Buy Neon with new coolant system?
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Buy Neon with new coolant system?
I am considering purchasing a 2003 Neon SXT with 80k miles for my wife. She drives about 10k miles per year.
My only concern with this car (after checking it out) is the transmission/cooling system. I am aware of the problem with transmission fluid and coolant fluid mixing together, so I asked the dealer about the car. When the dealer purchased the car, the transmission cooler and radiator had already been replaced by the original owner. After the dealer drove the car to check it out, the heater core failed and coolant blew all over the inside of the car. The dealer replaced the heater core and had the interior professionally cleaned. If I bought the car, I would put on an after-market cooler, but I am concerned about the transmission.
The transmission functions fine right now and the coolant and transmission fluid are both fine; however, it seems likely to me that the new transmission cooler, new radiator, and now a new heater core are a result of a mixture of the transmission fluid and coolant at one time in the past. So, in light of this, is it likely that the transmission was damaged and will have to be rebuilt or replaced? Would it be foolish to buy this car?
My only concern with this car (after checking it out) is the transmission/cooling system. I am aware of the problem with transmission fluid and coolant fluid mixing together, so I asked the dealer about the car. When the dealer purchased the car, the transmission cooler and radiator had already been replaced by the original owner. After the dealer drove the car to check it out, the heater core failed and coolant blew all over the inside of the car. The dealer replaced the heater core and had the interior professionally cleaned. If I bought the car, I would put on an after-market cooler, but I am concerned about the transmission.
The transmission functions fine right now and the coolant and transmission fluid are both fine; however, it seems likely to me that the new transmission cooler, new radiator, and now a new heater core are a result of a mixture of the transmission fluid and coolant at one time in the past. So, in light of this, is it likely that the transmission was damaged and will have to be rebuilt or replaced? Would it be foolish to buy this car?
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The transmission cooler is inside the radiator, so if the radiator had to be replaced for whatever reason, the cooler would have been replaced by default. IMO, it sounds like the previous owner replaced the radiator to try to fix a heating problem, couldn't fix it, traded it in and then the heater core went (the real problem).
If the coolant had mixed with the transmission fluid and it was driven around like that, it wouldn't have taken long for a major problem to develop in the transmission. The fact that the previous owner had driven the car around even after the radiator being replaced makes it less likely IMO that there was a problem with the transmission. Of course, that is all my guess just based on what I'm reading. Perhaps look at the transmission fluid before and after driving it to see what it looks like? Should be red at all times.
If the coolant had mixed with the transmission fluid and it was driven around like that, it wouldn't have taken long for a major problem to develop in the transmission. The fact that the previous owner had driven the car around even after the radiator being replaced makes it less likely IMO that there was a problem with the transmission. Of course, that is all my guess just based on what I'm reading. Perhaps look at the transmission fluid before and after driving it to see what it looks like? Should be red at all times.