It’s been said time and time again; “a vehicle is your second biggest investment, and transmission repair is the biggest cost of ownership.” If you’ve already tried to fix your transmission problems and they just won’t go away. Then you’re facing either a transmission rebuild or a complete transmission replacement. Neither option is cheap, and they often yield much different results in the long run.
What Transmission Do I Have?
So we’re going to take a closer look at the transmission rebuild cost, as well as the cost of a reman transmission. That way you can weigh the pros and cons of each and figure out which is right for you.
Reasons that you would need a transmission rebuild
At this point, you’ve probably been to a transmission repair shop or mechanic for a diagnosis. Symptoms like slipping, delayed shifts or a complete refusal to go into gear probably got your attention and made you seek out the cause of the problem. The best case scenario would be a bad transmission solenoid, which can sometimes be replaced by simply removing the transmission oil pan and accessing the valve body. But that might not be possible on some transmissions. Others catastrophic failures could be:
- Burnt/failed transmission clutches
- Burnt/failed transmission bands
- Broken gears
- Valve body problems
- Leaks
Your options when transmission repair isn’t enough
Buy a rebuilt transmission
Transmission rebuilds involve taking your existing gearbox and replacing things like:
- Seals
- Gaskets
- O-rings
- Springs & valves (inside the valve body)
- Clutches
- Bands
The transmission rebuild process works like this: A mechanic will remove your existing transmission from the vehicle, open it up and perform a quick visual inspection. If any hard parts (like the gears or a clutch drum) appear to be damaged, they’ll call up the salvage yard or a parts supplier and order a new used one.
Next, the mechanic will open the transmission rebuild kit and start replacing all of the soft parts (seals, clutches etc.). After everything is installed and the transmission is re-assembled, it will be put back in the vehicle and taken for a test drive. Assuming no adjustments need to be made, you can simply go pick up the vehicle and enjoy your rebuilt transmission.
Things to consider with a transmission rebuild
You’re the test driver – Most transmission repair shops and mechanics will only put a few miles on your vehicle to make sure the transmission works. But it’s not uncommon to experience transmission problems during the break-in period.
Everything might not be fixed – Most mechanics and transmission repair centers don’t have the equipment necessary to perform a thorough inspection on hard parts like gear sets, clutch drums and valve bodies. This means that your rebuilt transmission could actually have small cracks in key parts that aren’t visible to the naked eye. As time and mileage progress, these cracks can grow and create an even larger problem. Similarly, a slight warp in the valve body can seriously impact shifting performance over time.
Warranty – Although most mechanic shops and transmission repair shops will warranty their work. That coverage is usually only good at the shop or franchise that did the work. If you travel out of town and suddenly experience transmission problems, you’ll be on the hook for any transmission repairs unless you pay to have your vehicle towed back to the shop that did the work.
Quality – Nearly every time you get a transmission rebuild, all of the work is performed by a single technician. This may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view. But the end result is dependent on that technician’s level of experience working with your specific type of transmission. In addition, there is usually no standardized quality control checks at a mechanic shop. So an improperly torqued bolt or gasket that isn’t fully seated, might be overlooked and cause you major problems in the future.
How much does it cost to rebuild a transmission?
The first thing that factors into the transmission rebuild cost is the type of transmission that it is. If it’s fairly complex or has a lot of issues that need to be fixed, then the cost will be higher. Some transmission rebuilds are very labor-intensive. And since mechanics make their money on a per-hour basis, it’s easy to see why some rebuilt transmissions cost more than others.
On average, transmission rebuild costs range from $1,500 – $3,500 (this should include all transmission parts and labor). Most will also come with a one-year warranty. Which as we said earlier, is only usually honored by the shop or franchise that performed the transmission rebuild in the first place.
Buy a remanufactured transmission
All right, if you’re trying to figure out what the new transmission cost is for your vehicle, you need to know one thing: There effectively aren’t any ‘brand new’ transmissions for sale. The only brand spanking new, hot off the assembly line transmissions available in the United States are, under the hood of a brand-new car. These are minted fresh at the factory and immediately installed in vehicles rolling down the assembly line.
If you want a brand-new transmission, then you’ll want to consider buying a remanufactured transmission. These are completely reengineered on a factory assembly line, and often contain many upgrades to what they were stock. This means that many of the design flaws that result in premature failure of components can be eliminated, giving the transmission a much longer service life than it originally had.
Remanufactured transmission companies like Street Smart Transmission put each of their reman transmissions through a rigorous rebuild process that ensures a quality product every time. It starts with nearly 100 trained technicians that specialize in different aspects of the build process.
This remanufacturing process starts with the inspection team that test all of the critical components from the donor transmission to ensure that they meet the original equipment (OE) tolerances and specifications. The case, pumps, gears, shafts, valve body and torque converter are checked for hairline cracks, metal tensile strength, warping and other parameters. If any component fails to meet the required specifications, it’s discarded and replaced.
All the parts are then cleaned and sent to the appropriate stations on the assembly line for reassembly. Throughout the process, quality control managers inspect the build to ensure that it meets the desired specification. Any necessary modifications or upgrades that are needed to correct factory design flaws are also performed or added. The valve body is rebuilt and tested on a special dyno machine to ensure that it performs according to the specifications. All of the solenoids are also tested prior to installation.
Once the build is complete and passes its final quality control inspection, the newly remanufactured transmission is sent to the dyno room, where it’s tested on a special dyno machine using a proprietary software program called C.A.R.S. (Computer Aided Real-world Simulation). This cycles the transmission through a number of real-world driving situations, to ensure that it performs according to the factory specs. It also helps to break in all of the friction components, that way it’s completely tuned and ready to go once it’s installed.
How much is a new remanufactured transmission?
On average, a new, a.k.a remanufactured transmission, can cost anywhere from $1300 – $3400. Companies like Street Smart Transmission don’t even charge for shipping. There is no core charge and core return is free as well. They ship it right to your mechanic. And once it’s installed, your mechanic can simply call the shipping company and they will come and pick up your old transmission for free.
The typical labor charge to remove your old transmission and install a remanufactured transmission is between $400 – $800. Of course this all depends on the type of vehicle that you have, because some vehicles are easier to work on than others.
Warranty – One of the benefits of buying a remanufactured transmission vs. a rebuilt transmission is the warranty. Street Smart Transmission for example, covers all of their reman transmissions with a 3 Year/Unlimited Mileage Nationwide Warranty (there is a mileage restriction for commercial vehicles). This covers parts and labor for transmission repairs performed by any licensed repair shop in the country. It’s also completely transferable if you ever decide to sell the vehicle. Compared to a mechanics warranty on a transmission rebuild, a remanufactured transmission warranty offers superior financial protection.
Is it cheaper to rebuild or replace a transmission?
In terms of upfront costs, the transmission rebuild cost is lower. However, buying a remanufactured transmission from a reputable supplier will often get you a much higher quality transmission that’s been reengineered to eliminate the factory design flaws. This will significantly extend the service life of the transmission, and reduce your overall ownership costs in the long run. Plus a remanufactured transmission warranty (like the one from Street Smart Transmission) is often superior in terms of length of coverage and protection (which again, saves you more money in the long run).
What Transmission Do I Have?
So there you go. A rebuilt transmission can cost you less money. And a remanufactured transmission can save you money in the long run.
