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Transmission Repair

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We had a simple policy for our transmission shop.  We would offer to take in anything; for a price.  The more we didn't want to work on something, the higher the price.  I wouldn't say an emphatic "No" on anything.

We once had a highly modified Dodge Ram 3500 diesel come into our shop.  The guy was on his 4th transmission and we would be #5.  He had a chip that could be modified from the driver's seat on the fly.  It's was lifted with big tires and an exhaust system bigger than the sewer pipe to my house.  Injectors, manifold, etc. and it was a "rolling coal" example.

High liability, so I told him I would have to Remove, Disassemble, and Inspect the damage to give an accurate price.  He kept pressing me for a "guesstimate".  I finally said, no less than $9K, depending on what we found.

He said, "OK, go for it."  After the job, we never saw the truck again.  Lucky us, huh?  Later I discovered I should have charged him for installation:...

ATS Uninstalled Transmission Prices

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weighit Enthusiast

weighit

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When I had my business there were jobs I really didn't care to do nor want to do, but reluctantly did. One day my wife asked, for that job you don't like, how much more if you charged would you like to do it? I gave her a figure, and she said Ok starting today that is the new base price. I started to actually like doing those jobs and funny thing was, not one person said Oh that is too much, they just said OK do it. You have to not only make money working, but like what your getting paid for that job. She was a LOT smarter than me somedays.

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Transmission Repair Experienced

Transmission Repair

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1 hour ago, weighit said:

When I had my business there were jobs I really didn't care to do nor want to do, but reluctantly did. One day my wife asked, for that job you don't like, how much more if you charged would you like to do it? I gave her a figure, and she said Ok starting today that is the new base price. I started to actually like doing those jobs and funny thing was, not one person said Oh that is too much, they just said OK do it. You have to not only make money working, but like what your getting paid for that job. She was a LOT smarter than me somedays.

I think how confidently you can say a matter-of-factly price has a lot more to do with selling the job than the price of the job.  No matter how low of a price you quote hesitantly, stuttering, or unconfidently, the higher the chance of the customer saying "No."

We're a transmission repair shop where most jobs are big-ticket and by nature are harder to sell for most.  Believe it or not, we had a 98% close ratio on major transmission work where our prices were the highest in our market area.  That was almost double the close ration of the transmission industry average.  We were also #5 in gross sales in the nation for a transmission-only shop.  If you're interested exactly how we did that, contact me and let's talk.

J. Larry Bloodworth / [email protected] / (801) 885-2227

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Transmission Repair Experienced

Transmission Repair

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I upped the font size to 12 point but it doesn't seem to make a difference... yet.  Maybe it will change when I post it.  Anyway...

=======================================================================

This is a good example of how weird transmission diagnosis has become in today's electronically-controlled transmission era. This is a post from a friend, Pat Schulte, in a transmission shop in California on a Nissan Versa...
Another Versa JF015E/RE0F11A story. Occasional shift into drive delayed and very harsh. The car had a code for a range sensor, and would mess up on the indicator light when it would bang. Changed the range sensor, no help. One of the guys remembered that we had another Versa doing the same and he had followed the circuit and determined the tail lights were bad, replaced them and fixed the problem. Did the same on this one and it was fixed. HTH
A taillight bulb causing a transmission problem. Who would have thought???
================================================
Well, the larger font size seemed to work after the Cut & Paste above from my FB page.  The picture below is in a Smoke Shop in Draper.  Ain't it the truth?  At least it is in my house.

Women Are Always Right.JPG

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Transmission Repair Experienced

Transmission Repair

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3 hours ago, Joe Marconi said:

Sometimes you have to listen to your spouse.  My wife was right on point with so many things, it was scary. And she was never in business, and couldn't tell you the difference between a brake pad and a spark plug. 

It is also amazing how OUR perception of price and the fear that the customer will not pay, is a lot different from reality. 

 

I'm on my 3rd wife and is absolutely the best.  We met on Match.com 16 years ago.  (1st wife=13 yrs, 2nd wife=17 yrs.)  I feel like I was born married 67 years ago. Like your wife, my wife couldn't tell you the difference between a brake pad and a spark plug either.  -BUT- She has been an accountant for 30 years and has about 70 clients before her retirement.  She has 2 degrees; one in accounting and one in economics.  She's super-good with money, financing, and savings.

Although that's all fine and good, but her general sense of everyday good judgement is amazingly good and BETTER than mine.  Before retiring, she would make some decisions I didn't agree with but turned out to be correct.  Yeah, stuff like that is scary, but apparently neither one of us couldn't have picked a better life partner.

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Transmission Repair Experienced

Transmission Repair

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I take back what I said about never saying "No" to a customer.

We once in the early 2000s had a very young meth-head come into our shop.  How did I know he was a meth-head?  It was all but obvious.

It was a mid-'90s F-150 with an E4OD and he had wiring problems.  Before looking at the truck, the first thing he wanted to know was "How Much" to rewire it like the factory as he fidgeted.  I instructed him to pull the truck into the shop and pop the hood, which he did.

It looked like a bomb went off in the wiring harness under the hood as did under the dash.  Long story made short, it had virtually ever electrical add-on in the book.  Electric brakes for a trailer, boom-boom box stereo, remote start, cruise control, and etc.  After just a peek at this rat's nest of loose wiring out of the loom, I simply told him "No, you need to take to the dealer to get a factory wiring job."

The truck sat on my premises for over 4 months and I eventually had our towing company impound the vehicle.  I never heard a word from the guy and assumed he just got locked up in jail somewhere.

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weighit Enthusiast

weighit

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In the last business I owned I stripped paint and rust off anything with low pressure blasting of recycled plastic, walnut shells and glass bead at no more than about 30 psi. Had many folks come in and ask how much to strip this item, I would give a price and say you can have it back tomorrow. They would sometimes say, naw, i will just strip it myself and I would say OK, if you end up not getting it done, I will be here if you need me. Off they go, then a few days later in comes the part 1/2 done, and they ask if they get a discount for working 8 hours on the item? Nope, same price as before, but you can see how much work was involved and you only got it partially done, and not all that well either. On a few occasions I told them it was now more than the last quote as they buggered it up and made it harder for me. Some folks learned a lesson that paying for someone else to do the work is the right way to do it.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
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      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      Nearly every day, I hear shop owners complain: "There's a technician shortage. We can't find qualified people. There's no one out there." If that's true, then who's to blame?
      The industry? The schools? The government? I don't know how you feel, but who promised us an endless supply of qualified technicians?
      Another common complaint is that young people do not want to work in the trades. Well, if that were true, then why are other trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing growing? What are they doing that the automotive industry is not? 
      Here's the reality we need to face: We do have a problem, but we shouldn't look for someone or any entity to rescue us. Not the government. Not the trade schools. Not the recruiting companies. No one owes us a workforce. If we want great people in our industry, it's up to us. At some point, we need to own up to the truth: Building a pipeline of qualified technicians is our responsibility.
      In this blog article, I will break down the key reasons we are in this situation today and what we, as an industry, can do to solve the technician shortage. Are you ready to look in the mirror?
      Have We Pushed Technicians Away?
      Let's take a look at flat-rate pay. True flat rate, which pays a technician only for the hours they produce, is a controversial pay plan that emphasizes high production levels and creates a competitive work environment that, if not properly controlled, can lead to increased mistakes and a decline in morale and team spirit. Additionally, the stress and physical demands placed on technicians as they age are not favorable to long-term employee retention. What do we do with technicians as they grow older into their fifties and begin to slow down? 
      I have heard all the arguments and pros and cons of flat-rate pay, and I am not going to judge any pay plan. Let the facts speak for themselves. True flat rate has changed in most areas around the country and has evolved into a pay plan that gives technicians some pay guarantee.
      Many shop owners have learned that team morale, along with the opportunity to earn income, is important to technicians and to the company's long-term success. But let me ask you: how many technicians have left or been pushed out over the years because of the old flat-rate pay system?
      Another issue is the workplace environment. I remember being grateful to be hired as a young technician at a local repair shop. While very thankful, the work environment was not ideal. The shop owner kept the bay doors open year-round (I am from New York) unless it rained or snowed. He felt that if the bay doors were closed, customers might think we were closed for business. We had no heat and no hot water. Many of the jobs were done outside, year-round,  in all types of weather. The starting pay was minimum wage, with no benefits, sick days, or vacation pay. 
      Now, again, I need to point out that I was truly grateful for the opportunity this shop owner gave me. I learned a lot working there, and the experience was pivotal in my career. But looking back, I wonder how many people were discouraged by these working conditions?
      While the physical demands of the repair workplace are daunting, perhaps even more critical is the culture. Too many of my generation shop owners preached the mindset of "my way or the highway." We were the business owners, after all. We started our companies, took all the risks, and provided jobs. Why shouldn't we be the ones to set the ground rules our way?   
      Many of us found over the years that the "my way or the highway" mentality was a sure way to isolate employees and make them more likely to look over the fence for greener grass. In other words, it led many technicians to seek employment elsewhere, where they felt they could be appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The issue, however, was that there wasn't much green grass around. Disappointment after disappointment, bouncing from repair to repair shop, eventually led to despair. So, I ask you: were workplace conditions a contributing factor in today's technician shortage?
      Another factor that we are all well aware of is the complexity of the modern automobile. When I started, the work was mostly physical, and you were required to master essentially three vehicle models: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Let's fast-forward to today. The evolution of automotive technology, along with the extensive training and tools required, has outpaced the typical technician's pay compensation, with no clear career path. Again, leading to frustration and insecurity about the future.
      Here is the bottom line: people don't leave their job; they leave their experience. We must do a better job. 
      The News Isn't all Bad; Your Next Steps to Fix the Technician Shortage
      To fix the technician shortage, it will take a combined effort from everyone in the automotive industry, particularly automotive shop owners. Shop owners are in the perfect position to make the greatest impact, not only on their businesses but also on the future automotive workforce.
      First, shop owners must become better leaders and understand that their ultimate success is directly dependent on the people they assemble around them. Any shop owner who mistakenly believes they can build an empire solely on their abilities is destined for serious disappointment. Business owners who think like this will eventually plateau. Without the collective contributions from a team of qualified people, your business will stall; it will not continue to grow.
      Create a workplace that attracts top talent: a clean, professional, well-equipped facility designed to support productivity, teamwork, and a career, not just a job. Build a great reputation in your community by getting involved locally. Become the auto repair shop that people take notice of as "the" place to work.
      Next, shop owners must become more financially knowledgeable. Knowing your numbers and what you need to achieve for a strong bottom-line profit is essential to paying technicians the money they need and deserve. Profit will also allow you to compete with other trade industries by providing a benefits package that has real take-home value and security.
      When it comes to culture, this is where the rubber hits the road. People crave recognition, praise, and a sense of purpose. Despite what you hear, people are not just money-motivated. Once people feel secure in their financial situation, retaining and motivating technicians can only be achieved by connecting with them on an emotional level. You cannot show enough appreciation. Give out praise for a job well done as if your business depended on it, because it does.
      As technicians age, we need to have a place for them. Expecting a 58-year-old to perform like a 35-year-old is unrealistic. We need to be more focused on career pathing. Provide training, skill development, and coaching to develop leaders and mentors within our older workforce. While their bodies may have slowed, the knowledge they have gained is priceless. 
      Our future is dependent on young people entering our industry. We need to give more young people opportunities. Every shop owner across the country should consider hiring an apprentice, then build an apprentice training plan and career path for them. If every shop did this, we could solve the technician shortage within five years. Get involved with the trade schools and high schools in your area. Look into the NAPA Apprenticeship Program. Don't sit on your hands with this one. Do it today.
      Lastly, don't get left behind. Commit to ongoing training for all your employees. Keep up to date with tools and equipment tailored to your business model. Don't try to be all things to all people and all vehicles. Identify your core profile customer and the vehicles they drive, and become an expert on those vehicles and the services you offer.

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