What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)

Author Topic: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)  (Read 5204 times)

Offline matt63

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1855
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #30 on: October 16, 2007 - 02:16:33 PM »
Tranny tools? :icon16:

Kidding aside, nothing beats experience and reputation.


Matt in Edmonton

'68 Valiant
'73 Cuda 340 4 speed (408) SOLD




Offline 73Chally

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2381
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #31 on: October 16, 2007 - 02:30:30 PM »
I have one more thing to throw in here. Let's say you have an intermittent problem on your vehicle,say a .........'02 Dodge Caravan and it doesn't want to upshift sometimes. You might have to drive it a whole day to get it to do it. Would you rather a shop put one sensor or part on ($50 -$200)and then let you drive it to see if it fixed it and then bring it back again if it still does it,or would you rather they replace everything possible (maybe up to $500-$600)that would cause the problem and the problem be fixed?

Thanks everyone for their replies. :bigsmile:
I'll just chip in another  :2cents: on this.  My wife's family (and with great pleasure now myself) has been Mopar for life, so we have gone through 5 or 6 Chrysler minivans, ranging from 94 up to our current 2005.  If you are having ANY kind of tranny problem, I feel that you need to go the whole 9 yards on getting it rebuilt.  Unfortunately, the late 90's early 00's Chrysler minivans are notorious for losing transmissions.  We had to rebuild a couple of our earlier ones.  Our previous van started with similar symptoms (would not shift to 3rd), so I replaced a solenoid for around $200, but then less than 3 months later had to do a full rebuild (another $1,500).  At a minimum I would for sure take it to a Chrysler dealership to get it checked out, as opposed to the local tranny shop.  It might cost more for a diagnostics, but I would feel better that way.

Offline bb71challenger

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6549
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #32 on: October 16, 2007 - 02:32:11 PM »
Late on this thread but to me reputation is everything. Integrity, honesty, ability, pride of workmanship, everything you need to know about a shop can be gained by asking unbiased customers.
1971 Challenger (OO==== ====OO) getting close!
1970 Challenger (OO########OO) long ways off
*Brett*

Offline tactransman

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5401
  • 1973 Challenger- Member here since April 14, 2006
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #33 on: October 16, 2007 - 02:41:22 PM »
At a minimum I would for sure take it to a Chrysler dealership to get it checked out, as opposed to the local tranny shop.  It might cost more for a diagnostics, but I would feel better that way.
Be forewarned,not all dealerships have knowledgeable tranny technicians. :grinno:
Terry-tactransman 
Torqueflite/Automatic Transmission Specialist
Union, Mo.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day,teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.

Offline bb71challenger

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6549
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #34 on: October 16, 2007 - 02:49:46 PM »
Be forewarned,not all dealerships have knowledgeable tranny technicians. :grinno:

I would only take my car to a dealership if it was under warranty. It has been my conclusion that about half of the dealership techs I have dealt with could not find their way out of a closet.
1971 Challenger (OO==== ====OO) getting close!
1970 Challenger (OO########OO) long ways off
*Brett*

BS23VOB_FJ5_Faker

  • Guest
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #35 on: October 16, 2007 - 03:50:27 PM »
Some dealership techs are great, some not.  I approach a dealer service department the same way I would evaluate any shop.  Sometimes the only difference between the quickie lube tech, and the Chrysler dealer tech is the patch on their shirt and the labor rate.

Offline 73Chally

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2381
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #36 on: October 16, 2007 - 03:58:38 PM »
Good points.  I only referenced the Chrysler dealer because I am very happy with my local dealer.  I actually have about 4 to choose from, and did the same research that has been discussed in this thread.  :2thumbs:

Offline wiging19

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 601
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #37 on: October 16, 2007 - 05:33:26 PM »
I would only take my car to a dealership if it was under warranty. It has been my conclusion that about half of the dealership techs I have dealt with could not find their way out of a closet.

I have to agree.  I don't want a technician.  I want a mechanic that knows what I'm talking about from the symptoms.   I hate being treated like I don’t know what I’m talking about when dealing with dealer “Mechanics”.   I’ve worked on cars all my life.  My last car a Saturn had a five speed where the fly wheel had to be refaced twice under the 50K warranty.  I told them I felt something was out of alignment in the transmission to have to replace the clutch and all the assembly twice in such a short time.  Plus it didn’t have power when I thought it should for a clutch.  He stuck a sensor on the car and we drove around the area putting the car under load.  He said his sensor showed everything was fine with my car and there was nothing wrong with my car.  Needless to say I unloaded that car shortly after the tranny work. 

Reputation is important to me but under other references from people I know and trust go very far with me.  Quality people know other quality people.  A good professional mechanic goes a long way for me.  I’d prefer they were inexpensive but I recognize that occasionally it is better to pay more for a quality job.  Part of the paying more is getting work done by someone you are completely confident in doing right by you. 

Offline ntstlgl1970

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2204
  • T a c o c a t
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #38 on: October 16, 2007 - 06:40:23 PM »
Oh yeah, another selling point might be ASE certification or ATRA affiliation
70 Cuda, 7.0L Gen-III Hemi, Viper T56 w/9310 gearset, 3.91's, Megasquirt MS3x v3.57, Innovate wideband, Firm Feel upper arms, torsion bars, springs and strut rods, QA1 DA shocks. I did everything on this car except the fancy paint stuff and I drive it...and I can't seem to stop messing with it....

Offline common 27

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 254
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #39 on: October 16, 2007 - 07:51:49 PM »
Terry you know who I picked, I guess you don't know why.  First was the knowledge you have displayed in the forum,you always seem to have an idea how to fix any problem presented .2nd I guess was the price.My wife and I had a good time on the return triphome and stopped at I don't know how many antique shops. Even spent a little money    :roflsmiley: Thanks again
1970  Challenger Convertible   1968 Satellite Convertible

Offline tactransman

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5401
  • 1973 Challenger- Member here since April 14, 2006
Re: What do you look for in a Tranny shop? (poll)
« Reply #40 on: October 16, 2007 - 10:53:23 PM »
It was very nice meeting you in person Gary. :cheers:
Terry-tactransman 
Torqueflite/Automatic Transmission Specialist
Union, Mo.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day,teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.