My '03 XC70 has had a transmission failure @ 181k miles. No engagement at any gear. The local shop says I need a new tranny, $4500 parts + labor for rebuild of my actual trans. Dealer can do reman for about $5300 P+L. Yet a 3rd shop says they can only give me an estimate once they get in there and see what's actually wrong, so maybe few hundred to thousands.

I'm currently also looking at used from scrap yards on ebay and online. I found a list of years/models that used AW55-50(SN), but need to know if there are years/models that's a direct bolt on vs requiring additional work like reprgamming or wiring due to AWD vs FWD, lower/higher horsepower engine, calibration, etc.

BTW, what's the difference between AW55-50 vs 55-50SN?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisin_AF33_transmission

They're pretty much in everything.

 

I know the AW55-50 is used in many different vehicles, but that doesn't mean any of them can work especially from other car manufacturers. I was hoping someone who either have done it or works at a shop with experience know which other Volvos are a direct swap or with pretty minimal modification.

 

There is no value whatsoever in replacing yours with a used unit. Have yours rebuilt and resume driving the vehicle. Its a good time to change the rear main seal and any other items that need attention on a vehicle of your age.

 

Tony! You said : " There is no value whatsoever in replacing yours with a used unit. Have yours rebuilt and resume driving the vehicle..."
Just think a little more Tony; His car is 14 years old and high mile (181K mls), what its worth? you tell him to throw in $4500 to rebuilt the unit? Is that will make the value of the car increase? And it's not guaranty he going to keep drive the car long enough to recover that money. With that money he just sell the car to the scrap yard for few hundred bucks and buy another later MY car with lower mileage.
He can find a used unit in the junk yards that same or close to his MY with luck less mls. around $100 (cheapest way) or on eBay about $500 is the most. an indy garage might cost him @$300 If he not do it himself, so do the math Tony.
Madymo3d, if you can find a unit that same or close to your car MY, you don't have to reprogram it, just swap and drive, keep searching, plenty of them out there.

 

My son is doing this right now with a 04 XC70. We got a used 05 tranny with 90k on it. The volvo mech at dealer told us it was a direct swap as the motors are the same as is the mounts! Saved us $5k over a reman or create tranny plus install.

 

Do whatever you "feel" is best.