TRANSMISSION Q & A

How often should I have my Transmission Fluid Changed?For most vehicles we recommend servicing your transmission once per year or every 15-20,000 miles. There are some exceptions and we would be happy to talk to you about your vehicle and particular driving habits to see if that is the right recommendation for you.

Why do I have to drop it off? 

There may be many different reasons that dropping off your vehicle is necessary. Primarily, transmissions have many parts in them and many parts external to the transmission will affect how the transmission functions as well. Therefore it can take some time to diagnose the problem properly and it will be more reasonable for you to arrange to drop the vehicle off for a diagnosis. Additionally, transmission fluid gets incredibly hot while the vehicle is being driven and if we have to drain the fluid out it may be too hot for technician to handle without allowing the car time to cool off first. 

What happens after I drop my car off?

Your vehicle will be through a series of tests, checks, & computer diagnostics. Once your vehicle is diagnosed, Scott will personally call you and explain the needed repairs, cost and your options so you can decide how you would like to proceed.

 No repairs will be made until you have authorized the work to be done. 

Why can’t you give me a price over the phone?

We are transmission specialists, so we do all repairs and rebuilds in house. Therefore, we can give an accurate estimate only after we have checked and diagnosed your vehicle’s problems personally. Without the proper diagnosis, a price over the phone is just a “guess-timate.” 

The guy down the street gave me a price? 

If you gave someone else the benefit of checking your car before he gave you a price, please allow us the same benefit. Any price given over the phone with the car unseen is not a proper diagnosis and leaves a large margin for error. 

My garage said I had a specific code (or set of codes) how much to fix it?

Modern cars have advanced computer systems which monitor the vehicle performance. Unfortunately, there can be several reasons for a single code (or set of codes) to be set. Sometimes that code can be deceiving as it tells us where the computer is recognizing the problem but not necessarily what has caused the problem to occur.

Why have it rebuild vs used transmission?

A used transmission can be a gamble. We only use low mileage used transmissions from reputable suppliers. However, there is only so much information available on the donor vehicle. We have no way of knowing if the donor vehicle has been maintained nor what circumstances led to it being taken to a salvager. And over the years since that model vehicle was first designed there may be known failures from the factory which we can correct with updated parts to minimize the likelihood of the problem reoccurring in the future. With a used transmission you will not receive the same updated parts like you will with a rebuilt transmission. 

Is it worth it to put a transmission in this old car? 

The transmission is one of the three major components of your vehicle. The other two are the engine and body. Assuming you know the maintenance history of your car and the body is solid, would you be considering a new vehicle purchase if your transmission were still working properly? A complete transmission rebuild is a big expense; that is true. But a new, or even a few years old vehicle, is a much bigger expense. Typically with years of payments attached to the purchase. Many times, the cost of rebuilding or repairing your transmission will win out over the alternative of a monthly car payment for the next 4-6 years.

And if your alternative is to buy an inexpensive used car that you don’t know the maintenance history of, you could be looking at more costly repairs in the near future on your replacement vehicle.

How long to fix my vehicle?

This will depend heavily on what repairs are necessary. To start, it will take approximately half a day to diagnose a transmission problem. Once we have diagnosed the problem we can determine how long it will take us to fix it, and if all of the parts are in stock or readily available for order. At that time we will be able to give you a good idea of how long repairs will take. Generally, most repairs or rebuilds will be completed in a few days. 

What type of warranty do you offer on repairs?

All of our repairs have a standard warranty of 1 year or 12,000 miles. But we offer warranties as long as 3 years or 100,000 miles on complete rebuilds. As a member of Automatic Transmission Rebuilder Association (ATRA for short) our warranties are valid nationwide!

I bought an extended warranty when I bought my car, do your honor those or do I have to go to the dealer?

We work with most extended warranty companies and will take care of personally dealing with the companies for you. 

Payments, financing?

We do not personally offer any financing in house. We recommend contacting your regular bank and, if you would like, we can refer you to a few local financing companies if you give us a call.

Bring my own parts?

You may bring your own parts, so long as you let us know right away that is what you wish to do. The parts we use have been chosen because we are familiar with their reliability and quality along with affordability. 

Wholesale and fleet vehicles. We are happy to work with companies and strive build a professional relationship of mutual trust. Please contact us for details to get started on your fleet vehicles or wholesale repairs.