What new vehicles are available WITHOUT a sealed transmission?

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Jun 15, 2021
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I am in the market for a new family hauler... I am not a mechanic by any means, but I can swap out basic parts, and have always done my own maintenance. My wife wants a newer vehicle, but all the one we have looked at come with sealed transmissions, sans dipstick. Although I understand it can be done, I am disinclined to mess with a sealed transmission at home... the dealer tells me not to worry about it... it will last a lifetime... sure I think... the lifetime of the transmission, which could be extended by regular fluid changes... it reminds me of the old joke: How far can we get on one engine? All the way to the scene of the crash!

Not looking for a debate on the trend toward sealed transmissions... just looking for advice on a new car or SUV that still has the old style pan, owner serviceable filter, dipstick, and under hood fill tube. Bonus points if the pan comes with a drain plug!

Does anything like this exist, or am I doomed to be disappointed?

Thank You...
 
Current Hondas don’t have a dipstick but fluid changes are possible and not too difficult. Two ports in the transmission: one to drain and one to refill and check fluid level. I have my CVT serviced (embarrassingly) by the dealer every 30k or so.
 
get with the times

filling from the bottom is not difficult
Perhaps it is not "difficult" in absolute terms, but it is "more difficult" than quickly checking the level, color, and smell of the ATF (all of which can be done from under the hood with the dipstick) or pulling the pan plug, letting the pan drain, and refilling through the dipstick tube with the same amount of ATF as drained out.

As I get older, I am all about things that make my life easier, not more time consuming.

I saw one model that required removal of a tire, and plastic shields just to access the transmission flush and fill ports.

I am not saying the sealed transmission is bad, I just do not want it on my new car... call me an anachronism, but I prefer easier user access to fluids and serviceable items rather than more difficult. That is only my opinion, and of course reasonable minds can differ. Perhaps my Grand Marquis has spoiled me, but that engine compartment is cavernous, and one can reach almost everything.

@slacktide_bitog ... I think I saw the model with the dipstick tube... but no dipstick... I left scratching my head at that one.
 
9th gen hondas (and maybe current hondas as well) have extremely simple CVT transmission services, the drain plug is right there, and is ULTRA easy to get to. (it's right by the oil drain plug, all you need is a 3/8 rachet) takes 3.9qts, fill port is not obscured at all.
no dip stick, but it's easy enough to measure.
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You are doomed to be disappointed. This, coming from a guy who ordered his last new car 8 years ago with roll up windows.

Heck, it's getting difficult to find small to medium cars without CVT's.
 
get with the times

filling from the bottom is not difficult
And sometimes, transmissions with a fill plug... access to the fill plug makes more difficult to fill than bottom filling.

The shops that has serviced my transmission have a "pressure bleeder" made for filling transmissions.
 
Technology isn’t a bad thing per se.

The sealed Aisin transmission on my Tundra isn’t hard to service. To set the level is actually easier than on a dipstick transmission. I can’t check it compulsively, but I can check it accurately.

It’s smooth, handles the torque, and doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance.

The fluid exchange I did on it was actually easier than on the three dipstick Aisin transmission cars I own, because getting the level correct was a piece of cake with the standpipe set up.

If you’re going to go curmudgeon on us, let me humbly suggest that you should avoid automatics. You should get a manual transmission.

And it should be one without synchromesh.

You do know how to double clutch a non-synchro gearbox, don’t you?
 
The pentastar 3.6 has a fill tube with a use once cap. The new caps are about 2 bucks apiece. You use a cable style graduated aftermarket dipstick. When new, at cold undriven condition, insert said dipstick and file a notch at that level. Drive until hot and file another notch for that level. The pan can be replaced at first service with a pan with drain plug, they are inexpensive. There is a traditional filter held in by two or three screws iirc. The factory sealed cap sometimes can be re-used if you are gentle when removing. Many youtube videos covering this very topic. I am unsure if there are other manufacturers that do this on orther transmissions.
 
That's how my MB works - tube installed, sealed cap. But it's not a dipstick - that's a "special service tool" that you use to check the level.
 
If you’re going to go curmudgeon on us, let me humbly suggest that you should avoid automatics. You should get a manual transmission.
This is my curmudgeon level today...

@Astro14 I fully admit I am the old man... fighting the inexorable march of technology in the guise of "progress"... somedays I am more Abe Simpson than others...

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You're the one yelling at the cloud, by starting this thread trying to avoid new technology.

I have a couple sealed transmissions. I'm good.

I'm not yelling at a cloud when I suggest that you keep up with the times, you might find that technology is OK...

You might like the double bonus on the sealed transmission: TWO drain plugs.
 
I have taken to dump and fill my bottom filled transmissions. I measure what is drained and refill through the top filter housing when I do service. No relearn, no temperature dependant spilling of the extra liter or so they have you add for a factory style service. Made me angry to be throwing away that 17 bucks in a waste barrel.No sump filters on these VW DCT's or the Aisin 09M/G I regularly service.
 
That's how my MB works - tube installed, sealed cap. But it's not a dipstick - that's a "special service tool" that you use to check the level.
now resigned to the history books and replaced with a fill port with the 7g and later. i used to have the special dipstick tool for the engine too

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