Hi all,

I recently bought my first 88 Bonneville. I love the car. I bought it from my mechanic who verbally warranted that the tranny had been rebuilt. A week after I drove away, I had problems with shifting (up, then down). Mechanic thought since it sat for (I guess) quite a while, that things were just sticking. Then 6 weeks after I bought it (last weekend) it started up again. Monday it would'nt shift out of 1st and the tranny shop said $1,800.00. They couldn't find anything external that was wrong.

My question(*):

1. Does anyone think my mechanic is partly liable to help fix it?

2. Since there have been a couple mechanical issues pop up since I bought it, can lemon law apply? (Alternator bearings went bad, gas leaked from underneath when I topped it off, there'* a clicking that comes from the LF wheel area, vibration at 60 from the RF wheel and it pulls in that direction)

If anyone has experience with the tranny sticking and was able to solve it somehow, any input would be welcome. Cash donations accepted too

Mike

Lemon law will not apply. If it was a verbal warranty, there isn't much you can do unless he agree'* to fix it because he can easily lie in court about it. Sometimes it'* the price you pay when you buy a used car privately.

Thanks PB. I'm hoping my mechanic will do (what I believe is) the right thing.

I'm sure others have different opinions but here is mine. I would try the Seafoam transmission treatment and flush it out real good before I spent $1800 on it. I haven't used it personally, but I hear good things.
Even if that doesn't work, I would have a better transmission shop look into it, pull the pan and check it out before committing to an expensive rebuild.
Another option would be to find a good used transmission from a salvage yard or a member of this site.

Thanks bastard,

That'* kind of the idea I'm looking for right now. Seafoam has turned up in several other searches as well. Any way to force it to shift or figure out what'* really jamming it up. I learned yesterday that it was rebuilt in 2004 and then sat for awhile. But I don't know why. Any more ideas are certainly welcome and I'll keep you posted on how things unfold. Thanks again.

Mike

Does it stay in 1st only when cold or does it do it all the time?

My transmission was doing that, but only until the fluid warmed up a little and thinned out. The pump was going bad and it wasn't strong enough to create enough pressure with the cold fluid to force an upshift out of 1st.

One avenue of recourse is the Bureau of Automotive Repair, since you are in cali... http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/

Cold comfort for your mechanic and you, but I had the tranny rebuilt in my 90 four months ago, and I lost *all* shifting - couldn't even shift it out of park to get it up on the wrecker.

I had a warranty from the shop that rebuilt mine, so they came and towed it back, re-rebuilt it, and it is running fine again (for now).

Find out who rebuilt the tranny, see if it is still under warranty from them. If the mechanic was the one who rebuilt it, he'll hopefully check it out again.