I have a 1996 Buick Regal Custom Need Answers regard. Transmission Repairs needed

charking

The car only has Only 88,300 miles on it, body is OK one small dent a few scratches, one cracked paint issue on front bumper about size of hand A/C needs charged.. Few small issues but does not leak, no tears in seats or roof cloth.. no cracks in dash. trunk dry..Engine is excellent and clean. V6
If its the transmission is it worth putting$ 2600 in it to fix the transmission? It could be the linkage not sure.
It would not go into park unless ER brake on or go forward or back a bit... then driving the other day it sounded like a car when its stuck spinning its wheels. Did not go anywhere. Was able to get off the road. No engine lights came on so started again and made it home going under 30 MPH.. now park is still hard to get into but R makes all kinds of noise, drive and other forward gears work fine. Transmission fluid fine.. Oil fine.. My mom died and left me the car, there is lots of emotional attachment but I don't want to put a lot of money in a car if its not worth it. It will go on the analyzer on Monday to check it out. My son who builds old cars, * he will not touch electronic engines etc * said mom its 22 years old and its just metal and glass.. you would be better off putting it into a used vehicle. If that's true I can do that but how do you sell a car with transmission problems.

imidazol97

Car is not worth much in dollar value. Your best sale might be to someone who enjoys picking up old cars and putting in a replacement transmission from the junkyard. But even then there won't be much money.

Your own cheapest way is to find a reputable shop that will diagnose the problem now with reverse and park. The fact it drives okay in D is a positive. I wonder if the park pawl is out of position due to linkage or something...

Has the transmission ever been serviced with fresh Dexron VI fluid and a new filter? By age it should have been. It would be due at 100K miles. If it were my car it would have had replacement oil at 40-50K.

If you're likely to not keep it, don't put any money into it. Just move on. Finding a transmission from a recycle yard with miles under 100K is going to be hard because of the age of the donor cars. Low mileage transmissions would likely have already been picked up by shops doing a switch. So you'd need a reputable mechanic who is used to doing these switches and will be able to get a reasonable donor transmission. The same mechanic would likely tell you to junk the car. Replace the transmission and the engine may give trouble next, especially if the maintenance hasn't been kept up through the years.

charking

Thanks according to the mechanic who ran the diagnostics on my car today, its my choice. He said he was trying to think of it like it belonged to someone in his family.. He said, Its not the linkage, its outside the transmission on this car and in disconnected position, he said linkage was fine. But he could hear something in the tranny. So something is broken inside the case. Then he said the fluid sparkles, * small flecks of metal? * probably... so he said if it gets replaced, due to the amount of metal, he would be concerned, even if they flushed the radiator that it would likely need replaced as well. Best case scenario replace/repair transmission and radiator? he said flushing might be enough but that was iffy.. needs plugs and coil wire replaced.. small leak under engine, apparently long term but never left drops on driveway. So YES I guess I need to let go.. the body, interior and engine are good.. so do you think I can get 500$ out of it? Thanks... Charking..