HELP Trany trouble;(
- Thread starter Awibrandy
- Start date
- Location
- Amityville
GN Awi good luck with the repair hope it is a simple one.
From your finger tips to God's eyes my friend!!!
I did call Aamco in Valley Stream, but the guy would not even give me an over the phone estimate. Just kept repeating that he wanted to have her towed to his shop, put through some diagnostics, possibly drop the pan before he could tell me what's wrong, and how much. I finally got him to give me some kind of number.
$80 labor per hour, and he felt it would be at least 15 hours, so just in labor it would have been upwards of $1200.
She is now at the Lee Myles Transmissions in Inwood. Have to wait til Monday before any diagnostics are done since I didn't get her there til this afternoon.
Just a hunk of metal, but I feel like a piece of me has been riped off me.
- Location
- Amityville
Have them do a diagnostic and make sure they tell you exactly what is wrong with it.
Then check around for prices and make sure they are in the same range. There are some greedy service managers and shops out there that will over sell everything.
Then check around for prices and make sure they are in the same range. There are some greedy service managers and shops out there that will over sell everything.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
they want to drop the pan to see how much metal is down there and i do believe the tranny filter is located in the pan
Rick, I don't/didn't have a problem with them droping the pan. What I did have a problem with was the guys refusal to give me an a round a about estimate. I asked him for a worse case scenario, and he out right refused. Like I said he finally just told me that labor alone would be approximately $1200 cause it would be at the least a 15 hour job.
Last edited:
- Location
- Amityville
The solenoid pack is down there too and take 5 minutes to remove and test.
See! Yet he tells me at least 15 hours at $85 per hour. The very reason why I didn't own a vehicle while living in Manhattan.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
awi all i can say and i do work at a dealership is you get what ya pay for. amco is wanting to be sure of the whole problem not just a temp fix or playing guess work, most good shop wont really give a price till they know the problem. did he give you a price as a starter without fixing anything just to find the problem ? and to truelly find out all of it he might have to partially tear down the tranny
Rick, what some people do not seem to understand is that a few us poor'er folks don't have a few thousand dollars just sitting around in the kitchen cookie jar. Yes, we would all like to have a nice cash flow, but unfortunately not all can manage to put anything aside for a rainy day.
OK, so I take my vehicle to him, or he towes it in. Doesn't give me any idea what it may cost. Now I have $2000 for this repair, he calls me, and tells me it is going to cost $3000, now I'm stuck with my vehicle in his shop, and me short of $1000. This is not right in my eyes.
Let me ask you, would you hire a contractor on the premises of I have to wait until I open up your wall before I can give you a good faith estimate?
Yes, we would all like to have a nice cash flow, but unfortunately not all can manage to put anything aside for a rainy day.OK, so I take my vehicle to him, or he towes it in. Doesn't give me any idea what it may cost. Now I have $2000 for this repair, he calls me, and tells me it is going to cost $3000, now I'm stuck with my vehicle in his shop, and me short of $1000. This is not right in my eyes.
Let me ask you, would you hire a contractor on the premises of I have to wait until I open up your wall before I can give you a good faith estimate?
- Location
- poughquag, ny
:hug: i am poor myself awi. but i have learnt 2k is better then 1500 twice. if it is at a tranny shop reguardless of whether it is amco or the guy you know, least you have it at a tranny shop where thats what they specialize in. not some regular mech shop or backyard mechanic, and as for contractors, they give you a intial price, doesnt mean once they start tearing stuff down the price wont go up from un-forseen hidden damage or problems, same with me i write automobile estimates for wrecked cars, 99% there is going ot be additional i cant see behind parts and until it is in the shop and taken apart i cant tell them a exact figure
Exactly my point, all I asked for was an estimate! I even said to him "Worse Case Scenario", he just was not willing to give me that, so I was not willing to give him my truck.lol
I don't deal with backyard mechanics, except where my son is concerned.
Where Angel is at now is Lee Myles who told me that IF in fact the tranny needs to be rebuilt it will cost $1400, and if it should also happen to need a new case then the price goes to $1675. I am hoping & praying that once he does his diagnostics on it, it turns out to be something minor. Hey, you never know!! Most times I am very well blessed!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, I know all about contractors too.arggggg Just 1 scenario for yah, had this guy installing my washer & dryer in the upstairs back bedroom which got converted into a laundry room. The previous owners told us that the room was once a kitchen when the house was a 3 fam. house, so it stood to reason that the pipes from the old kitchen would be behind one of the walls. The initial price was $150, well there weren't any pipes anywhere, so the simple little job turned into a pita, and ended up costing $500.
That is just one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have several more of those.
BTW, I've been through another tranny nightmare 12 years ago with my old Buick. That was Gibraltor Transmissions, who also played me like Aamco tried. In that case they said the same exact thing. That one cost me $2000 12 years ago, when I could have had it done by an Automotive Shop owner's transmission specialist for $600.
I don't deal with backyard mechanics, except where my son is concerned.
Where Angel is at now is Lee Myles who told me that IF in fact the tranny needs to be rebuilt it will cost $1400, and if it should also happen to need a new case then the price goes to $1675. I am hoping & praying that once he does his diagnostics on it, it turns out to be something minor. Hey, you never know!! Most times I am very well blessed!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, I know all about contractors too.arggggg Just 1 scenario for yah, had this guy installing my washer & dryer in the upstairs back bedroom which got converted into a laundry room. The previous owners told us that the room was once a kitchen when the house was a 3 fam. house, so it stood to reason that the pipes from the old kitchen would be behind one of the walls. The initial price was $150, well there weren't any pipes anywhere, so the simple little job turned into a pita, and ended up costing $500.
That is just one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have several more of those.
BTW, I've been through another tranny nightmare 12 years ago with my old Buick. That was Gibraltor Transmissions, who also played me like Aamco tried. In that case they said the same exact thing. That one cost me $2000 12 years ago, when I could have had it done by an Automotive Shop owner's transmission specialist for $600.
- Location
- Amityville
The truck is in a Lee Myles transmission shop they do specialize in transmission work. A few things you say strike a nerve and it is a bit ironic.
"not some regular mechanic" hmmm Now days most mom and pop shops pay better than anywhere else because they know that quality techs are worth it that "Regular mechanic may be more qualified to work on that trany than the trans shop. Example when I worked at goodyear we had a guy that worked for Browns Chrysler doing trany work all day he was trained by Chrysler extensively on trannys
"Backyard mechanic"
I was the top tech in a dealership for 8 years and let me tell you about most dealers they hire kids out of school that have no idea how to work on cars. they are mostly c techs and have no idea whats going on. Shops refuse to pay the money us real A+ technicians are worth so most of us did side work "Backyard mechanic" as you put it. Before I got hurt a few years ago I would do engine work in my garage no mark up on parts and labor rates of 40% of what shops charged. You have to remember that most "Back Yard Mechanics" Actually do have a day job and some are more than qualified to do the work. My cousin in Florida can rebuild a trany with his eyes closed he worked for a performance shop for 27 years and now does it in his garage and makes 5 times what he did working in the shop.
All you have to look for in a shop is reputation knowledge and honesty.
Just because a guy works in his garage or a small shop does not mean they are not qualified.
And just because a guy works in a dealership or a specialty shop does not make them qualified either.
Awi your on the right track you have the vehicle in the shop and they are diagnosing the problem. Don't worry about anything until they tell you whats wrong. They may call you and say problem is simple or they may call and say they need to diagnose the issue further and there will be a charge for it. If they want to drop the transmission without telling you what they are looking for tell them to kiss off it is the biggest scam there is. They want to completely disable the vehicle so you are stuck there. They should be able to tell you what they are dropping the tranny for and what parts they suspect are damaged.
After they know what is wrong let us know and we may be able to give you some options and opinions.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
scorp what i said wasnt a stab at anyone, but 30 yr's of working on cars from being a diag tech to a tech to running shops and so on, a regular shop cannot do all the things a dealership can or diag for, i work at the #1 honda dealership in NY and 4th country wide, the kids out of school are oil changer's. not a tech. our a techs go to school for updated training and get certified. most mechanics arent really mechanics but part changers anyways. and your cousin might make more now cause he isnt working for someone else, same as when i did paint jobs i made more in 6 months then i do now for the year. i wont go back and forth on this because everyone has a opinion of what is better or not, show me a mom and pop shop where techs are making 60-100k a yr and a a tech isnt a a tech if he doesnt have those little piece's of paper not saying they mean anything, but they do when it comes to pay scales in dealerships
not saying they mean anything, but they do when it comes to pay scales in dealershipsThanks Scorpion! The owner of the shop knows my son is a mechanic, and is aware of the situation. So the guy knows I have someone to check back with, and for all we know he may even be here on MR, and is aware of you guys as well.LOL This world is so small, you just never know who is watching.
I also trust in my God to see me through this as well. You think it is an accident that you joined MR just when I needed your help? I know it will all work out!BTW, that is exactly what Gibraltor did way back when.
I told the guy at Lee Myles do nothing without consulting me first. He stated he wouldn't, he will call me first. Let's just hope he is a man of his word!!!!!!!I will keep you guys posted!:grouphug:
- Location
- Amityville
I agree on this to a point Dealerships do have specialized equipment for their vechiles that most shops would not have.
Maybe at your dealership its not the case in many.
More like classes but yes they get certified I have a bunch of them Dont think they really mean much either
I can't agree more with that statement
I made between 1500 and 4000 a week at quite a few small shops most closed down due to lack of work seems to be the issue lately Flag time is wonderful when your the only guy working in the shop. You can make about the same at a dealer if you are in good with the service manager and he hands you the right jobs I mean I hated getting handed Diag jobs that had warantee stamped on them as I knew I was getting shafted. The c techs get the cake walk jobs as they are "Parts Changers and potential can make way more then the A guys. Only reason I stayed at the dealer so long is the benifits you dont get all the perks at little shops.
a a tech isn't a a tech if he doesn't have those little piece's of paper
You know as well as me if you been in the business that long those little pieces of paper dont mean anything how many guys you seen fresh out of Apex with ASE Certs that looked at the car and scratched their heads. You have taken those tests I am sure and you know they are a joke. As far as the dealer certs they are a little better and do up your pay scale that's the only reason we take them.
I miss working on cars
- Location
- poughquag, ny
:thrash: why that junk certificate matters in a dealership, and i dont miss working on them anymore i hate having to work on my hoopty as is, plus my back cant take being bent over under a hood for very long
Awi... if you end up needing to replace your Tranny... I might be able to help assist with acquiring one. Althought I don't sell parts... I do happen to work in a recycling yard.
We also have warranties available should the problem happen again.
Sorry I didn't see this sooner. But then again Rhick could have probably suggested it.
We also have warranties available should the problem happen again.
Sorry I didn't see this sooner. But then again Rhick could have probably suggested it.
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