Transmission Repair

Here is one of our estimates. We had to buy a reman because there was so much hard part damage due to no ATF. Notice we use a lot of text even though the estimate is only a "1-pager." Bradshaw's Mustang Transmission Estimate

I forgot to mention we also have automatic transmissions malfunctioning and the owner thinks a transmission service will fix it. That is a perfect set up for the infamous "Ever since..." line of bullshit, especially in older vehicles with customers who have no money. We pass on those jobs and refer them to our competition. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.

Yes, many newer transmissions have inherent problems. Few people understood it because of the proliferation of automatic transmission myths. Nobody understood regular service intervals due to the OEMs claiming either 100K mile fluid changes or "Lifetime Fluid". When customers read such claims in the owner's manual, even a relatively simple service becomes an uphill battle. The newer the unit, the greater probability of issues. Many have recall notices issued that the majority of people don't pay attention to. Even a routine service job on a Euro unit can run $1K and people are immediately shocked to high heaven. A ZF 8-speed in many Euro units have the pan, gasket, and filter made into one, and OUR COST is over $300 bucks; not to mention the $45/qt. fluid. OUCH! Our experience with all the newer units, sensors, electrical, and software issues are very common.

Being a retired transmission shop owner, I can relate to this topic from my viewpoint. Namely, transmission fluid & filter changes, which I actively encourage. Some transmission shops use them as a "loss leader", while we do not. Much like engine oil changes of the days long gone, a lot has changed with transmission service jobs, too. Lifetime fluid, no traditional dipsticks, and a lot more are among the recent changes. The price of a transmission service has gone through the roof, especially on European units. But much like engine oil changes, a transmission service gives us the opportunity to inspect the entire vehicle and drivetrain. Leaking seals, broken CV boots, and bad U-joints are only the tip of the iceberg. Human nature being what it is, customers rarely think about a transmission service unless they perceive something is not right. There's about a 50/50 chance a transmission service will turn into major transmission work because of human nature. Who thinks of a transmission service without some impetus? I agree with Joe in that an oil change/service job is really an inspection opportunity.

Interesting topic; yes. Viable for EVs? Not so much. I looked up used tires for our 2021 RAV4 hybrid. They price by tread depth. Check it out at... https://www.champtires.com/search-results/?width=225&aspect=65&rim_size=17&search_form_submit=Search+Tires

Great words of wisdom.

I retired more than 3 years ago. I've learned even though I'm financially prepared to fully retire... I was not EMOTIONALLY PREPARED. I lost my identity. In 3 short years since retirement, I've gained over 80 pounds! I did not put the same amount of "homework" into my EMOTIONAL preparedness as I truly needed for my financial preparedness. Don't make the same mistake as I. Prepare as much emotionally as you need for financial preparedness. They both take a lot of homework.

Another Ratchet & Wrench magazine article came across my desk and I thought it was worth sharing... Perfecting Your Interview Process

This Ratchet & Wrench magazine article came across my desk and I thought it was worth sharing... The Right Interview Questions: Your Secret Weapon for Successful Hiring

We used a labor matrix as a "filter" to filter out jobs we either didn't like, took more time, or were a higher risk as far as warranties go. We were a transmission shop. Regular plain vanilla jobs received the lowest labor matrix. The next step above that were European vehicles. Above that were highly modified/chipped vehicles. Above that were older, worn-out vehicles, typically vehicles older than 20 years old and pre-OBDII. Our invoices didn't show the number of hours or the hourly rate. It would show only the dollar amount of labor to keep customers from complaining or comparing our shop labor to other shops' labor. For the most part, it was a successful method. We all get jobs that go hay-wire somewhere during the repair and I wished I would have billed more hours, but that's just the way it goes. Win some; lose some, I would say. I loved writing estimates and I tried to keep it that way for our counter people by giving incentives for well-written estimates. Generally speaking, the more text an estimate has, the higher perceived value the estimate has in the mind of the consumer. We rarely under-bid jobs. Estimates were also rare to be only 1 page. 2 to 3 pages was the norm. Well-written estimates ensured a successful shop operation. Most of our competitors would write what I called "1-liners" for estimates and lump everything together, labor, parts and all, into one lump sum. Pitiful, I'd say. Invariably, they were the lowest bidders of the neighborhood.

Never park an EV in a closed area like a shop or garage. 3:33

A recent podcast on EV tires. Ratchet & Wrench Radio  (19 minutes)

EVs take special tires.

I've never thought of that, Joe. All I asked of my employees was to give me at least 30-day notice. But then again, we were a transmission shop and didn't have a predictable "busiest time of year".

The aftermath...

Here's what happened when I attempted to disassemble a lithium-ion battery. Look at the 3:40 mark.

I paid my technicians by the hour and they're rarely late. Being late was like a pay cut. The lowest paid technician was getting paid $25 an hour, so if they were two hours late, that's a $50 ding into their paycheck.

This is a funny, but great article on employee relations and motivation. The beatings will continue...

I don't know if it's legal or not, but I put it in my waste oil tank.

Yes.

We pay hourly because what we do (transmission shop) is so redundant. General repair shops have too many one-off and diagnostic jobs for me. Recently, in my retirement, I have decided to sell used transmissions without much success. It sounded good, but it didn't work. https://youtu.be/6C9974o07pE

Harvard Business Review Article:  Your Approach To Hiring Is All Wrong

We had a strong outside sales program for our transmission shop. We didn't do G/R, so we would refer that work to the shops that used us for transmission repairs. The outside sales calls were more of a social call than a sales call and that's what made our strategy so unique. To read about our program and see if you could adapt it to your shop, read this program overview. Please post any questions or concerns... New edited link from the text below: Penny Candy Jars From Walmart The Candy Man Can

I always used clock hours to pay the techs. Occasionally with a bonus for high production.

In my experience, for any given market area, there's always going to be a shop(s) doing extremely well as well as a shop(s) doing extremely poorly. I had my belief corroborated by the ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association) training staff. ATRA travels the country doing technical training seminars on Saturdays. They noticed the same phenomenon no matter the market area or city. So, for me, it's a given. That's just the way it is. Some shops are better run than others. Some shops hire a coach or consultant, while others don't. So be it...