Some of the small SUV's I have been looking at have continuously variable transmissions. They run using a steel or carbon fiber belt to adjust to engine demands instead of gears. I doubt that anyone outside the dealers has knowledge or parts on how to maintain and repair this type of transmission in the DR. Should I eliminate any vehicle that has this from consideration?
- Thread starter Trainman33
- Start date
CVT transmissions
1st of all brother, if are thinking Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4 or Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute. This is what you are going to get. The bad news: NO ONE HERE CAN FIX THAT. Listen, I worked with a Ford dealer and they didnt fix them there when they put it in the Ford Taurus for about 2 years. They were all ordered from the factory to be replaced. Real freaking ODD. The same transmission worked wonders in the Mazda RX-7 and Millenia, but in a Taurus/500 it was awful. Good news. They have been around so long they are quite reliable. But overall yea, man if you hold your dealers service personnel suspect then you should stay away from that kind of product. If it were to be faulty, they d have to order you one from Miami or Tampa or something. And then you d probably be without a car for a month.
That's what I figured about the CVT. Are you saying that the Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4 and Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute are the small SUV's most available in the DR?
I couldnt tell you what s most available in DR. I m saying that in the US, they are the most popular small SUV models and they are the ones that have the CVT trans. They are also the most dependable SUVs in that category. They used the Ford Escape Hybrid as a yellow cab in NY, the twin car the Mercury Mariner does personal limo service.
There are small SUVs that have your basic 4 speed transmission like the Jeep Patriot/Liberty/Cherokee, Dodge Nitro, Chevy Equinox/Pontiac Torrent, Nissan Xterra, Mitsu Endeavor, Toyota Hghlander and a couple Korean jobbies. But the same fact prevails that these are all computer controlled and either way I doubt that the people could fix it appropriately here were they to fail and need replacement or rebuilding.
I didnt list any European cars because....
Now I dont know where you live but only the Escape, Xterra and Liberty/Cherokee come with fulltime 4WD. The others are either AWD or 2WD. And if you buy a 4 cylinder expect that you will not have fulltime 4x4.
Are you buying new or "pre-owned"?
There are small SUVs that have your basic 4 speed transmission like the Jeep Patriot/Liberty/Cherokee, Dodge Nitro, Chevy Equinox/Pontiac Torrent, Nissan Xterra, Mitsu Endeavor, Toyota Hghlander and a couple Korean jobbies. But the same fact prevails that these are all computer controlled and either way I doubt that the people could fix it appropriately here were they to fail and need replacement or rebuilding.
I didnt list any European cars because....
Now I dont know where you live but only the Escape, Xterra and Liberty/Cherokee come with fulltime 4WD. The others are either AWD or 2WD. And if you buy a 4 cylinder expect that you will not have fulltime 4x4.
Are you buying new or "pre-owned"?
Between us - technicians- there is a saying: there are 2 kinds of CVT, those that already broken, and the ones that will be broken soon.
The idea of the CVT is over 100 years old, the problem is the technology isn't really good. You really need to keep up with the regular maintenance, actually change the fluid more often than recommended even with the gold-priced CVT fluid.
There is one thing for sure, I won't buy any car with CVT in the next 20 years at least.
The Hun
The idea of the CVT is over 100 years old, the problem is the technology isn't really good. You really need to keep up with the regular maintenance, actually change the fluid more often than recommended even with the gold-priced CVT fluid.
There is one thing for sure, I won't buy any car with CVT in the next 20 years at least.
The Hun
I will be buying something new. Some examples of the kind of off-road road that I might need to travel are the Hato Mayor to Sabana de la Mar road and the Sabana Yegua to Constanza road. I don't see myself really needing to go off into the wilderness though.
Good to know!!! I just sold a car and was looking for a CRV for my wife...
I don't know nothing about automatic transmissions.
JJ
Yea but remember what will you be doing when the road washes out? Too much power is way better than not enough. Look into that Fortuner, Xterra or the Explorer something like that. But like I said if you move up to a 6 cylinder you llget more use on those roads that disappear.