manufacturer rebuilt vs indy rebuilt transmission

I have a '98 Dodge Caravan v.6 3 speed automatic transmission.
Transmission is dead; service shop at Chrysler dealership recommends
installing tranny rebuilt by Chrysler: cost $4000 Canadian (3350 US)
inc. labour, three year warranty. Local transmission shop would do the
job for $1700 (Cdn.) inc. labour, 2 year warranty.

Is the Chrysler rebuilt part worth the additional $2300?

Thanks,

Frank

 

No.

Richard.

 

YES!

 

Go to Amco transmission, get a replacement and purchase the life time
warranty

 

Nope.

 

There's no such thing. Chrysler is not in the rebuilding business. Their
dealer network buys rebuilt transmissions from whatever mass-rebuilder
had the lowest bid for the current contract interval. Just like "Mopar"
oil filters have been variously made by Fram, Wix/Dana, and
who-knows-else over the years. The same is true for ALL automakers, by
the way.

You're much better off with a local rebuild by a competent shop.

 

Go to SCAAMCO transmission, get a "spray paint rebuild", a triple
overcharge, and a worthless lifetime warranty at extra cost.

 

Wow - you really have substantial mark-up of parts up there, don't you? I went
with the Chrysler rebuilt tranny in my '96 T&C when the original destructed at
117,778 miles and the price I paid, including labor and sales tax, was
$2,199.00 which breaks down as follows: Trans $2,000, Core return -$500, 4
qts. ATF $50, Labor $525, Tax $124. I went with the Chrysler rebuilt because of
the 3year/36,000mile warranty. That was in August 2001. The tranny did start
acting up at 156,408 miles in June 2003 and it turned out to be the input and
output sensors. Had them replaced and the tranny has been working great since.
Mileage is now 185,370.

 

If you trust your local shop, go there. That dealer price is absurd.

 

hey, don't knock the rattle can rebuild. I've done many a generator,
alternator, and starter with just new brushes, bearings if it needs
them, and a little grease and a fresh coat of Krylon semi-gloss black

Of course, when you're talking about things a little more difficult to
R&R in one's driveway like transmissions, I tend to agree with you...

nate

 

That's not a rattle can rebuild. A rattle can rebuild is "Fix whatever
minor problem exists with the transmission, temporarily or permanently,
clean and paint the housing, and charge for a full overhaul". SCAAMCO has
been caught at it numerous times over the years and has always managed to
slime its way out of it with "We didn't do it, yer awner, but we promise
never to do it again."

 

Never.
The independent shop, if a good one, will do every bit as good a job.
Here in Ontario, Mr Transmission will do it for about 2300 with a full
warranty.

Chrysler you get 20,000km or one year, if you are lucky.

 

Why would Chrysler offer less of a warranty in Canada than they do in the
U.S.(3 yrs/36,000miles)................and just what is the "full warranty"
from Mr. Transmission??????????????/

 

If it is a Chrysler rebuilt it should have a 3/36 warranty

 

The hard part is finding a good independent shop.

Matt

 

The question should be, is a Chrysler RE-Manufactured Transmission better
than a RE-Built one and the answer is yes. When any of the auto makers sell
a transmission it is re-manufactured meaning it is repaired to OEM
specifications and if there any up grades over the years they are also done
especially in the valve body assembly. A re-build is just replacing worn
out parts and every thing else stays. Is it worth the extra money that is
up to you. Would I pay the extra money hell yes you are getting a far
superior product than a re-build.

HarryS

 

The answer is NO.

When any of the automakers sell a transmission it is farmed out to the
lowest-bidding factory full of semi-skilled trained apes. Failure rate on
"remanufactured" Chrysler automatics is very high.

There is no "valve body assembly" in the transmission in question. It's an
A604-derivative. And, when a transmission is overhauled by any decent
trans tech, it is repaired to OEM specifications and all upgrades are
retrofitted.

Maybe in your garage in Alabama, out back behind the outhouse and past
the field full of old refrigerators and buried blue tickhounds.

 

I will pick a properly-done rebuild with a 90-day warranty over a thrown
together piece of "remanufactured" trash with a 3/36 warranty in a hot
second, every time.

 

well from the ones that come into the shop that have been purchased from
Jasper, and some of the name brand transbuilder shops around here, Alot of
them dont even last the 1 yr warranty that comes with them. Go to a
rebuilder and have something go wrong with it 300 miles from the shop it was
done and see if you get it fixed, Now buy a Chrysler Rebuilt and have
something go wrong with it and have it towed to the nearest dealer......
3/36 covered, so my answer is YES

 

I will pick a properly-done rebuild < problem is finding someone that
can do it, and performing the reflashes that go with it