When an engine fails, the damage is immediate, and usually very obvious through smoke, noise, and loss of some or all power. When the transmission fails, however, it’s very subtle and insidious, starting with slipping gears, a jerk here, a shudder there. The next level up will be a drastic change, no power will be given to the wheels. Transmission repair bills are highest in cars, and for older vehicles, the cost of transmission repair can exceed the value of the car (or truck). So a vehicle with a reliable transmission is worth its weight in gold. While cars with manual transmissions have become rarer in recent years, all of the ones on this list are automatic units.
However, the transmissions we have listed are all exceptionally different from each other, sharing nothing but their reliability and durability, really. We avoided new cars, as we did not have reliable data to verify longevity in those cases. Readers are requested to note that, obviously, not all vehicles with the same transmission get the same mileage; Because two vehicles sharing the same transmission can have different numbers. A used car’s personal maintenance, upkeep, and weathering greatly affect how well its transmission holds up. It is always wise to do thorough research before making a purchase decision, and thoroughly inspect any pre-owned car before purchasing. All told, here are five cars with unbreakable transmissions.
Read more: 5 Tips to Know Before Buying a Used JDM Engine
1995 to 2005 Tacoma and Tundra – Aisin A340
An old, dark green Toyota Tacoma parked next to a building with a regular taxi. – Hrach Hovhannisyan / Shutterstock
We start things off with the first generation Toyota Tacoma that ran from 1995 to 2004. Although Toyota had been making pickups before, the Tacoma was the first time the company named a model. First-gen Tacomas were available with three different engine options, including a 2.4-liter four-banger, a 2.7-liter four-cylinder, and a 3.4-liter V6, with two different transmission options, including both manuals and automatics.
We particularly want to talk about the Aisin A340 transmission, which can be equipped with all three of those engines. The largest V6 powerplant made an impressive 190 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque, and the first gen was available in three cab configurations: double, reach, and regular; with bed lengths of 5, 6 and 7 feet respectively. Regular cabs can also be had with a 6-foot bed. As far as the transmission itself goes, the A340 had a four-speed automatic gearbox that was first launched in 1985.
The gearbox shares Toyota’s legendary reliability, since Toyota actually owns Aisin, at least in part. As far as reliability goes, the Tacoma (as a whole) has a 25.3% chance of lasting 250,000 miles, according to iSeeCars. This is more than five times the average vehicle’s chance of achieving mileage on Odoo, which needs to be said about the Aisin A340. The good news for potential buyers is that even if the A340 transmission needs work, parts are cheap, and internet help is plentiful.
2019+ RAM 2500 – ZF eight-speed
A white RAM 2500 crew cab with other cars parked in the lot. – Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Many people have heard something along the lines of “this car is equipped with a ZF transmission”, and with good reason. What people don’t realize is that ZF is actually a company based in Germany that designs transmissions, and then licenses the designs to car manufacturers around the world. We dare say that ZF, which is an abbreviation of the company’s full name, Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen, is one of the most popular transmission manufacturers in the world. The 2019 Dodge RAM 2500 is just one of many brands to use an eight-speed automatic from ZF. We specifically included the RAM 2500 because it also ranks well in the iSeeCars study among vehicles that can reach 250,000 miles, with a 17.3% chance of doing so.
That number is 1.3 times the average for the pickup truck segment, which is quite impressive. Only units with the 6.4-liter Hemi engine can be had with this gearbox as an option, which is a shame, as it’s one of the most reliable transmissions of all time. In fact, we’ve even listed a ZF eight-speed—which mechanics admire a lot—before, on our list of the best transmissions ever fitted to production cars. As things stand, the most recent RAM 2500 models are still available with an eight-speed box from ZF, 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 ranks lower than the 2500 in the iSeeCars study.
2015 Dodge Challenger – Tremec TR-6060
A red and black Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is parked diagonally across a sidewalk. – Different_Brian/Getty Images
Dodge has long been obsessed with making its muscle cars the most powerful on the market. But, with big power, comes big torque, and Dodge (which is now one of the many brands owned by Stellantis) had to come up with a gearbox that could handle all that oomph. The solution for the 2015 models was to simply use the existing gearbox, which happened to be a 6060 made by a company called Tremec. This same six-speed, RWD gearbox is also used in other high-performance models, such as the Camaro ZL1 from Chevrolet. In both the Camaro ZL1 and Challengers equipped with it, the Tremec 6060 is rated to handle 650 lb-ft of torque. At its core, the 6060 improved durability by making many components larger, thicker and more load-bearing.
For example, some of the items on the 6060 that became larger (versus the older non-Magnum T56) included the roller bearings on the input shafts, the mainshaft, the teeth on the number three and four synchros, and the gear cogs themselves. Interestingly, Tremec has also marketed a souped-up version of the 6060 as the T56 Magnum, an ode (but largely unrelated) to the T56 transmission that was used in the legendary Dodge Viper two decades ago. Additionally, readers should also note that the Challenger is not listed in the iSeeCars study, but for all the points we mentioned above, we decided to include it in our piece.
2003 to 2024 4Runner – Toyota A750
Gray 2024 Toyota 4Runner roof tent parked, equipped with trees in the background. – Kellyvandellen/Getty Images
We’re back to the king of reliability, Toyota, with this one coming in the form of another Toyota 4Runner. It’s one of their five mid-size SUVs – and, contrary to popular belief, Toyota actually only makes one full-size SUV, the Sequoia. Back to the 4Runner; There have been only six separate generations of the 4runner since the model was introduced back in 1984, which truly embodies the brand’s “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” design philosophy. We want to talk specifically about the fourth and fifth generation 4Runners, which ran from 2003 to 2024 — so, more than two decades — as they used the bulletproof A750 transmission.
Many may not know that this box is also made by Aisin, the maker of the A340 that we introduced you to above. It makes sense – a very reliable car company is expected to have very reliable transmissions, and the Aisin seems to continue 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 manufactured by Toyota, which is an important distinction, as variants of the 750 are also used in cars from other companies, notably, Suzuki and Mitsubishi. Toyota A750s come in two variants, 2WD and 4WD, designated with suffixes of “E” and “F” respectively, the most serious problem appears to be solenoid failure. The design was so strong that it later gave rise to a six-speed variant called the AB60E with modifications.
2011-2019 Ford Super Duty – Ford 6r140
A red Ford Super Duty F-450 truck with black paint on its side was parked in the lot. – Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the next vehicle on our list is another utility-focused one in the form of the Ford Super Duty. We’d like to focus specifically on the 2011-2019 model years, since it was built by Ford itself when the F-250 shipped with the 6r140 transmission. Note that there was another six-speed Ford transmission called the 6r80 (that was also very reliable, actually), although the 6r80 was intended for light-duty applications like the Transit van and F-150. Furthermore, the 6r80 (and, unfortunately, the 6r140) would eventually be phased out in favor of a 10-speed transmission line, which had many problems.
And yes, the 6r140 was available in most of the Super Duty range from Ford, starting with the F-250, all the way up to the F-550. As vehicles in this range are intended to be workhorses, it’s no surprise that Ford sought to outlast these engineers. For example, the 6r140 can handle more than 1,000 pounds of torque, and has intelligent systems that downshift first when going downhill with a trailer.
That rugged engineering is a factor in the F-450’s 28.5% chance of reaching the 250,000-mile mark on the odometer, at least according to the same iSeeCars findings. That score is 2.2 times the average pickup truck’s chance of reaching that mileage, and interestingly, the F-150 actually performs less than half that average, with only a 5.9% chance of reaching that mark.
methodology
Silver RAM 2500 Promaster with white-grey badges, close up on a sunny day. – Dylanhatfield.com/Shutterstock
To begin our research, we first shortlisted several reliable car models, and then looked at the transmissions they had, and then, to narrow down the list, we did a few things. Say we want to include a transmission called “X” in this list. First, we identified the model that carries that transmission, and looked it up in AutoTempest. If the bulk of these cars were above 100-150k miles, that’s a checkbox.
Second, we looked at the iSeeCars score for “likely to reach 250,000 miles.” The third was to look at online sources, mainly garage and mechanic reviews, and some editorial reviews where they were available, preferably from writers who were hands-on with cars. Where a large number of models had the same transmission, we chose to go with the best-known or best-selling as applicable.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
