Help please. Rebuilt Trans.: $450, labor $250; u get what u pay for?

Thank you in advance for anyone offering constructive advice.

I know a friend who takes "super cars" Z sports cars and a mechanic who works there that repairs them including many American cars.

I don't know how much transmission experience he has, but people take Mercedez benzes in the 10,000 dollar or more range and that Nissan Z 21st century model is like almost $100,000.

My friend the backyard mechanic who knows this guy, says his overhead is low since he shares land on California near the Tijuana Mexico border.

Here's my brief background info.
I have a 1993 Camaro V-6 that won't go forward on drive when I even go up to 55 mph, and it won't go in reverse at 30 mph, neutral is all that works and that's too push it to safe parking. It makes a horrifying grinding noise when shifting to park then drive.

A prestigious Transmission shop who has tons of commericals has real bad Yelp reviews

Another one, has better yelp reviews

Is it true that you get what you paid for

His mom and pop shop labor is $250; he sends it out to a shop and they rebuilt it for $450; that's like only $750 versus $1,500 to $1,800 rebuilt reman. trans. at a prestigious well known big Trans. repair shop.**Plus his transmission has a 1 year warranty.

Am I paying for that big transmission shop's inflated advertising?

Is it worth the peace of mind to go to an American Transmission shop that has favorable Yelp reviews versus this other more inexpensive yet competent mechanic.

Are the big shops charging $1,000 for a going rate of a $450 rebuit transmission and then on top of that a lot of labor costs so that is why it's $1,500 to $1,800 (or more) for a rebuit trans. $1,000 - $450 is a like $600 huge profit.

So the crux of my question is go with the bigger transmission shop that has good yelp reviews and is American-owned and pay $1,500 to $1,800 (which includes labor) for a rebuilt transmission on my 93 v-6 Camaro?

My backyard mechanic friend wants to tow my car to this mechanic's shop Monday morning so time is kind of the essence.

Thanks, again.

 

i think you need to have someone that knows more about cars look at it. where are you at? it would really help if you could post a video of it.

 

Hi, Craby,
I'm at San Diego, California; the place which charges $450 for a rebuilt transmission and $250 labor has been in business since the 90's--he's in way Southern San Diego,, CA near the California Mexican border, but On California land near a desert and wide open spaces, roosters are around his area.

He shares land space and I guess subleases so his rent is low compared to a traditional shop. His customers bring benzes and late edition 2013 Z Cars for him to repair

2 complaints against him was that "he lied and was unresponsive" often not pickiing up his phone returning calls etc.

The other one near me also in San Diego CA has been in business since '71, there motto is "we get it done right the 1st time"

I don't want a possible junkyard transmission passed off as a "rebuilt" sold to me with a 1 year warranty for the total price including labor of $750--for it to not work after 6 months and break down 6 months later.

I mean here's the question: how good can such an inexpensive transmission be good?

It doesn't seem that it would be a good transmission fix.

I am leaning towards paying nearly $2,000 for a Transm. that runs smoothly has a 3 year warranty, etc.

In other words, I am strongly leaning towards the 2nd shop established in 1971 whose motto is we get it done right the 1st time (i mean who wants to get stalled in bad situations in the middle of the road and have to go back? it's rhetorical--no one does)

You may want to know California is not nice to cars, you don't move your car every 3 days, your tires chalked, the next day, it's towed. You pay $200 + to get your car out of the tow yard, and $40 a day storage

You don't pass smog every 2 years unless you own a classic car pre 1970, you can't register your car and you basically lose the car if you can't afford a Cat. converter or other thing to make your emissions pass Calif.'s stringent smog test

So, I am leaning towards the 2nd more pricey shop established in 1971 that specializes in Transmissions, and gave me a quote of 1200 to 1800 dollars to fix my transmission.


I can't take a video, car is 10 miles from my home safely parked.

Thanks, Craby for your help.

*So, Who agrees with me on choosing the more pricey alternative, the Trans. shop established in 1971?

 

yah a 93 3.4 is not worth much if it wont move. put 2k more into it and you would be lucky to get 2k for it. i still think its not the trans but i could be wrong.lol. from your explaining it sounds like the rear or like 69 said the output shaft on the trans. i really doubt it is but possible if the prevous owner did alot of reverse to first stunts. put it in gear with the e brake on and have a look under the car towards the rearend and see if the drive shaft is turning. if it is then its the rearend. now a rearend can or should be had for 2-4 hunred at the wrecking yard and is easy to install.

 

my friend hydrolic jacked it and crept underneath to look at the underbelly for drive shaft problems.--and as you are sitting in the driver's seat view under the chassis, near the fan belt a box was grinding really really loud, so my backyard free lance general mechanic said it is the little transmission box and not the driveshaft. even ebay sells reman. trans. for $800 at the lowest price, (so what's this business with a $450 trans.? lol) I'm putting at least 2,200 bucks into or a little more max to that shop that has yelp customer reviews of like 30+ with 4 out of 5 star reviews. They have been around longer and all they do is transmissions. Thanks again.