Delay from park to drive

I've been talking with a guy who is selling a 1988 Buick Lesabre wagon that has 166,000 miles on it. He says there is a 1-2 second delay going from park to drive or reverse to drive before the engine engages. Is this normal or could it be a sign of trouble or future trouble with the transmission? He states there is no slipping of gears just a delay. What is the consensus on this?

 

It's not future trouble it's trouble now. It could be caused by low transmission fluid, or something internal to the transmission.

 

Here's the ad for the car: http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/4918397042.html
10 min youtube video of the car: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ujF92UsglQ

Is there anyone in the Portland area that would be willing to check the car out for me? I'm seriously considering buying this, but because I'm on the East coast, I just can't feasibly get out there to look at it. Compared to everything I've checked out here in person, and even most adds posted on here, it seems to be in way better cosmetic condition, but this possible transmission thing has me worried. Any thoughts or help with this would be much appreciated!

 

I would get some prices on getting the transmission repaired and price the car accordingly.
Also, how much to get the car shipped?

 

Looks to be about $950-$1,200 depending on who I go with. And through research, I'm finding out this is one slimy business so it is difficult to find a reputable company.

 

The car has a towing package on it, with electric brake controller and hitch, so I'd guess the transmission is well worn, driving around the pacific NW mountains and hills pulling a camper.

Also, he mentions in the ad that there's still an old oil change sticker that shows not needing an oil change for a while yet - sounds to me like the dude hasn't had the car that long and is trying to dump it / flip it.

I'd assume the trans is dead / near dead and go from there. A quick google search puts new / re-manufactured TH200-4R transmissions at 1500 bucks, probably less if you had a local trusted mechanic rebuild it (or yourself if you can do that).

 

The only trans offered in that car was a 200-4R. This trans is NOT suitable for towing in stock form. Assume it needs a rebuild and negotiate accordingly.

Note that a delay in engaging drive is usually due to either low fluid or a clogged filter. Either way, that's a sign of poor maintenance. Also note that the 200-4R is deathly afraid of hot fluid, so if there isn't an aux trans cooler and it really was used for towing, this trans is beat.

 

It is a old car so you can't expect perfect. For what it's worth my 87 Buick has a second of wait before the trans engages from park to drive or reverse in low idle, yet in high idle it snaps instantly, been that way since I got the car in 2009. never gotten worse and only this year the trans fluid is getting a bit darker/dirty looking from the brite red, time for a trans flush. I'll have friends crawl under the car for that, NOT a scam trans shop witch is about all we have around here..........


Member Rainer's ad on the forum. He seems honest as he mentions the trans.
He also mentions it's 166k miles rather than the typical seller who would claim 66k miles.

http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35649

 

If you can get that shipped for $1200, you're dealing with someone that needs a second look. Transport from coast to coast is normally twice that. Anything from Chicago west and San Francisco north is called the DEAD ZONE. Not enough transport traffic to schedule regular routes therefor the price goes up. Also, the cheaper the price, the longer it will take to get it. Be wary of how much of a deposit they want. None would be the preference.

 

Thanks for further input everyone. So it could possibly be something as simple as a new filter, more trans fluid or a flush? The guy does seem to be relatively upfront with info and problems. It's a heck of a leap to take buying a car you can't actually see and drive. I'm not necessarily in a rush to buy a wagon, but I've been scouring ads on the internet and ones posted here for about a month now and I've looked at about 5 wagons so far and all of them seem to need quite a bit more work than this one. Yet they are priced about the same maybe some a little less.

 

Unless prices have gone up dramatically since last August, I had a car shipped from west to east coast for around $1300.

 

Auto

Personally I'd rather pay more for something I can see, drive, and get home reasonably. Needing transported and a new tranny makes this one questionable.
As for the 200-4R I lucked out and found an unused rebuilt with new torque converter at a swap meet for under $350. May have been $250. The guy was putting a big block in his El Camino after he paid to get the tranny rebuilt. Someone told him a big block and a 200-4R don't work out. My gain.
Don't race or pull a trailer. Plus I always add a tranny cooler anyway.
Seemed to work in turbo Buicks.
Some say a 700R4 is junk too. Many pulling RV trailers for many miles.
Keep any of them cool and filled with fluid and they last. Even a Dynaflow or Powerglide. My favorite was an old Olds Hydramatic or Towmotor auto.

 

My 1990 Olds Custom Cruiser did the same thing when I first got it, it had been abused and driven hard pulling a trailer for a construction company. I did a filter and fluid change and fixed an issue with the carburetor and it was as good as new for more than a year. At the same time I've heard nightmare tales of 200-4R issues and burning them up too, so it could be a gamble.

 

I'd like to know details. I've shipped three cars coast-to-coast in the last four years, two from Nevada to Virginia and the other one from San Jose (all were wagons). All were inop, which I realize adds about a $200 premium, but the least expensive one was $1400. The 64 Vista Cruiser last year cost me $1700 to ship. All the low-ball quotes were unable to actually get a truck scheduled, so after a couple of months of frustration, I just bent over and paid the money.

It showed up a week later.

 

Will it make a cross country drive? How much you pay me to fly out to Seattle, pick it up, drive it to you, and fly home