::Update::

When my car slows down to around 10 mph or less, it slips out of Drive and into neutral.
Most times if I am patient, it will pop back into D otherwise, I have to put it in 2nd or 1st and back to D for it to work.
It now appears to happen when warm.
When I am driving, it shifts perfectly.
Fluid is at correct level and is pink.

This all started after I had to get pulled out of a snow bank. I pulled to the side of the road and my car kept slipping into the ditch. The more I tried, the further it slid.
I was bottomed out in the snow. What could that have done? Are there selinoids and servo valves that could get damaged??
Why would it work perfectly when cold?

I am taking it in tonight for them to scan it and change the fluid and check to see if the filter got messed up somehow..

So, I took the car in and they said it needs a rebuilt tranny at the tune of $1700.00. There were no codes he said.
I didn't pick it up yet, and the guy I talked to didn't know what was wrong with it. I will talk to the mechanic later to get the story. That sounds high for a rebuild.

OK, thanks. I am sad...thats alot of money
Can someone tell me what to look for or ask when/where I decide to take it in?
I want to act somewhat intelligent,
thanks

I might want to sell it after this..

$1700 sounds kinda on the high side to me, I just payed $1400 for my tranny rebuild, granted it is just a 4t60-e, but the guy said he would charge about the same if it was a 4t65-e too.

what tranny shop did you take it to?

Edit: as far as what you should look for in a trans shop, I found a place that is really known about by word of mouth, just a small 3 bay shop that 2 old guys run, they do excellent work. I prefer to stay away from larger shops like AAMCO, as their goal is volume, and their techs I'm sure do not see as much of the money you would spend then the independent shops do

I took it to a place called Engine and Transmission Exchange. A small shop. they offered a loaner vehicle. I took it to three places for estimates, one of them AAMCO. All same estimate around $1700.
I had a Check engine light come on for a day then it went away. It seems to be idling high also, I can notice the shifting more.

I am going to take it back in.

If there are no metal parts bad, it needs a "soft rebuild"
That includes the bands, gaskets and other seals, and clutch packs.

$1,700 yes that is a hell of a lot of money for car repair, but unfortunately it is about normal for the 60 or 65'*.

Now you just need to decide if the car is worth dumping that much money into.

What I don't get is if the fluid is clean, what could be doing this? Thing is, when the trans starts to burn out [bands and clutch packs] the fluid starts turning dark.

Unfortunately also, there is not too much of a trans that can be fixed from the outside.

yes 1700 is about the going rate anywhere from 1500-1700 is the normal rate my 4T60E HD in my 96 SSEi cost 1600 out the door

quote: impatient99
"What I don't get is if the fluid is clean, what could be doing this? Thing is, when the trans starts to burn out [bands and clutch packs] the fluid starts turning dark."

the fluid could still be pink because he gassed it too hard in the ditch. automatic trannys are very sensitive to over revving in drive gears, burnouts and wheel spins that exceed 30 MPH are major wear on the trans as a whole. i speak first hand in this issue i did a burn out on a stock trans and exploded the sun gear through the cast aluminum trans body. that cost me 1600 for a complete new re-manufactured trans that i added goodies to

ammco rate here is $2500 for my 98SSEi..with a 3 year warranty..$2200 for the base rebuild 1 year warranty.

It varies greatly by where you live.

Wow....I agree. My dad says they would do it for $1000.00 in northern Wisconsin..
Well I had it done for $1700.00.
Now I have a high idle. I thought it was something they did, but he said they don't go near the sensors. I will see if they are clean