Rebuild Or reman? The difference Is The Shop!
Many general repair shops are getting into the transmission repair business by offering to install “reman” transmissions.
What is a reman? A reman is a transmission that’s been remanufactured in a factory setting, and shipped to the repair shop to be installed as a complete unit.
Is it okay to buy a reman? That’s a pretty broad question. The answer depends on the quality of the reman itself. Some are very high quality; others less so.
More important than the reman itself, however, is the shop or technician performing the diagnosis. Remember: Many cars with transmission problems don’t actually need a new transmission. And, if your car doesn’t need a new transmission, you shouldn’t pay for one.
But if the technician performing the diagnosis doesn’t have the skill or experience with your car’s transmission, you might easily find yourself paying for a new transmission… whether you need one or not.
If the reman transmission still doesn’t work, the reman companies have technicians on staff to help the shop work through the actual problem. So your car will probably shift just fine when you get it back. The only question then is:
Was the problem you had really in the transmission? Or did you pay for a transmission you didn’t really need?
Only a qualified, professional transmission technician can diagnose your car reliably, and tell you for certain whether you actually need a rebuilt transmission, or whether a much less expensive repair will take care of the problem.
Your local ATRA member repair shop is staffed with these technicians. Give them a call; they’ll be happy to check your car, and they’ll make sure you never pay for work you don’t need.
To find the ATRA Member shop near you, click the Shop Finder link.
If you have any questions you can e-mail them to ATRA's Technical Department through the Technical Services page or call 1-866-GO-4-ATRA (1-866-464-2872)
