Transmissions Repair: Three Important Answers

It’s vital to not only know your rights as a consumer, but also what you should expect when taking your car in for transmissions repair. An automatic transmission is a complicated beast, and it is very unlikely for the average person to know much about fixing it if something goes wrong. That’s why mechanic shops exist, of course. But unfortunately, when there are things the general public doesn’t understand, it leaves an opening for unscrupulous shops to take advantage of their customers. To protect yourself and figure out what to do when something goes wrong, here are three important answers to the questions you may have.

How much is it going to cost?

This is the big question that has probably circled your mind more than once when you realized you needed transmissions repair work done. It is the first thing in any car owner’s mind when something goes wrong with their only means of transportation. Cars aren’t cheap, and neither are the parts that propel them. Nor is the labor required to fix them. Big repairs could cost upwards of several hundred dollars, and that’s from a reputable mechanic. This is why taking good care of your vehicle and performing proper maintenance is so important. If a trip to the mechanic is inevitable, try to get a few different quotes on the work before you decide.

What about “specials”?

While it’s certainly an effective means of bringing customers into the shop, you should always be somewhat wary of ads promising to perform free transmissions repair services or other maintenance procedures. It’s remarkable how many “problems” are found during these special advertised procedures. If a shop performs a procedure such as this and tells you there is an expensive problem, take it somewhere else and get a second opinion. If the two opinions match up, you can always go back to the first place, but at least you’ll know you aren’t being scammed.

How do I choose a mechanic?

If you’re looking for a shop performing transmissions repair, check with the people you know. Most of the people you know probably have a car and have probably needed to take it into the shop at one time or another. They may be able to refer you to someone competent and qualified. More importantly, they’ll send you somewhere you can trust. When you know you’re in good hands because of the shop’s word-of-mouth reputation, it makes all the difference in the world.