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.
NO!
YES!
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??????????????/
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......
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