I have decided that I want a ap1. After reading and researching quite extensively through this forum I have become aware of the transmission problems that the ap1's have had (early ones to be particular) and also of the 4th cylinder porblems due to the banjo bolts. Ideally I would simply purchase a 2003, but a 2001 is more affordable for me with the milage and condition that I am looking for. I am planning on tracking this car so I would have the banjo bolts replaced, so thats not a real problem at all because a bunch of my friends are great mechanics. But the only thing that worries me is the transmission then. I drive a 2003 civic si right now and yeah, sometimes the trans is a little notchy from 1st to 2nd, but its not big deal at all. Are people more often then not complaining that the transmission is bad and defective because of a slight grind here and there or a notchy shift sometimes?? It could be from driver error as well Im thinking too. I dont hear about people blowing there trans evere really. Alot of people on this forum have made the 2000 and 2001 ap1s out to be a bad car. I like the interior colors and style of the 2000 and 2001 the best out of the ap1s, but just the transmission complaints worry me a bit. I cant imagine that Honda would have made such a faulty product like people claim here on this forum. So lets hear from some long term old school s2k owneres out there.

And lasty what is the going rate for used transmission assuming mine would break? Do ap1 owners replace them with ap2 transmissions, or just get 02-03 ap1 transmissions?

 

There's nothing wrong with the durability of the transmission; the notchy 2nd gear and some people report 3rd is just something you have to accept. You can mess around with tranny oils; some people swear by different stuff. The only thing that isn't as durable as it should be is the rear diff from what I understand, but from my understanding that problem only reals from an exuberant number of harsh launches. Infact the s2k tranny has been rated as one of the best trannies (at least in the past; I don't know where it stands in comparison to 2010 trannies or some in the last 2-3 years).

If that's your main fear, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Unless of course the car you pick has been driven poorly

 

Yeah, AP1 transmission is pretty solid, there were some minor TSBs for 5th gear, but that's a greasing issue. Clutch buzz is an early issue, but not dangerous to the transmission.

The biggest AP1 issues were the banjo bolts and spark plugs. If you are on top of those, you should be fine.

 

Agreed- Before I bought my S I was obviously researching all the aspects of them and don't remember reading much about bad trannies. You should be good to go man! They're fun cars.

 

There's nothing wrong with the trans on my 03 with 106k miles. It started getting notchy at about 90k but that went away when I switched to Redline trans fluid.

 

What's so bad about owning an AP2?

 

Do you really want to start up one of those idiotic AP2>AP1 threads? Can't you just accept the fact that the OP has read and researched extensively and decided on an AP1?

 

Nothing at all.... and here we go.....

 

i just don't think its in the OP's budget is all. they mentioned something bout 01' being more affordable to him

 

that is always the real case. they use the 9k redline to justify it.