406oc.co.uk

I'm going to look at a 307cc as a possibility to replace the one we have that's a lemon.

It's a good price but (because) the autobox is described as 'clunky'.

What's the chances I can get away with a few oil changes?
Or some solenoids? They're cheap but how much will I be looking at for labour?
Or is it going to need a new valve block for £400+labour?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsJBWWLtP7w

Just my opinion, but unless you really want an auto avoid like the plague.
Even a good one will cost you more for less satisfaction, control, driving pleasure, economy, reliability, (I could go on).

Agreed slushmatics are dreadful, but it's not for me, and it'll be the lesser of two evils compared to the current lemon 307.

OK, so it looks like the valve block is located behind a panel on the front of the gearbox.

The block itself is 'just' a metal block with a maze of channels and so doesn't really have anytihng to go wrong. Attached to it are 7 solenoids.

rwb wrote:It's a good price but (because) the autobox is described as 'clunky'.

Probably just needs an oil change. Probably.

rwb wrote:The block itself is 'just' a metal block with a maze of channels and so doesn't really have anytihng to go wrong

Until it all gets gummed up with ancient oil.

It's all a state of mind innit? I love autos but I appreciate that it makes some people feel like they're not in control and that there's a lot more to go expensively wrong.

Doggy wrote:economy

Depends where you're driving it, since the 80's most autos have featured lock-up torque converters, where in higher gears the converter is taken out of the equation with a solenoid. These actually benefit from higher gear ratios and can return better fuel consumption than a manual on a run.

Autos are progressing, there are also DSG gearboxes, which are kind of like a manual but with a computer selecting the gears in readiness for a gearchange and using two clutch packs to disengage one gear and engage the next (so they're easy to confuse and those made by a certain German marque have had a lot of problems, mentioning no names here, just coughing a lot)

Or CVT's, which have come a long way from DAF and these days are proving quite reliable (although people tend not to like the way they can hold the engine at peak torque when accelerating, feeling that if it's not screaming its tits off then it's not making proper progress.)

In my experience of reading various forums and watching Wheeler Dealers lol then many slushmatic issues are actually solved with new fluid/filter.

Anyway; be brave, we run a Shitrun with an EGS gearbox as a daily

My Welly car mathmatics suggest if you can blag another £200 off the asking price that covers half the potential repair.

Or buy Korean/Jap instead

Do Hyundai make a floppy top Auto?

Someone beat me to it. Good job I checked the ad before I set off.

Looks like aussiefrogs are the experts on the slushmatics.

There are bazillions of solenoids on the valve block and it seems that two of them are known to be iffy. Surprisingly straightforward to replace -- if there's enough space to get the front of the gearbox without taking the radiator out!