3rd Gen 4runner Automatic Transmission Replacement

[mtbtim]

Hey all,

Noob question but if the tranny is in a bad state and needs replaced is it a fair assumption that other parts of the drivetrain are in need of attention?

Yesterday I picked up a 2000 SR5 and on the way home the transmission gave in. So far the cost of a used transmission (and install), and buying the other bits and bobs I was going to do (timing belt, water pump, struts, other belts) adds up to the cost of the car. I get the feeling now it has been neglected. So when a transmission is rebuilt/replaced is that usually it or is that a sign the transfer or diff could be bad too?

And anyone happen to know of a decent transmission mechanic in the Edmonton, Alberta area?

Cheers!

Did you buy it from a car lot or a private person? Sounds like to me you might have gotten screwed on this deal and the seller was less than honest. It's a pretty big coincidence that the trans gives up the ghost on your first long drive in it. Maybe the rig had a trans cooler failure where the coolant mixes with the ATF and they flushed it but realized the trans was still having issues and decided to unload it and not be honest about it's condition.

 

[Valmi6]

How do you guys feel about an autozone replacement? I also need a new transmission for my 2001. Autozone transmission with all the bells and whistles is $1652 out the door. I would like some input before buying it. Thanks in advance.

 

[mtbtim]

How do you guys feel about an autozone replacement? I also need a new transmission for my 2001. Autozone transmission with all the bells and whistles is $1652 out the door. I would like some input before buying it. Thanks in advance.

I already responded to your other thread but I'll go ahead and respond here since this is my thread. I don't recommend it especially if you're going to pay someone to do it. This is a labor intensive job that you will hope to only do once or pay for once. I would not trust an Auto Zone rebuilt trans even if it came with a good warranty. What people forget about warranties is they don't compensate you for the time and money to redo all the labor. Sure, you'll get another trans from them if it craps out but you're either going to have to pay someone again to swap it out or you're going to be once again laying on your back in your garage for a whole lot of hours doing it all over again.

I recommend going with a Toyota remanufactured transmission. All the moving parts are replaced so you are basically getting a new transmission which will include the torque converter. If you shop around with your local dealers, you could probably pick one up for around $2500.

 

[shadow247]

yes some shops do price gouge and do take advantage of people if they can.

wonder what the person that turns the wrench makes when the shop charges 150 an hour. Back in the olden days...the wrench made half...doubt that now...that would be 75 an hour

I work Insurance claims, and we despise dealers. They ripoff and gouge at every opportunity. They have little to no idea why they are charging what they do, but they know that's how much it costs. I routinely turn $3,000 service bills into under 1000 dollar jobs after talking to the Service Advisor and making them explain to me why I should give them 3,000 bucks for something I have paid the shop down the street 1000 bucks to do more times than I can count. The service advisors are largely clueless, and every time I talk to one, it's apparent they aren't even really "car people." They always tell me that the manufacturer requires something, but can never seem to produce the paperwork showing that when pressed, or it doesn't really say what they are saying it says.

I have worked at 5 different car dealerships in service, sales, and the body shop, and I can tell you that 90 percent of the people there are winging it on a daily basis.

Sure there are a few guys out there who are exceptional, know what they are doing, and charge a fair price, but by and large, the industry is staffed with people who don't have a freaking clue.

I do have some personal knowledge of the wage situation in the back of the shop as well. At the local "luxury" dealer, the Mechanical rate for the body shop 150/hr. The techs make 32-45 per hour flat rate, have to pay for their own tools, and have like 10 bucks a week deducted for their uniforms that are required to be wearing a fresh kit every day.

So that job with 600 dollar of labor, is only 4 hours to the tech, so he gets 150-175 bucks, and the shop keeps the rest. Let's not even mention the dealers that are marking up OEM parts over published list. Who actually bothers to go to parts.toyota.com and verify the price of the OEM oil filter?