subject: Transmission Repair: Finding A Good Price [print this page] There may soon come a day that we have cars that can last indefinitely without breaking down. For now, however, vehicles are fallible and they will eventually fail. That doesn't make the pill any easier to swallow when your check engine light comes on. The first thing flashing through your mind is: how much is this going to cost me? If it turns out that you need transmission repair, it might be quite a lot. That's why it's not only important that you find a good, trustworthy mechanic, but that you find a shop that isn't going to charge you top prices for every little thing. Here's a look at finding a good price for the work you need.
Considerations
If you drive a manual, you'll be able to find transmission repair work for much less than if you drive an automatic. That's just the nature of the beast. You probably paid a lot less for your car to begin with as well. Of course, manual versus automatic isn't the only consideration. If you drive a premium or import vehicle, you're probably going to be looking at much higher prices as well. This is why it's usually a good idea to find a good warranty before you buy a car of this nature. Of course, if you have the money to buy a high-end luxury import, you probably aren't too concerned about how much money you'll need to put into fixing it.
Research Average Costs
There's no way to know if you're getting ripped off on transmission repair costs if you don't know what others are paying for the same service. Not many years ago, you would have to know quite a lot about the auto business to be able to make a fair judgment on price. Today, all you need is an internet connection. There are several websites that let you put in your make and model of car and find out what people around the country are paying to have their cars fixed. You can use this as a baseline. If a shop is trying to charge you an amount well above the average, you'll know that you should at least look for a second opinion.
Shopping
Once you've taken your car in and figured out what type of transmission repair you need, start making phone calls. Nothing obligates you to get your car fixed at the shop that diagnosed the problem. Call around and see if you can get a better price. Now, it's not worth buying cheap services if they aren't going to do it right, so keep reputation in mind while you look around for a good price.
