Replacing Civic Manual Transmission

I have a 97 Civic with a manual transmission and about 160,000 miles.
It's been recommended by a mechanic that I replace the transmission.
(Tried replacing the fluid, and the symptomatic noise didn't go away.)

What is the fair cost one should expect to pay for replacing this?

 

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Tell us everything about the NOISE. Mechanics sometimes have hidden
motives.

'Curly'

 

Performance-wise, the car runs fine. (Accelerates just as fast,
downshifts fine)

A noise is noticible in 1st, 2nd, and sometimes in 3rd. (Not at all in
4th or 5th.) Not sure how to describe it. It's kind of like a high
pitched grinding. It sounds like one of those gyro-wheeled toy cars
that you rev on the ground and let go and they still keep going. The
noise is more noticible when I hold the stick. When I let go, it often
goes away.

 

Sounds more like your shifter bushings are worn out.
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/shifter_sketch.jpg

 

Are those something that can be replaced easily/inexpensively?

 

About $50 for parts, and lots of crawling around under the car. I have
raw photos of the procedure, but haven't got around to writing a page
for it.
<http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/bushing_kit/>
They haven't Photoshopped yet, so they're kinda dark.

 

Couldn't it also be input shaft bearing? That makes noise on my ancient
Civic and my cure is to turn the radio up a little...

JT

 

yes, but make sure you find a different mechanic that's not trying to
rip you off! honda transmissions are usually good for 300k+