Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:14:09 -0800
Reply-To: colorworks@GCI.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET>
Subject: Re: automatic transmission replacement
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=response
Thank you Scott, and Danny for the replies. The transmission has been out
twice in the past two years, so the mechanic is definitely not going to run
into any rusted or broken bolts. From what I'm told, the small car oil
cooler does not use engine antifreeze for cooling, and is actually easier
than the stock to hook-up (not from scratch necessarily), but the unit is
already installed, he just needs to switch hoses. Since the transmission
fluid is only one-year-old, I'm wondering if it even needs a flush? Of
course, brand-new rebuilt transmission, maybe so. I will see what the guy
comes up with for total time. A few years back the same mechanic charge me
over $900 to supposedly replace all the seals in the tranny. I reminded him
of that on the phone. The transmission is currently leaking. What exactly
this guy did for $900 is beyond me. I think I got hosed, but good. Of
course, back then I knew next to nothing about vanagon's and he saw me
coming. I have learned a bunch since then, and would laugh at anyone who
quoted me $900, unless of course they were completely rebuilding the thing.
By the way, I know Daryl from AAA transmission is popular on the list, but
Ken from German Transaxle beat his price by a fair margin, and my dealings
with him have been first rate. Very fair, professional, and seem to really
know his stuff. Too bad he's not local. The $95 hr. shop rate is standard up
here in Alaska. Very few mechanics work for less. Thanks for all the
feedback. I will give a user report on the limited slip after I have a few
miles logged. It'll be nice to have my van back after the week this shop has
had it for. Then, I get to play mechanic and do some front end work;) I can
only imagine what they would charge me for that!
Troy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
To: <colorworks@gci.net>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: automatic transmission replacement
> Hi......
> 4.4 hours to R & R the trans .........no complaints there from me !
> I find that every '4.4 hour' job on a whatever year old vanagon takes lots
> longer than 'standard time' .......due to things being stuck, rusted,
> other nearby things crying out for attention etc.
>
> on that bell housing thing .........I've spend a hour on that, with the
> trans out of the car.
> flushing the oil cooler...........that's a half hour of messing around
> unless it's just a sloppy quick job.
>
> the 95 and hour I can't really agree with, but the 6.5 hours I sure can.
> let's see...........6.5 times a more reasonable 70 an hour .....makes it
> 450ish ..........about right I'd say.
> Gettin' up to 600 in labor..........that's pretty fancy rates I think.
>
> my hunch is that it's not a scam deal.
> I know for SURE that if someone was in my shop saying they'd only pay say,
> 5.0 hours and not a penny more.....
> I'd say we couldn't work together ............because it is ALWAYS more
> .....( more than you initially thought )
>
> *especially* if really good workmanship is preformed. - which is a whole
> other issue - so much of prefessional car work is 'slam dunk' .......
> get the part on the car, get the car out of there. I hope that's not the
> kind of work they're doing........
>
> But for them to take repsonsibility for the whole thing being
> right.......
> plus it's a non-stock thing, which always scrares regular shops..........
> if they do good solid work, it comes out successfully, and they stand
> behind their work ..........it's worth 600 clams , easily.
>
> like really IF ONLY a person could get really clean solid work done, by
> that people really, really care about doing it right.........
> that would be priceless, cuase you can't even normally get that.
>
> So IF it's a really solid clean job, and it 'sticks' .........like it's
> done right and will stay that way for a while......... .........it's well
> worth it .
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> ----- Original Message ---
> From: "Troy" <colorworks@GCI.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:50 PM
> Subject: automatic transmission replacement
>
>
> Hi folks:
>
> I'm having a local shop here install a rebuilt transmission with a
> peloquin torqued biasing differential that Ken from German transaxle did
> for me. I have a Subaru 2.2 engine, and then the small car transmission
> cooler. I do know that the bell housing has to be modified to allow for a
> stud instead of a bolt in one location. The instructions from Vanaru
> states the hole must be enlarged to 25/64" and then some room needs to be
> made for the nut. I even went so far as to supply the drill bit to the
> shop + gave them written instructions. Now they are claiming the 4.4 hrs
> listed time does not include flushing the oil cooler. I just get the
> feeling these guys are trying to rip me off. Can any of the more
> experienced mechanics on the list tell me what they think is a reasonable
> amount of time to remove and replace the transmission and flush the oil
> cooler + enlarge one bolt hole? Ken told me he could generally do this in
> about three hours, and then maybe 30 minutes going really slow to drill
> out the bolt hole. He seems to think that four hours should cover things.
> The last quote I got from the shop was 6.5, and I argued with them
> adamantly about that. At $95 an hour it adds up. They now claim they will
> do it by the hour, but again I think they are coming up with excuses to
> raise the price. Any help or comments appreciated.
>
> Troy=
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