Newer automatic transmissions (especially on Toyotas)

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coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#874804 9-Aug-2013 20:50

stevenz: Lower RPM = better economy at a constant, or near-constant speed. It may be intended functionality.

A "service" can pretty much just mean an oil change, which means about 10 minutes "work" and maybe $30 of oil. Depends how reputable the dealer is.

If the ATF is red and semi-transparent, then it's probably fine. You generally don't need to worry until it's started to go well off-colour.

It's probably fine relative to what you paid for it, which I would hope was well in the sub-$8k region.

65,000 is barely run in for a Corolla engine.

Have you tried going back to the dealer at all? If the car has "faults" straight off the lot then you may well be within your rights to have it repaired "under warranty", but others can probably elaborate on this one.

Hah I paid $10K flat , including Rego, wof, band expander, full groom, and """"service"""""
It's a 2004 Toyota Corolla Allex, all electrics, auto climate, dvd player with rear park camera. It looks clean as hell, but I know that underneath a clean car can lie trouble, so i'm just being prude.

It's just maybe i'm not used to the electronic pedal ? It kinda jerks when i press the gas from dead start. Then there's the TC locking up early (i think) , because i can go at 50 km/h ....doing 1300 rpm ..and just accelerate smoothly from there ....the car never even downshifted.

But that's about the only time it's smooth though. Take off + coasting feels strange and binary as hell.

Yea i've called them. but they are in Manukau, i'm in west auck and work in Newmarket,Auckland.

i've texted them several times, no answer. I called them and the guy said the mechanic is not available in weekends and on weekdays it's only till 5:30 ... I get off work at 5:30 LOLL.

One of the manager have agreed 2 days ago to book the mechanic on Saturday to fix the bandexpander issue (the driver speaker doesn't work...I think someone must've forgotten to plug in a speaker wire or fried the speaker whlie installing it.).
But today I called him to confirm the time and he said "oh the mechanic has a family issue in Rotorua in the weekend, so will ahve to be monday, he'll come to your place"

At this point i've lost all hope and it'll be Luck if the guy will come to my workplace on monday to fix it.

If not then i'll shell out $40-50 for an audio shop to fix (or fkn plug in) the speaker.

Then tomorrow (saturday), i'll go to my local garage (decent one, KA Motors) and ask them about the tranny, maybe tell them to do a full W.O.F just to make sure. And look at the power windows.

Sorry if i'm bitching too much.

Just that when you spend $10K , you expect the car to be near flawless for at least 2 weeks.

The place btw is Vehicle Warehouse ............Dont...go.....there.

coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#874823 9-Aug-2013 20:57

blakamin:
coolcat21:

What I"m saying is, past about 40km/h ... if i let go of the gas and let it roll, within 1 or 2 sec you'll feel drag on the car ,...BUT...the trans isn't downshifting...the rpm is actually going down.

Mine does that too.. in old cars it would change up (and you wouldn't feel it) when you lift off throttle until the revs were so low it changed down. Basically yours is in the same gear.. like taking your foot off in a manual. That's what trans computers do these days. Totally intended as shifting more often uses fuel.

And if the fluid is red and doesn't smell burnt, it'll be fine. My BMW e32 has "lifetime" fluid. lol. Changed it in january... It's 20 years old and 257000k.

Oh so your one that "does it too" is the 20 year old bmw ? ......I guess BMW was ahead in the innovation department lol.

It's still extremely strange and uncomfortable though right ? I do feel like i'm driving a manual in this new car ...wthhhhh.

Like you said the cars from the past decades would downshift without even moving the rpm.

My fluid color is more like the one on the right : http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/attachments/2nd-gen-tacomas/82379d1293323415-brown-transmission-fluid-img_1020.jpg

And it smells like a strange candy.

I may seem to be paranoid/panicking here, but i plan to keep the car for another 4 years at least. (2004 is 9 years ago, but the jdm corollas are far more advanced than the international ones ....auto headlight adjust, auto-headlight on , folding mirrors, rear park cam ..etc..)

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#874829 9-Aug-2013 21:08

coolcat21:

Oh so your one that "does it too" is the 20 year old bmw ? ......I guess BMW was ahead in the innovation department lol.

It's still extremely strange and uncomfortable though right ? I do feel like i'm driving a manual in this new car ...wthhhhh.

Like you said the cars from the past decades would downshift without even moving the rpm.

My fluid color is more like the one on the right : http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/attachments/2nd-gen-tacomas/82379d1293323415-brown-transmission-fluid-img_1020.jpg

And it smells like a strange candy.

I may seem to be paranoid/panicking here, but i plan to keep the car for another 4 years at least. (2004 is 9 years ago, but the jdm corollas are far more advanced than the international ones ....auto headlight adjust, auto-headlight on , folding mirrors, rear park cam ..etc..)

I only changed the fluid and filter because the gasket was leaking! :D

That pic wont load for me, but if it smells like that, it should be fine.

The reason I drive the old thing is because it was way ahead of it's time! was over $200k new and I paid less that $2k AFTER I fixed bits! lol. The one before was 24 year old BMW 5 series and before that was 1971 mercedes that had 4 wheel independent suspension, 4 wheel discs and optional fuel injection! Euro cars are like what you say about your JDM, WAAAY ahead of the curve... they just take some getting used to after older cars and manuals.
I can't stand driving the Mrs' 08 Mazda 6 because the steering is too direct, the seats are too hard, brakes too touchy, tiptronic annoying, not enough horsepower, etc. ;P
And she hates mine for the opposite reasons.. It's what you get used to!

Jaxson

8041 posts

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#874835 9-Aug-2013 21:13

coolcat21:
Jaxson: Are you sure it's in it's top drive gear?

The OP issue sounds like it's actually in 3rd, which can happen on the Toyotas if you don't knock the gear lever over in the grove.

100kmh at 2500 , i think it's in top gear with o'd on lol.

LOL, yeah there would be some mean gearing at play otherwise ;-)

Sorry, I read your first post as meaning doing 40km's ish, and assumed you were talking about around town, coming up to lights etc.

coolcat21: "What I"m saying is, past about 40km/h ... if i let go of the gas and let it roll, within 1 or 2 sec you'll feel drag on the car" .

coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#874851 9-Aug-2013 21:36

blakamin:
coolcat21:

Oh so your one that "does it too" is the 20 year old bmw ? ......I guess BMW was ahead in the innovation department lol.

It's still extremely strange and uncomfortable though right ? I do feel like i'm driving a manual in this new car ...wthhhhh.

Like you said the cars from the past decades would downshift without even moving the rpm.

My fluid color is more like the one on the right : http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/attachments/2nd-gen-tacomas/82379d1293323415-brown-transmission-fluid-img_1020.jpg

And it smells like a strange candy.

I may seem to be paranoid/panicking here, but i plan to keep the car for another 4 years at least. (2004 is 9 years ago, but the jdm corollas are far more advanced than the international ones ....auto headlight adjust, auto-headlight on , folding mirrors, rear park cam ..etc..)

I only changed the fluid and filter because the gasket was leaking! :D

That pic wont load for me, but if it smells like that, it should be fine.

The reason I drive the old thing is because it was way ahead of it's time! was over $200k new and I paid less that $2k AFTER I fixed bits! lol. The one before was 24 year old BMW 5 series and before that was 1971 mercedes that had 4 wheel independent suspension, 4 wheel discs and optional fuel injection! Euro cars are like what you say about your JDM, WAAAY ahead of the curve... they just take some getting used to after older cars and manuals.
I can't stand driving the Mrs' 08 Mazda 6 because the steering is too direct, the seats are too hard, brakes too touchy, tiptronic annoying, not enough horsepower, etc. ;P
And she hates mine for the opposite reasons.. It's what you get used to!

How reliable is your bmw ? Logic suggests your mrs' mazda should be more reliable ?

Yea I was thinking of getting a cheap beat up bmw then fixing it up adding a few $$$ to it in total...but i'm still working to pay off my student loan...don't wanna risk it.

I thought that Mazda's from 2002 onwards have direct tight steering basically to mimick euro cars ...so wouldn't your bmw have tight steering too ?

I think you're like me, eventhough i'm still in my 20s, i prefer comfort over hard suspension, steering etc.

I just have to change this car's tires next year......i can't believe toyota would stamp 175/70R14 on a corolla body in domestic Japan ! it's floaty.

blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

#874869 9-Aug-2013 22:10

coolcat21:

How reliable is your bmw ? Logic suggests your mrs' mazda should be more reliable ?

Should be, but I do all the BMW work myself and would drive it around the country with nothing but adding some water!
In my old e34 I replaced the whole engine, tranny, etc all because the waterpump died! And that was out of a completely different model.. wiring, driveshaft, all different!
I'm nearly 42 and after playing with cars since 9yo (I had an older brother and helped rebuild a 327 at 10) I'm over it most of the time.. That said, I've replaced all my steering and suspension so it's like new!

coolcat21: Yea I was thinking of getting a cheap beat up bmw then fixing it up adding a few $$$ to it in total...but i'm still working to pay off my student loan...don't wanna risk it.

It's good fun... buy parts off ebay, but wait until you've paid your student loan.

coolcat21: I thought that Mazda's from 2002 onwards have direct tight steering basically to mimick euro cars ...so wouldn't your bmw have tight steering too ?

BMW has heavier steering, my spare 735 has servotronic steering... it's speed sensitive electric! and that's an '88! Still prefer mine to hers at 110 when a bump in the road can move you a foot.

coolcat21: I think you're like me, eventhough i'm still in my 20s, i prefer comfort over hard suspension, steering etc.

We went away in hers last year and we both swore never again after 4 hours. it's just sooo meh. Hard suspension is fine if the seats don't suck... give me heated electric leather any day! ;P

coolcat21: I just have to change this car's tires next year......i can't believe toyota would stamp 175/70R14 on a corolla body in domestic Japan ! it's floaty.

lol, mine are just a little bigger... 235/45r17. lol

coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#874910 9-Aug-2013 23:56

blakamin:
coolcat21:

How reliable is your bmw ? Logic suggests your mrs' mazda should be more reliable ?

Should be, but I do all the BMW work myself and would drive it around the country with nothing but adding some water!
In my old e34 I replaced the whole engine, tranny, etc all because the waterpump died! And that was out of a completely different model.. wiring, driveshaft, all different!
I'm nearly 42 and after playing with cars since 9yo (I had an older brother and helped rebuild a 327 at 10) I'm over it most of the time.. That said, I've replaced all my steering and suspension so it's like new!

coolcat21: Yea I was thinking of getting a cheap beat up bmw then fixing it up adding a few $$$ to it in total...but i'm still working to pay off my student loan...don't wanna risk it.

It's good fun... buy parts off ebay, but wait until you've paid your student loan.

coolcat21: I thought that Mazda's from 2002 onwards have direct tight steering basically to mimick euro cars ...so wouldn't your bmw have tight steering too ?

BMW has heavier steering, my spare 735 has servotronic steering... it's speed sensitive electric! and that's an '88! Still prefer mine to hers at 110 when a bump in the road can move you a foot.

coolcat21: I think you're like me, eventhough i'm still in my 20s, i prefer comfort over hard suspension, steering etc.

We went away in hers last year and we both swore never again after 4 hours. it's just sooo meh. Hard suspension is fine if the seats don't suck... give me heated electric leather any day! ;P

coolcat21: I just have to change this car's tires next year......i can't believe toyota would stamp 175/70R14 on a corolla body in domestic Japan ! it's floaty.

lol, mine are just a little bigger... 235/45r17. lol

My goodness, you're basically a mechanic. Can I pay you to do my oil change next time ? hahahaha.
Or maybe you can diagnose my car if you live in Auckland lol, since you love cars so much.

" It's good fun... buy parts off ebay, but wait until you've paid your student loan. " -- ..I'll also need a guru for that to teach me stuff ...ahem...you...ahem.

I have no space where Im' staying atm (basically paying rent to my parents till i can move out....my nerd job is actually paying me well enough but i'm lazy :D :D ) .....so i'm not really doing my own oil change..or my own anything really, but I know the basics of what's what. (maf sensor etc.)

"my spare 735" ....you have a "spare" car ? ..and it's a BMW ? ....are you an oil tycoon ? lol.

I test drove a mazda axela hatch 2004 (same year as my car now) ...auto, done 80k. ...1500cc......and man it's sooooo slowwwwww. The steering was heavy as heck. Granted, it felt more stable on the short motorway test we did....simply because it's heavier than the Allex and the tires were 195 compareed to 175 on my one .....but damn it was a pig.

I'm not sure how you have the balls/confidence to take pre-2000 bmw's on a cross country roadtrip with nothing but water llol. I guess that's the benefit of being a "mechanic", you really know your car by heart.

It didn't break down one bit ? seats were comfy ? how about gas mileage?
Btw, my fav bmw is the E46 .........best looking one in my opinion. .....E46-M3 ....drools....(minus the dsg ..because...eff that)

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blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

#874917 10-Aug-2013 00:11

coolcat21:
My goodness, you're basically a mechanic. Can I pay you to do my oil change next time ? hahahaha.
Or maybe you can diagnose my car if you live in Auckland lol, since you love cars so much.

Bwahaha.. Just an enthusiast with a will to learn ALL the things. I've done IT, truck driving and am now spray-painting!
Moved from Paraparaumu to Adelaide, so... sorry!

coolcat21: " It's good fun... buy parts off ebay, but wait until you've paid your student loan. " -- ..I'll also need a guru for that to teach me stuff ...ahem...you...ahem.

Read lots and play with something old!

coolcat21: I have no space where Im' staying atm (basically paying rent to my parents till i can move out....my nerd job is actually paying me well enough but i'm lazy :D :D ) .....so i'm not really doing my own oil change..or my own anything really, but I know the basics of what's what. (maf sensor etc.)

Take your time, wait until you have space and then get a project.. good for the brain and muscles!

coolcat21: "my spare 735" ....you have a "spare" car ? ..and it's a BMW ? ....are you an oil tycoon ? lol.

LMFAO.. my daily 730i was a bargain at $1300 and then I got the spare, 735iL, for $600

coolcat21: I test drove a mazda axela hatch 2004 (same year as my car now) ...auto, done 80k. ...1500cc......and man it's sooooo slowwwwww. The steering was heavy as heck. Granted, it felt more stable on the short motorway test we did....simply because it's heavier than the Allex and the tires were 195 compareed to 175 on my one .....but damn it was a pig.

I'm not a huge fan of them, but that's modern cars for you ;P Weight is always an issue!

coolcat21: I'm not sure how you have the balls/confidence to take pre-2000 bmw's on a cross country roadtrip with nothing but water llol. I guess that's the benefit of being a "mechanic", you really know your car by heart.

I pretty much know every nut and bolt on all the cars I've had (27 in 2 years at one stage when I was in my 20's and got bored easily), but life's become easier since the internet.. Really easy to google if you get stuck! I took a $600 91 mazda 626 from Melbourne to Adelaide 3 times before I moved here.

coolcat21: It didn't break down one bit ? seats were comfy ? how about gas mileage?
Btw, my fav bmw is the E46 .........best looking one in my opinion. .....E46-M3 ....drools....(minus the dsg ..because...eff that)

M3 I'd have.. other than that, I'm a luxo-barge person.. The minimum would be a 5 series.. e34 M5 is my favourite, but because I don't have $20k+ I'll stick with my 7 series and hopefully get the V12 750iL one day!

Good luck with your car, treat it nicely and it'll hopefully treat you the same way!

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#874989 10-Aug-2013 10:11

If you're going to buy a BMW, then make sure you don't buy "genuine" BMW parts, they're virtually all made by 3rd parties and you pay twice the price if the bag it turns up in has a BMW sticker on it. (Same as most European cars to be fair). Bosch make a good chunk of their spare parts, just a case of finding the equivalent part numbers.

I've a pretty low opinion of the local BMW agents when they "couldn't fix" something simple, so i fixed it myself in about 5 minutes flat, and without even bodging anything. Don't like beemers myself, would rather get an Audi if you're in that ballpark. (Or a Saab or an Alfa).

@KnightNZ

coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#875242 10-Aug-2013 22:12

blakamin:
coolcat21:
My goodness, you're basically a mechanic. Can I pay you to do my oil change next time ? hahahaha.
Or maybe you can diagnose my car if you live in Auckland lol, since you love cars so much.

Bwahaha.. Just an enthusiast with a will to learn ALL the things. I've done IT, truck driving and am now spray-painting!
Moved from Paraparaumu to Adelaide, so... sorry!

coolcat21: " It's good fun... buy parts off ebay, but wait until you've paid your student loan. " -- ..I'll also need a guru for that to teach me stuff ...ahem...you...ahem.

Read lots and play with something old!

coolcat21: I have no space where Im' staying atm (basically paying rent to my parents till i can move out....my nerd job is actually paying me well enough but i'm lazy :D :D ) .....so i'm not really doing my own oil change..or my own anything really, but I know the basics of what's what. (maf sensor etc.)

Take your time, wait until you have space and then get a project.. good for the brain and muscles!

coolcat21: "my spare 735" ....you have a "spare" car ? ..and it's a BMW ? ....are you an oil tycoon ? lol.

LMFAO.. my daily 730i was a bargain at $1300 and then I got the spare, 735iL, for $600

coolcat21: I test drove a mazda axela hatch 2004 (same year as my car now) ...auto, done 80k. ...1500cc......and man it's sooooo slowwwwww. The steering was heavy as heck. Granted, it felt more stable on the short motorway test we did....simply because it's heavier than the Allex and the tires were 195 compareed to 175 on my one .....but damn it was a pig.

I'm not a huge fan of them, but that's modern cars for you ;P Weight is always an issue!

coolcat21: I'm not sure how you have the balls/confidence to take pre-2000 bmw's on a cross country roadtrip with nothing but water llol. I guess that's the benefit of being a "mechanic", you really know your car by heart.

I pretty much know every nut and bolt on all the cars I've had (27 in 2 years at one stage when I was in my 20's and got bored easily), but life's become easier since the internet.. Really easy to google if you get stuck! I took a $600 91 mazda 626 from Melbourne to Adelaide 3 times before I moved here.

coolcat21: It didn't break down one bit ? seats were comfy ? how about gas mileage?
Btw, my fav bmw is the E46 .........best looking one in my opinion. .....E46-M3 ....drools....(minus the dsg ..because...eff that)

M3 I'd have.. other than that, I'm a luxo-barge person.. The minimum would be a 5 series.. e34 M5 is my favourite, but because I don't have $20k+ I'll stick with my 7 series and hopefully get the V12 750iL one day!

Good luck with your car, treat it nicely and it'll hopefully treat you the same way!

Thanks bud. I'm trying to treat it nicely though lol, but i gotta find out what's "wrong" with it first in order to do that. Hopefully nothing.

I find it very hard to believe a JDM corolla with a yaris engine done only 65,000 km would have a transmission problem.

It shift ok, but just when I press the accelerator it kinda jolts the car abit. ...Maybe it's the ETC.

Hope someday you can have your dream BMW

@steveNZ : it'll be years and years and years before i can afford a new european car lol , and even then, my paranoid senses will scream "Get a lexus instead ! Get a lexus ! Get a lexus ! " ..ololllol

mudguard

2113 posts

Uber Geek

#875985 12-Aug-2013 16:29

coolcat21:
I find it very hard to believe a JDM corolla with a yaris engine done only 65,000 km would have a transmission problem.
It shift ok, but just when I press the accelerator it kinda jolts the car abit. ...Maybe it's the ETC.

Google 1998-2002 Accord V6 Transmissions. 65k would be a miracle!

insane

3236 posts

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#875991 12-Aug-2013 16:46

coolcat21:

I find it very hard to believe a JDM corolla with a yaris engine done only 65,000 km would have a transmission problem.

It shift ok, but just when I press the accelerator it kinda jolts the car abit. ...Maybe it's the ETC.

TLDR,

I took a newly imported '02 Honda Civic with supposedly only 70K on the clock for a test drive once, and the CVT gearbox's belt's teeth broke while I was test driving it resulting in a similar experience. At first it starting 'jumping' on take offs, later on the motorway it just about melted down to the point the whole car was violently shaking. Managed somehow to limp the thing back to the yard.

The salesperson suggested a gearbox oil change would fix it... needless to say I walked away. Not all Jap cars are treated well before coming here :(

coolcat21

285 posts

Ultimate Geek

#876681 13-Aug-2013 19:02

@mudguard @insane .....Ha yea, Honda seems to not know how to make trannies during the 1999-2004 period.

But I think they're ok now.

So.....update guys , the dealer (well one of the manager) picked up my car from work today and took it to their place, fixed the drivers speaker not working (he said the male-female wires were loose ....i'm not an audiophile...enlighten me...is there such a thing, is it pssible ? ).

Also fixed the power window clunk sound .....he said they cleaned the tracks, it needed cleaning. All smooth now.

Now 1 issue left for them to fix is the small paint bubble on the roof. He said he went to Toyota to consult and They said that it's not rust but rather a "reaction" from under the paint. Could be caused by anything he said. So they (dealer) have agreed to repaint the whole roof in 2 weeks time.

In the weekend, i'm gonna used the money saved from the dealer not being a jerk by booking a VTNZ Mechanical Prepurchase inspection.
Technically it's a "post" purchase inspection....this is just for my piece of mind. (any of y'all have exp with these guys ? Any good or a bunch of nonos)

Because the car's been idling strange when cold (drops rpm gradually...then increases it abit...any of you have experienced this ?) ...below is a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi-HzAPDmH4

When coasting at a low speed, there is also a sudden small jerk (exhaust ? ) ..seems like it's coming from the back.

But otherwise , it got me to and from work just fine. :)

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