When it comes to automatic transmission repair, there are several options, some more expensive than the others. Each of these options also has their fair share of advantages as well as disadvantages and factors such as quality, cost and how long does the repair job actually take. The first option is obviously getting a brand new transmission, but unfortunately these are only available with a brand new vehicle, and cannot be bought at even an authorized car dealership.
New transmissions are those that are shipped with brand new vehicles and the difference between getting one from the dealer is that the latter simple sells remanufactures them hence it is important to take this aspect into account when considering costs of a new transmission. The most common types of transmission replacement is rebuilt. These types of transmissions are and dissembled, and carefully inspected and damaged and worn parts are replaced and then put back together. Whatever needs to be replaced in rebuilt transmissions is done to factory specifications and this includes bands, seals, clutches and new gaskets, which are also known as "soft parts".
The term rebuilt is often referred to a shop that takes the out the engine form the vehicle, rework it or rebuild it and then place it in its proper spot once again. Some other term that mean the same as rebuilt are refurbished, overhauled or recondition, but regardless of the word you use, the procedure must be carried out by an experienced professional. The next level up is the reman or remanufactured engines, which are the same as rebuilt except the work is done in a factory setting rather than a mechanic shop. These types of engines are more expensive than rebuilt engines for obvious reasons and the rebuilding work is done by a team of certified professionals. There are several people that may work on one engine where they would share the tasks.
For example, one mechanic may be assigned the job or inspecting the vehicle, while the other may oversee the tear down process or clean the transmission. There is another way of producing remanufactured engines and that is also in a factory setting except that it uses one professional per engine and there only a certain number of engines that they cater to. These types of remanufactured engines are usually produced in authorized car factories such as Honda, where a one of their in-house mechanic would look over the entire rebuilding process.
Regardless of whether there is a team of mechanics working on a transmission or it is just one person, all the finished work is tested with a dynamometer to ensure it is in line with industry specifications and then shipped for sale in the market including car dealerships. The last type of fix for transmissions is simply to repair them. Just like it sounds, this involves taking specific corrupted parts from the transmissions and replacing them with working or new components. Instances where repairing transmissions is generally done is when there are leaks and external seals need to be replaced in vehicles with high kilometers.
The downside of just getting a specific part replaced is that only that part will be warranted, meaning if any other part even an unrelated to the one that has been fixed breaks down, you will have to take it into the shop and pay for it. Although it is cost effective to have just one part replaced rather than the entire transmission, there is no guarantee that the other parts won’t break down. Lastly, you can always opt for a used transmission, which are often sourced from insurance write offs and are much cheaper than getting a rebuilt or remanufactured transmission. The only trade off is that there may be a few years left on the warranty of the transmission or it may have completely lapsed so that is the risk you need to carefully consider.
The perfect transmission option depends on your choices and needs, but it best to analyze each one carefully and even consult your car mechanic before you actually invest in one.
