book you have to remove the engine and transmission to ge the transfer case out. So why only replace the transmission when you can replace the engine too. Makes as much sense. On the other hand there’s really only one bolt that makes it real hard with the engine in. There are some good work arounds so I’d have him just replace the transfer case.

 

[long_haul7]

Tough call. If you're in the rust belt like me, it would be a no go. If the van is in really good shape otherwise and you know it's been taken care of from day one, maybe go for the repair. Personally, I'd have a real hard time forking over 5 grand on that old a vehicle with that many miles unless I was very sure it was rock solid otherwise.

 

[km3h]

I have a 2004 Sienna with 76,000 on it. The engine burns no oil between changes, which tells me it is in great condition. I like the vehicle and would check around to see if the job can be done cheaper. By the way, you don't have to remove the transmission to remove the transfer case. Check this video and the tow following. Tells you all you need to know.

If the transmission was working, there is no reason to change it.

 

[Birdman55]

I agree with those who are following the "fix only what is broken" thread. Not sure why the transfer case inerds can't be fixed... We have a 2006 XLE with 290k and the car so far has been bullet proof.

 

[km3h]

Watch the video and the one following it. The transfer case is a cinch to fix. I would not want to go through pulling one as I am 84, but back in the day I would have done it in a New York minute

 

[gordo]

We have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with 175000 miles on it. At the end of last week, it failed at the end of a road trip and needed to get towed to a shop. The diagnosis is that the transfer case needs replacement. Our mechanic (who I trust) has suggested that we replace the transmission at the same time, for a net wallet punch of close to $5000. The trade-in value of the van in the current state is less than $2000, but this replacement will get it to be warrantied for 3 years, 100000 miles. Just had the timing belt replaced and the radiator leaks fixed a week prior to this breakdown. Is this a worthwhile investment? Are there any other big costs on the horizon that will put me deeper in the hole? Is it better to just get another vehicle at this point?

your at 175k with 2000k in recent preventative. you know the car. buy another used car and wait to find out it needs 2-5k. it's a coin flip on just the transfer case or or both. the argument for both is connecting worn gears of transmission to new gears of transfer is not ideal and the new transfer will wear to match transmission. or, new transfer gears will just not mate well and have some play.

if your confident about the rest of the van ( no electrical issues, investment in tires/ brakes and rotors) go go all the way. 7k for another 100k. average per year padded 20k... 5 years for 7k. 1400 cost per year. your total 175k is not much higher than most out there on the used lots for 7500.

if you choose to just do transfer case i would still spend the labor on any seals any seals and joints.

you won't find another second gen with much less miles. next thing you know you'll be at the desk signing a note for 30k. fix what you know.

just left the shop today $3400 for my 97 f250 w 7.3 diesel @250k miles. didn't flinch. i know what i have a 4k truck that does everything i ask.

 

[Hot Rod]

Major mistake letting Jiffy Lube touch your car. They are not (nor do they care) going to use the right fluids for your Toyota. Fluid changes are so easy to do - you need to do them yourself so you know the job is done right.

 

[mdywv]

It's always hard to tell the future--I've erred in both directions when it comes to deciding whether to repair or replace. I will say that when my '96 Camry needed a transmission at 195,000, I didn't hesitate; the car had run beautifully up to that point, I knew what had caused the problem (it was me...), and was confident that it was still a reliable car. When I sold it a few years later at 240,000 miles, it still used no oil and drove like a new one. My last major repair on my former Outback was followed by a bigger issue three months later...hence the former.

Probably the key question will be your impression of the van's overall condition and track record. It sounds like you've just gone through some big maintenance, but it sounded like things that could be expected at your van's age. If it's been taken care of and has taken care of you, it's probably worth the repair to keep a good (and likely paid for) vehicle in service. On the other hand, if it's been becoming less reliable and this is just the latest episode, that might point toward starting over. I should have given up on the Outback earlier; I enjoyed it, but it had been needy ever since I got it; the Camry and our 2001 Sienna were both worth investing in even after they had passed 200,000.

 

[jiantao]

It's always hard to tell the future--I've erred in both directions when it comes to deciding whether to repair or replace. I will say that when my '96 Camry needed a transmission at 195,000, I didn't hesitate; the car had run beautifully up to that point, I knew what had caused the problem (it was me...), and was confident that it was still a reliable car. When I sold it a few years later at 240,000 miles, it still used no oil and drove like a new one. My last major repair on my former Outback was followed by a bigger issue three months later...hence the former.

Probably the key question will be your impression of the van's overall condition and track record. It sounds like you've just gone through some big maintenance, but it sounded like things that could be expected at your van's age. If it's been taken care of and has taken care of you, it's probably worth the repair to keep a good (and likely paid for) vehicle in service. On the other hand, if it's been becoming less reliable and this is just the latest episode, that might point toward starting over. I should have given up on the Outback earlier; I enjoyed it, but it had been needy ever since I got it; the Camry and our 2001 Sienna were both worth investing in even after they had passed 200,000.

This is a good point. Really depends on what you think the car will need soon. Which would depend on how well it has been maintained, and also what maintenance you have recently done. Every car has its common problems (some have more problems than others) but I would base these repair/replace decisions based off whether these problems have been addressed, and whether I expect more major maintenance items to be needed soon.

Just wanted to point out that sometimes, a car may seem like it's been needy (i.e. a car at 150K that needed an overhaul of the suspension), but once that is addressed, won't need anything major for awhile. So I wouldn't necessarily get rid of a car that has needed work in the past, if I don't expect there to be major work required going forward.

 

[andreas970]

It's aaaalmost always cheaper in the long run to fix a vehicle you already own than to buy a new one..... but the choice is really about if you want to keep fixing it. You know your vehicle best... and some just start going downhill. I have only given up on vehicles when they were so far gone that the value was under $1k and there was a repair that was significantly above that.

 

[eltorothedeep]

Thank you all for your informed and well thought out responses. In the end, we went with the devil we knew and got the van repaired. It has been running well since that time (only two months or so). Fingers crossed that no other major repair pops up.