Is a 3 speed auto with o/drive a 4 speed?

[paul77]

Hi,
I hope someone can help. It's probably a really easy thing to answer. I'm looking at buying a 2001 neon. It is a 3 speed auto with overdrive. Does this mean it is a 4 speed auto? I'm asking for insurance info, but also cause I am really confused. People keep telling me different things. Hope someone can tell me the right thing. Thanks!!

[sirsmiley]

yes it is, youll be hard pressed to find a 3 speed auto anywhere nowadays since mid nineties

the easiest way is to look at the shifter, most say 1 2 3 D with a box around the D, or they may say 1 2 D with an overdrive on off button somewhere on the shifter

[paul77]

Cool..thanks very much for that. I appreciate the reply.

[nbr1nthuzyst]

i was going to say no, but now that i read the post that "sirsmiley" wrote... it makes sence. my thoughts were that you wouldnt find a four speed auto with overdrive being called a 5 speed, so i didnt think that a three-speed would be any different. overdrive is rele "half" a gear. I guess id have to do some more reaserch bcas i dont like not knowing the answers to questions.

[sirsmiley]

modern car manufacturers usually say 4 spd auto transmission when it is really a 3 speed with overdrive (which nowadays is similar to a fourth gear to the mainstream public), however on many trucks and some vans/suvs there ARE 5 speed autos which are 4 speeds with overdrive

its just easier to count overdrive as an extra gear

for instance, my grandma used to have a cutless sierra from circa 1990 and it had 12D (basically 1 2 3) there was no overdrive and it had no balls, it was a heavy car powered by about a 2.2L 4 cylinder and the gears sucked on it , it revved but didnt go anywhere, once you hit 80 it sounded like a banshee, it wanted to shift but couldnt!