tomcruise12354

I recently got my car totalled, so I bought a cheap car to hold me over till I get a job (may have not been the best of choice). I couldn't get a nicer car because i'm collecting unemployment. I ended up buying a 1999 firebird v6 3.8 automatic 4l60e with 222,000 miles for 2100 nj tax etc came to 2465. The car came with tons of problems, some I fixed.

The major problems the Mechanic said was the transmission.

Now comes the problem, a junkyard near me is selling a used 1999 4l60e 3.8 12,000 miles (well they said) transmission for 600 dollars, but I have some concerns?

They told me this

comes with a 45 day warranty
Stays in their buliding, not outside

I have No telling how long it's been sitting there, the transmission is 14 years old too.

Now a transmission shop offered to rebuild the the transmission for 1200-1400 or more
plus a 1 year warranty.

i'm not rich as it is so I really don't know what route to take?

mrvedit

I would consider the junkyard trans, but would inspect it as follows:
1. Check the input shaft end play - with the trans laying flat, pull and push on the input shaft; you should feel a little play, technically between .015 and .030. With strong hands you should be able to turn the input shaft too.
2. If you can find a yoke (junkyard should have one), install it onto the output shaft, take the selector out of [P]ark and try turning the yoke by hand. It should turn with only moderate effort in one direction and with 3 times more effort in the other direction. There should be no noises other than the "Shhh" of friction disks moving over each other.
3. Roll it upside down and remove the pan to inspect the fluid. It should look relatively new and not have a lot of cloudiness in it. If there are magnets on the pan, check that there is no more than a modest amount of fine powder. Put the pan back on.

That should give you a basic go or no-go decision.

Perhaps someone else can give you more things to check at the junkyard.