The importance of your vehicle’s transmission can’t be overstated. Its job is to transfer the power generated by the engine to the wheels, and it’s not hard to imagine how this powerful action can eventually start to wear on your transmission’s parts. When you’re having problems with your transmission, you have three options: repair, rebuild or replace.
Cases Where a Repair is Insufficient
If the issue is a small one, a simple repair may be all that’s needed. But in the following cases, a repair isn’t your best option:
The repair cost is too high: Sometimes a repair can cost thousands of dollars. When this is the case, you’re likely better off having the transmission rebuilt or replaced.
You’re repairing your transmission too often: If you’ve had your transmission fixed multiple times in recent years, this is a sign that it might have problems that repairs are unable to address. In such cases, the repairs will probably end up costing you more money—and causing you more grief—than a more comprehensive solution.
You’re hearing grinding sounds - If you hear grinding noises coming from your transmission when you shift gears, there’s a good chance the gear synchronizers are worn or damaged. When this is the case, a new or rebuilt transmission is needed.
The transmission is shot: If your transmission has stopped working entirely, it’s likely a serious issue that only replacement or rebuilding can solve.
Benefits of Rebuilding Instead of Replacing Your Transmission
After you’ve ruled out that a simple repair isn’t the best option, you’re left with deciding whether to replace or rebuild your transmission. Your first instinct might be to opt for a replacement transmission, reasoning that it will be the closest thing to a new one. This isn’t necessarily the case, and you should first consider the following benefits of rebuilding your transmission:
Parts still in good condition will be kept - Rebuilding your transmission means disassembling it, replacing worn, damaged or broken parts with brand new parts and retaining the parts that are still in good shape.
Replaced transmissions aren’t “new” - Vehicle manufacturers typically only produce new transmissions for brand new cars. Replacement transmissions are in fact very similar to rebuilt ones: they’re transmissions that have been rebuilt in a factory setting. Moreover, these replacement transmissions don’t always contain the most updated parts; the new parts used in rebuilt transmissions, on the other hand, will be the latest ones available.
Cost savings - Usually a rebuilt transmission will cost you about half of what a replacement will. Those are pretty big savings—especially considering that the rebuilt transmission, if done by a skilled professional, will be just as good as, if not better than, a factory replacement.
Transmission Work in the Edmonton Area
If you’re looking to repair or rebuild your transmission, Alberta Transmission Service in Edmonton is your best bet. Our experienced technicians can provide you with all the information you need and will always do the highest quality work on your vehicle. Contact us today!