What to do if an automatic transmission is broken

There is no right answer to this question because it depends on the age of the car, the type of the transmission, the owner’s wish and or other circumstances:

• In the case of a very old car with a very high mileage, the cost is often higher on the invoice than the residual value of the car. If the car does not have a sentimental value, consider selling the car to a waste disposal company
• Another way is to try to sell a car because often buyers are hobbyists who have the skills to solve the problem much cheaper
• You should also consider buying a used transmission, but make sure you get the right transmission.
• Repair of the transmission at your local workshop. In this case, the transmission of your car is taken, and the same unit is repaired. The price depends on the hourly price of the repair shop and the spare parts spent. It is worth exploring whether only broken parts are replaced or more maintenance and repair is done. Read more here.
• Have the transmission repaired in a special automatic transmission company. In this case, the transmission of your car will be taken over and the same unit will be repaired, and the final price will be calculated similarly to the local workshop according to the hourly price and the materials used. Specialty companies usually have more experience and attention to possible hidden problems, but it is definitely worth exploring what the warranty conditions are and whether it is a repair or a restoration.
• Transmission installation in one and repair in another company. In this case too, the transmission of your car is taken, and the same unit is repaired. The final price also depends on the hourly cost and the material cost. This is a good method, but the danger here is that, for certain cosmetic problems (poor shifting), you become a customer between two companies. It is particularly bad when you have organized the repair of the transmission and the installation company is another company. It may happen that in case of problems both companies blame each other. There have been situations where the installation company has incorrectly installed the transmission, left the cooling system unclean or made another etc. mistake.
• Buy a new transmission. Of course, this is the most expensive option, as car dealership prices for transmission’s amount to € 4,000-10,000.

How do you still decide to repair or not, if not repaired, where etc.? As has been said, there is no single answer. Pay attention to the age and value of the car (price now with broken transmission and price with the transmission that is in order). Maybe it’s time to change the car anyway? How long are you going to drive with the current car? It is important to consider the different options and to DEFINITELY estimate the TOTAL financial cost and also the time spent!

Often the costs of installing the transmission, opening the old transmission, the cost of new wearing parts (filters, gaskets) are also forgotten when purchasing the used transmission. It is also misleading when it comes to forgetting the cost of transporting a vehicle or the cost of transporting a used transmission.

But the most important (the hardest thing to evaluate!) Is the warranty and responsibility for the work done! BE SURE to ask what the final cost of the repair is and whether the price includes VAT or not! In the case of transmission repairs, the rule is that repairs should be done once and for all because it is the cheapest at all.