A little tired of...

Uncamitzi · #1 12-02-2004, 03:32 PM

all the complaints and comments about the SVX Tranny...

My teal now has 120,000 on the original tranny... no problems with this one.

The pearl had problems that I'm guessing were there from the way the previous owner beat the car (after doing a little research after the fact).

I have and will continue to maintain that the vast majority of the SVX trannies last through the life of the car...
It’s the same with the rear bearings.

Why do we here at the network hear so much about trannies?
It's because a lot of people that bought the car, because they could afford a relatively low cost sporty car, bought beat cars with questionable maintenance records. Then they themselves go out and slam the car around thinking it's a rally car... , which also might explain some of the rear bearing problem.

I am not ignoring the fact that the 92 (93?) tranny's had some cooling problems. I'm also not denying the rear bearings are a little weak for the size and weight of the car.

It was designed as a luxury cruiser, not a dragster (no offence Chris).

I'm guessing that the vast majority of SVX drivers that are having no problems and drive in a reasonable way, will praise the car all day long and not seek out help or camaraderie that we have here on the site.

So... could we get over the tranny? And go back to talking about how much damn fun this car is to drive?

Thanks…
I now turn you over to our regularly scheduled program of tranny and bearing &itches...

ensteele · #2 12-02-2004, 03:38 PM

I Love to Drive my SVX!!!!!!!

And, it is FUN!!!

immortal_suby · #3 12-02-2004, 05:28 PM

IBTDT

Uncamitzi · #4 12-02-2004, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by immortal_suby
IBTDT

I bid to differ there?...

I guess I just don't do enough chatting...

n00b on demand · #5 12-02-2004, 08:11 PM

I only have one thing to say. Yes the tranny is problematic because the cooling is insufficient. One joyride is all it takes for something to go wrong or for fluid to turn color. Thats why i suggest everyone get a cooler...its probably one of the cheapest and best mods to make your SVX last a long time.

calisvx · #6 12-03-2004, 12:00 AM

i seem to read over and over that the tranny works great and lasts after you buy a filter and a nice cooler! then no complaints for a long time just do the regular maintenance and its great i commute to work everyday 15 miles each way for about 4 months now the tranny is great!

shelfy · #7 12-03-2004, 12:06 AM

at least 49k miles (and 2.5 years) on my tranny with no problems! who know how many miles of abuse previous owners put on it. not so much as singe flare or slip!

svxistentialist · #8 12-03-2004, 02:55 AM

The tranny was gone on my first SVX when I got it from Japan. Didn't know this when I bought it of course. One of the clutches seized, so it would not change gear, it drove in 3 all the time.

I drove the car for a year and a half like this, and it went OK. Little sluggish on roundabouts, otherwise no problems.

The repair broke down, and had to be fixed again. I have a thing about this brake band thing. I suspect those canny Japanese made them from knicker elastic.

Mitch, what I'm getting at, the tranny is pretty tough when all's said and done, I worry less about it now.

Put in a cooler, change the oil, check the colour and smell of the oil, all should go well with the world.

Joe

b3lha · #9 12-03-2004, 02:57 AM

I'm sorry that you are tired of hearing about transmission problems. Count your blessings. You are one of the lucky ones.

I'm getting tired of owning a car with an unreliable transmission. We bought an immaculate low-mileage car, and although we have put a lot of miles on it, we have looked after it well.

I am just about to replace the transmission for the second time in five years. The fact that so many other owners have had the same experience indicates a fundamental problem with some SVXes.

Just because you have been lucky, please don't deny the problems that some of us are having over and over again.

Let us &itch and moan because it helps us get though the financial pain that SVX ownership entails.

svxistentialist · #10 12-03-2004, 03:03 AM

The drag racing crew out there will agree that it is nearly impossible to break traction at the wheels unless conditions underfoot are mucky or slippy.

For those who are heavy with the accelerator foot, this means that the kind of energy that normally is expended in burning rubber off your tyres is channeled into and absorbed by the drivetrain. Specifically the gearbox, which is why it gets so hot.

Don't know if you could call this a design fault. It is something to be aware of though, if you are leaden of foot.

Maybe if we had enough power to break traction, the tyres would get more of a beating, and the tranny last longer? Eh?

The quest for more power to save the gearbox is on.....

Joe

[As in: Keep death off the roads. Drive on the sidewalk]

svxistentialist · #11 12-03-2004, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by b3lha
I'm sorry that you are tired of hearing about transmission problems. Count your blessings. You are one of the lucky ones.

I'm getting tired of owning a car with an unreliable transmission. We bought an immaculate low-mileage car, and although we have put a lot of miles on it, we have looked after it well.

I am just about to replace the transmission for the second time in five years. The fact that so many other owners have had the same experience indicates a fundamental problem with some SVXes.

Just because you have been lucky, please don't deny the problems that some of us are having over and over again.

Let us &itch and moan because it helps us get though the financial pain that SVX ownership entails.

Hi Phil

Is your box rebuilt yet? An 'itch in your gearbox eh? Mine too.

Reckon the rarified air in Utah keeps them cooler or something.

Joe

Landshark · #12 12-03-2004, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Uncamitzi
Why do we here at the network hear so much about trannies?
It's because a lot of people that bought the car, because they could afford a relatively low cost sporty car, bought beat cars with questionable maintenance records. Then they themselves go out and slam the car around thinking it's a rally car... , which also might explain some of the rear bearing problem.

people pay $1500 for an SVX and expect it to run flawlessly for 100's of thousands of miles......

i paid more for mine than most, but the tranny and bearings haven't made a peep, repair costs haven't exceeded $100, and its never left me stranded.

your miles may vary.

#13 12-03-2004, 05:07 AM

How did you have a high-speed spin?

Noir · #14 12-03-2004, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Landshark

i paid more for mine than most

that seems to happen all the time for you bud. hey i got this bottle of gatorade that i'm will to sell to you for $100!

SVXer95 · #15 12-03-2004, 08:06 AM

58k miles, no external cooler, I have a lead foot, no problems whatsoever. I do, however, change the fluid and internal filter every 25-30k miles. But that is the recommended maintenance interval. I bought it with a brand new Subaru remanned tranny. So it only has 58k miles on it.

knock wood

The bearings however are another story for me. I have had only one true bearing failure. I have had several others, but that was due to a collision with a curb and improper replacement after that.

I guess I have been lucky, but this has been a pretty reliable car for me. While routine maintenance costs more than say, a civic, it hasn't been bad. I now have 116k miles and keep going strong.(besides those bothersome creaks in the dash)