the Cost of Transmission Repair and Replacement

The price covered removal and replacement of a automatic transmission oil pump (a two hour job) ($180) as well as the price of the parts ($80) and towing ($40).

As it was done at a full-service mechanic's shop, a variety of services were available from basic maintenance to engine and transmission rebuilds.

The transmission on my mother's car was acting weird. It wasn't shifting when it was supposed to and had refused to shift out of park. So my mother called me. I got in the car, started it up, put it in gear, and, well, it didn't work. The problem not being immediately obvious, I called my usual repair shop and they came out with a tow truck.

After tracing the problem to a faulty transmission oil pump they replaced the broken part quite quickly. Once they were done, it worked as it should. Nice. Yeah labor cost more per hour than usual, but I've found with these guys that they do most jobs faster and are better (and more honest) at diagnosing problems than other mechanics I've been to. The shop is always kind of disordered, though, so it belies the quality of the service a bit.

Mechanics, like used car dealers, have a largely well-earned reputation for dishonesty. Fortunately in the age of the internet people are more able than ever to share their tales of woe. Before you go to just any old mechanic for repairs, take a look at some internet mechanic review sites, and see who's doing a good job and who isn't. And once you do find a good mechanic, stick with them.