Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 06:28:18 -0800
Reply-To: Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject: Re: Transmission rebuilders (AAtransaxles)
In-Reply-To: <0.340cd1ba.25775e59@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 12:32 AM 12/02/1999 EST, you wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>Looking for a rebuilt transmission for my '68 bus. Saw a webpage for AA
>transaxle in Duvall, WA (Seattle area). Their prices are kind of high
($600
>vs. $450 at Bus depot and others), but they advertise a 3 year unlimited
>mileage warranty. Does anyone have any experience with this shop and/or its
>products?
>
>Markus Bahnemann
>'68 Bus awaiting engine and transmission transplant
I met Daryl (AA trans) a few weeks ago to pick up a trans from him. He is
of the DM attitude, ie genuine German bearing, seals, syncros and
procedures. The case was clean, not painted over dirt like the cheap
wannabes. He is a one man show, cautious of his reputation. On a Monday, he
assembled a tranny for me. He couldn't put his finger on it, but had a
hunch that something might not be right. He spent the next day to do a
complete other tranny to be certain of correctness. That's the kind of
dedication that only a small volume, uncompromising attitude can provide.
When you talk to Daryl, your talking to the ape who actually assembles your
tranny, not the sales desk ape who doesn't know a sycro from a shift fork.
Consider that Bus Depot is a middle man, adding a margin to the price they
pay for the rebuild, meaning the rebuilder is putting less than $400 in
that tranny. How can they do that??? By reusing syncros, not new, and using
Chinese seals and bearings designed to be cheap, by not cleaning the case
but for the big chunks and painting over with cheap paint, and any other
compromise they can think of that will reduce cost/value so they can troll
for the penny smart and pound foolish who represent the majority of fools
in the cheap fix market with flashy ads that claim to be the real deal but
are, of course, a well constructed facade.
It always takes more time/money/skill to do the job right than to pretend
to do the job right. If you haven't got the time/money/skill to do the job
right the first time, when will you find the time/money/skill to do the job
over??? Pay the price for excellance to receive the value of excellent
results.
Doktor Tim
Maintenance Repair and Restoration of European Vehicles
San Juan Island, WA
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