Prizm 3-speed vs 4-speed auto trans

How can I tell if the auto trans is 3 or 4 speed in a 90's Geo Prizm or Chevy Prizm ???

I test drove a 94 Geo Prizm yesterday. The owner didn't know if it was 3 or 4 speed. The rpms were 2500 at about 60 mph.

Thanks

Reply to
caprice85
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Count how many times it shifts. Watch the tach and see how many times the needle drops under full acceleration.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

You couldn't count the shfts while you drove it?

Reply to
Mike Marlow

And, remember that the last 'rpm drop' may be a TCC lockup rather than a gear change.

OTOH, what difference does it make -- does the car meet your needs?

-- pj

Reply to
pj

The seller claimed he got 32 mpg on his commute, mostly highway. I am looking for 35 mpg or better. Looking for perfection? Possibly.

The seller was in the car during the test drive, puutting the a/c on, talking, etc and making careful observation of the car difficult. At first I thought I heard and felt it drop into fourth ( OD), but then later it didn't do it again. Also, the tach was up to 3,000 at highway speed at one point ( 65, 70 mph???) DUe to a/c being on ?

All these variables..... That's why I was looking for an way way to know about the trans. ( Like a certain number in the VIN, some indicator on the gearshift, etc)

The 4 speed auto trans is supposed to get significantly better mpg than the 3 speed. 4 speed =3D 36 hiway, 3 speed =3D only 30 mpg hiway, according to a government website.

btw, I've been frustrated trying to find a used car in decent shape that gets over 35 mpg hiway. They all seem to have the 3 speed auto trans !!! Although the 4 speed is supposed to be more common.

I drive 80 miles a day to work, which comes out to 4 grand a year in gas at $4 a gal. Either I need to get work closer to home, get a high mpg car ( my current car is great except it only gets 21 hiway) or I need to start loving the Exxon/ Mobil cartel.

Reply to
caprice85
*************************** AC should not affect RPM. Given the final drive ratio of some of the smaller engines, 3k at 70 sounds about right. My V-6 big cars can lumber along at 2k or so but the little jobs have to wind up to put out power.

btw, I've been frustrated trying to find a used car in decent shape that gets over 35 mpg hiway. They all seem to have the 3 speed auto trans !!! Although the 4 speed is supposed to be more common.

*******************************

I've been frustrated trying to buy a decent used car at reasonable cost no matter what fuel mileage. I've taken to buying new, getting exactly what I want and keeping the car for a long time, like 14 to 16 years.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

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Reply to
Shep

Thankyou !!!

Reply to
caprice85

nly =A030 mpg

IMHO you should be considering a manual transmission then, unless there's some reason why you prefer driving an automatic.

I don't know if this is true of Japanese cars so much but German cars at least of a decade or two ago had significantly better manual transmissions than automatics because that is what the home market buyers preferred.

nate

Reply to
N8N

I don't know if this is true of Japanese cars so much but German cars at least of a decade or two ago had significantly better manual transmissions than automatics because that is what the home market buyers preferred.

nate

************************************** Used to be that the automatics required as much power at the little engines could put out. Today the automatics are much better and you to have a chance at decent mpg and still get up to 65 mph before lunch time.
Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

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