When an engine fails, the damage is immediate and often noticeable through smoke, noise, and loss of some or all power. When a transmission fails, however, it’s more subtle and insidious, starting with a gear slipping, a jerk here, a shudder there. The next level would be violent gear changes, ultimately resulting in a complete lack of power to the wheels. Transmission repairs are among the most expensive in automobiles, and on older vehicles, the cost of a transmission repair can exceed the value of the car (or truck) itself. That’s why a vehicle with a reliable transmission is worth a lot of money. Given that fewer and fewer cars have been equipped with manual transmissions in recent years, all the cars on this list are automatic.
However, the transmissions we list are all very different from each other and have nothing in common except reliability and durability. We avoid buying new cars because we don’t have reliable data on longevity in these conditions. Readers are reminded that obviously not every vehicle with the same transmission will achieve the same mileage; as there can be many differences between two vehicles sharing the same transmission. A used car’s individual care, maintenance, and climate have a large impact on the performance of its transmission. It’s always prudent to do in-depth research before making a purchasing decision and thoroughly inspect any used vehicle before buying. With that said, here are five cars with unbreakable transmissions.
Read more: 5 Tips You Need to Know Before Buying a Used JDM Engine
1995 to 2005 Tacoma and Tundra – Aisin A340
An old, dark green Toyota Tacoma and a regular taxi were parked next to the building. – Hrach Hovhannisyan/Shutterstock
We start with the first-generation Toyota Tacoma, which ran from 1995 to 2004. While Toyota has made pickup trucks before, the Tacoma is the first time the company has named a model. First-generation Tacomas were offered with three different engine choices, including a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a 2.7-liter four-cylinder, and a 3.4-liter V6, as well as several different transmission options, including manual and automatic.
We particularly want to talk about the Aisin A340 transmission, which can be equipped on all three engines. The largest V6 powerplant produces an impressive 190 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque, and the first generation is available in three cab configurations: Crew Cab, Access Cab, and Regular Cab; bed lengths are 5 feet, 6 feet, and 7 feet. Regular cabs can also be equipped with a 6-foot bed. As for the transmission itself, the A340 is a four-speed automatic first introduced in 1985.
The transmission has Toyota’s legendary reliability because Toyota actually owns Aisin, at least in part. In terms of reliability, the Tacoma (overall) has a 25.3 percent chance of lasting 250,000 miles, according to iSeeCars. That’s more than five times the chance of a regular vehicle hitting that mileage on odo, and that’s all there is to say about the Aisin A340. The good news for potential buyers is that even if the A340’s gearbox needs repair, parts are cheap and Internet help is plentiful.
2019+ RAM 2500 – ZF eight speed
A white RAM 2500 with a crew cab was parked in a parking lot with other cars. -Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Many of you will have heard statements like “this car has a ZF transmission,” and for good reason. What people don’t realize is that ZF is actually a company based in Germany that designs transmissions and then licenses the design to automakers around the world. We would venture to say that ZF (an abbreviation of the company’s full name, Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen) is one of the most popular gearbox manufacturers in the world. The 2019 Dodge RAM 2500 is just one of many brands that happens to use the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. We included the RAM 2500 in particular because it also ranked highly in iSeeCars’ study of vehicles likely to reach 250,000 miles, with a 17.3 percent chance of reaching 250,000 miles.
This number is 1.3 times the pickup truck market average, which is quite impressive. This transmission is only available on units equipped with the 6.4-liter Hemi engine as an option, which is a shame because it’s one of the most reliable transmissions ever built. In fact, we previously included the ZF eight-speed transmission in our list of the best transmissions to install on production cars, and mechanics rave about it. As it stands, the latest RAM 2500 models still come with ZF’s eight-speed gearbox, albeit an updated version. It’s worth noting that the RAM 1500 has actually been using a ZF eight-speed since 2013, but the 1500 ranked lower than the 2500 in the iSeeCars study.
2015 Dodge Challenger – Tremec TR-6060
A red and black Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat was parked diagonally on the sidewalk. – Different_brian/Getty Images
Dodge has long focused on making its muscle cars the most powerful on the market. But with all the power came lots of torque, and Dodge (now one of many brands under the Stellantis umbrella) had to design a transmission that could handle it all. Its solution for the 2015 models was to simply use an existing gearbox, which eventually became the 6060, built by a company called Tremec. The same six-speed RWD transmission is used in other high-performance models, such as Chevrolet’s Camaro ZL1. In the Camaro ZL1 and Challenger equipped with it, the Tremec 6060 is rated at 650 pound-feet of torque. Basically, 6060 improves durability by making many components larger, thicker, and more load-bearing.
For example, some parts on the 6060 are larger (compared to the old non-Magnum T56), including the roller bearings on the input shaft, the main shaft, the teeth on synchronizers three and four, and the gears themselves. Interestingly, Tremec also launched a beefed-up version of the 6060, the T56 Magnum, which may be an ode to the T56 gearbox used in the legendary Dodge Viper two decades ago (but is largely unrelated). Additionally, readers should also note that Challenger was not listed in the iSeeCars study, but considering all the points we mentioned above, we decided to include it in our article.
2003-2024 4Runner – Toyota A750
A gray 2024 Toyota 4Runner is parked on a rooftop tent with trees in the background. -Kellyvandellen/Getty Images
We’re back to the reliability king, Toyota, with its next model, the Toyota 4Runner. It’s one of five midsize SUVs from Toyota, and contrary to popular belief, Toyota actually only makes one full-size SUV, and that’s the Sequoia. Back to the 4Runner; since its introduction in 1984, the 4runner has only had six different generations, truly embodying the brand’s “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” design philosophy. We particularly want to talk about the fourth and fifth generation 4runner, which ran from 2003 to 2024, that is, over twenty years, because they used the bulletproof A750 transmission.
Many people may not realize that this box is also made by Aisin, and the A340 we introduced above is made by Aisin. It makes sense – a very reliable car company should have a very reliable transmission, and Aisin appears to be continuing to deliver, at least according to owners on forums like Toyota-4runner.org. As far as the unit itself goes, the 750 is actually branded and produced by Toyota, which is an important distinction since variants of the 750 are also used in cars from other companies, notably Suzuki and Mitsubishi. The Toyota A750 comes in two models: 2WD and 4WD, named with the suffixes “E” and “F” respectively. The most serious problem seems to be a faulty solenoid valve. The design was so robust that a six-speed variant was later spawned, albeit slightly modified, called the AB60E.
2011-2019 Ford Super Duty – Ford 6r140
A red Ford Super Duty F-450 truck was parked in the parking lot, along with a black truck. -Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the next car on our list is another utility-focused model, the Ford Super Duty. We particularly wanted to focus on the 2011-2019 model years because at that time the F-250 was equipped with Ford’s own 6r140 transmission. Note that there is another six-speed Ford transmission called the 6r80 (which is actually quite reliable too), although the 6r80 is intended for light-duty applications like transport vans and the F-150. Furthermore, the 6r80 (and, unfortunately, the 6r140) would eventually be phased out and replaced by a 10-speed gearbox, which had its own set of problems.
Yes, most of Ford’s Super Duty lineup, starting with the F-250 and all the way up to the behemoth F-550, is equipped with the 6r140. Given that this series of vehicles is intended to be workhorses, it’s no surprise that Ford designed these vehicles to last a long time. For example, the 6r140 can handle over 1,000 pounds of torque and has a smart system that downshifts early when the trailer is going downhill.
Rugged engineering may be a factor in the F-450’s 28.5 percent chance of hitting the 250,000-mile mark on the odometer, at least according to the same survey from iSeeCars. That score is 2.2 times the average pickup truck’s chance of hitting that mileage, and interestingly, the F-150’s performance is actually half as bad as average, with just a 5.9 percent chance of hitting that score.
methodology
Silver RAM 2500 ProMaster badge on a white and gray vehicle on a sunny day, close-up. – Dylanhatfield.com/Shutterstock
To start our research, we first made a list of several reliable models, then looked at the transmissions they had, and then, to narrow down the list, we did a few things. Let’s say we want to include a transport named “X” in this list. First, we identified a vehicle equipped with this transmission and looked it up on AutoTempest. If a large number of these cars have more than 100-150,000 miles, select the first box.
Next, we looked at iSeeCars’ “Probability of Reaching 250,000 Miles” score. The third is to look at online sources, primarily garage and mechanical reviews, as well as some available editorial reviews, preferably from authors who have personally used the car. If there are a large number of models with the same gearbox, we choose the most famous or best-selling model (if applicable).
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Read the original article on SlashGear.