I'm having some issues with my transmission and seeing some used transmissions from local scrap yards for as low as $500 I was wondering if it wouldn't be cheaper and easier just to swap in a new(er) tranny.

I'm amazed how much some of you guys know and how fast you are able to point to manual references for repair procedures. Would anyone know if it's a huge task to swap a tranny on an '02 Grand Caravan with the 3.8l engine and the automatic 4 speed? I'm moderately handy and have some friends who know much more than I do, so I'm wondering if we couldn't do it and save a few bucks. I'm not sure the van is worth the cost of an entire rebuild and install from a professional shop.

Also, does anyone know which parts will interchange? I've seen some tranny's from low mileage '06's with a 3.8l and 4 speed, but I didn't know for sure if those are compatible with my '02 just because the engine size is the same.

Thanks for any advice.