some advice please

[markdyball]

we have a skoda fabia 2 1.6 16v 105bhp tiptronic  with an Aisin Warner 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

 

we have owned it since new (july 2007) and it has been very reliable, it has now passed 112,000 miles. it has been dealer serviced every year.

 

alas the gearbox is on its way out, we have a warning light and the local skoda garage says we need a new auto box.

the cost of a replacement is £2,300. 

 

we are in a dilemma, do we repair or get a new car?

we'd probably get a second hand honda or kia but really buying a car and driving it away could cost us £2,000 in depreciation!

on the other hand now the gearbox is failing, does that mean the car is on its way out so not worth spending such a sum on it...

 

any advice would be gratefully received. 

 

 

[KenONeill]

@markdyball - Find an independent VAG specialist, and ask them to quote for changing the ATF. I've known other "failing autos" that were totally cured by that.

[Ootohere]

@markdyball

The Tiptronic box has never had any service schedule since introduction to my knowledge, so probably nearly all have never had oil changes.

?

Was the technician specific about what has gone wrong with your gearbox.  Or was the advice / quote from the service desk staff?

 

Maybe @Tech1e could give some advice,

but what @KenONeill posted would be what i would have as well.

[markdyball]

Quote

thanks for your replies.

 

the gearbox is a sealed unit so has never had any fluid change.

 

the technician was specific, its a local gearbox specialist who has a top notch reputation. he said the fault was quite common and a new gearbox was the only remedy. 

 

Edited 13 August, 2019 by markdyball

[Tech1e]

Largely depends on what the actual fault or code is.

 

I have cured a few issues with a new filter and oil but largely these autos are pretty good. But that might be largely pretty rare when compared to manuals and DSGs.

[markdyball]

thanks tech1e,

 

my local skoda garage has told me in the past that our gearbox (Aisin Warner 6-speed torque converter automatic) is a sealed unit. how could it be serviced?

[Ootohere]

@markdyball

Over the years since i drove a Fabia demonstrator with that gearbox back when new i have read forums and answered posts on the engines and the Tiptronic and there has never seemed to me to be a common issue.

There are a few threads in the Roomster section.

 

PS

It is sealed, but can have the ATM changed.  There was no Service Schedule from introduction as i said. We are over a decade on from then.

Talk with the Master Tech and ask if he / she has worked on one.

Edited 13 August, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[shyVRS245]

You could trade it in on one of the many scrappage schemes available such as the Vauxhall one that gives you £4,000 for your old car against a new one saving you the bother of a £2,000 repair bill when your car is clearly not worth £2,000 at 12 years old. Other schemes are available with upto £6,000 off and of course you would be getting a new car warranty between 3 and 7 years for piece of mind. Plenty of 0% finance options available to right now, worth considering if you can drive the vehicle to a dealer and they should not pass your car onto another unsuspecting punter but send it to the car graveyard.

[Tech1e]

13 minutes ago, markdyball said:

thanks tech1e,

 

my local skoda garage has told me in the past that our gearbox (Aisin Warner 6-speed torque converter automatic) is a sealed unit. how could it be serviced?

 

 

There is a difference between 'sealed for life' and not serviceable and sometimes that distinction is blurred. Sealed for life could just indicate that there is no service schedule for that component, it doesn't mean you cannot physically service it should you need to though.

[markdyball]

thanks again for taking the time to reply, i just remembered that the mechanic said it was a valve body issue

[Tech1e]

9 minutes ago, markdyball said:

thanks again for taking the time to reply, i just remembered that the mechanic said it was a valve body issue

 

That's more than likely going to need a specialist overhaul then. A dealer doesn't have the tools or equipment or indeed the environment to do that kind of repair and warranty it so that's why they would have quoted for a new gearbox.

[KenONeill]

On 13/08/2019 at 14:30, markdyball said:

 i just remembered that the mechanic said it was a valve body issue

Well, in that case, if the ATF can be drained and refilled, there's a good (better than 90%) chance that's all that's needed.

 

I'm not familiar with Aisin-Warner boxes, but I know several people who found that was all that was needed with a ZF that the car maker said was "filled for life".

[markdyball]

wow, thanks ken, ill mention it to the skoda garage

[Tech1e]

It's one of those things. Do you throw some money at it in the hope it might fix it or not? It's the kind of thing I would do myself as there is no labour involved just the oil and filter. But beware you may well be in the same position but a few hundred down.

[markdyball]

many thanks for your replies.

 

i have an update and would like your thoughts please.

 

i took the car to our local skoda dealership (who have serviced the care from new and have been really helpful, now and in the past) and the fault

came up as a sensor/wiring error. he rang the contacts he has (numerous, in his words) and could only find 2 other instances of this happening.

he said he could fit a new sensor and it might work ("a million to one chance") but it would cost around £150.

 

a new gearbox would be around £1800. 

 

as i mentioned above the car has done just over 112,000 miles but its been serviced every year and runs great other than the gearbox.

 

your help and advice would be much appreciated. many thanks

[shyVRS245]

Probably worth taking a punt on the £150 possible fix than the cost of a new box. You may get lucky and the fault be resolved. Or you could take it to another dealer for a 2nd opinion.

Edited 20 August, 2019 by shyVRS245
wrong word

[markdyball]

thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated 

[UrbanPanzer]

and if it does not fix it, make sure you keep the "new" sensor if  you then replace the box and sell it on later, Ebay for example......might not get full value, but will recoup some of the outlay.

[mrgf]

...If the gearboxes are generally quite reliable (reading between the lines a little here), What is the chances of finding a salvaged one and having that fitted? Or scour the internet for good, high quality gearbox specialists who may either undertake a repair or restore/ acquire a used one? A good auto box specialist will almost certainly offer a reasonable warranty. Min six months, perhaps a year for a recon unit.

 

[Ootohere]

Probably as scarce as hens teeth but only one box needed.

I would recon that have the one that is getting removed from the car is the best one to have repaired and then fitted again.

It has a known history.  It just needs an Autobox specialist and not a Main Dealership Technician / Fitter that likely has never touched one ever.

[Tech1e]

11 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

It just needs an Autobox specialist and not a Main Dealership Technician / Fitter that likely has never touched one ever.

 

Spot on. It's extremely unlikely that most main dealers will have the tooling, training, facilities or experience to handle anything more than a valve block and fluid change. That isn't a cop out on the main dealer part or a reflection on the technicians, it's the fact these boxes are fairly rare and they weigh up the cost of tooling, training etc. over a sublet.

[Ootohere]

I really liked driving with these boxes. 

About 10 years before them i had a Fiat Punto 1.2 16 valve with the SpeedGear box. 

It was one of the most fun 2 pedal cars i had up to that point.

[Tech1e]

To be honest they work quite well with the 1.6 engine.

[Ootohere]

My 10 year old 1.6 n/a 120 ps Suzuki Auto can do 40+ MPG just doing 6 mile trips from a cold start and that can rise to 50 mpg on a longer run in 60 mph Average Speed Camera runs.

VED not high either.

 

Funny how things are not advancing much economy wise with engines / gearboxes in the real world,

to get lower emissions they are using more fuel.