Hey Everybody,

Last September I purchased a 2001 XJ8 Vanden Plas with a known rear wheel hub issue, I couldn't test drive the vehicle and took the seller's word that it was great. Unfortunately after getting the rear wheel hub replaced my mechanic told me the transmission needed a rebuild. I took the car off the road while I thought about what I was going to do.

I just put the car back onto the road, took it up to a transmission shop and the guy test drove it. He gave me a verbal estimate of $1,800 - $2,200 for a rebuild. I gave the car to them on Friday and got a call today that it was ready for pickup and my total would be $2,600... The owner of the shop who I had originally dealt with is on vacation so he has some other guy running the front desk. When I got to the shop the mechanic who had been working on the car was surprised to see me there as the car was nowhere near ready. I left and phoned 2 hours later. The transmission was in, but the car was still having issues shifting.

What should I do? Now I'm going to have to pay $2,600 for a car that I had the understanding would have been FIXED 100%, but instead it STILL has an issue with shifting? What other problems could it be?

This is very frustrating!!!

 

HI -
Was this a place that specializes in this type transmission? Had they done many (any?) before. Most people on this forum look up a place that specializes in this type transmission. Also, your price sounds a little low, so I wonder what they really did.
Hard to say what you should do at this point. Give them one or two tries to remedy the problem. Also, it could be a problem with communication between the electronics and the transmission. These cars have "software controlled shifting." What could go wrong with that !!!

 

You have my sympathy. I echo Boomer's question regarding the price.
It sounds too good to be true to me, so in the end, if they fix it for $2600.00 you are probably not too bad off. Hopefully they will come through for you. Getting some warranty in writing might be a nice thing.

This type of situation is exactly why I became a rookie DIY repairman a couple of years ago. These cars are not worth a lot of money, so in my case I have justified my mechanical pursuits with the notion that I do not have a lot to lose and could easily pay someone the value of the car to fix it. I recently replaced the transmission in my 98 XJR from the floor of my garage with the support and great advice from some forum members. Sadly transmission shops as an entity do not exude integrity. The good ones get tarnished by the bad. Not to say your shop falls in that category. Let's hope not.

I would have thought that just the removal, installation and re-fill would eat up a good $800.00. What kind of a re-build are you going to get on the balance remaining of the original $1800 - $2200.00 you were initially told? You might want to inquire gently about the thoroughness of your re-build. It may be a repair, rather than re-build. At this point you are at their mercy, so maintaining a decent relationship would be good, if you can.

As Boomer suggested, finding a trusted source of service and repair is a worthwhile pursuit. The forum's tech certified members, like Brutal and Motorcarman, to name just a couple are the type that would deliver peace of mind along with the repair. From reading many of their posts, and those from the other Tech Certified members, one deducts that they know what they are talking about and are not about exploitation. Too bad they are thousands of miles from most of us. I have a friend in the Transmission Repair business, who looked at mine for me when it bit the dust. His estimate for rebuilding was much higher and I know he was familiar with them.'' Mine being a Mercedes vs your ZF is one difference, but I can't imagine there being a huge variance in re-build costs.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

@Boomer from Boston & @JWT,

Thank you for all the information. It was in fact not a rebuild. They had replaced the A drum I believe, which was extremely worn out and "fixed" by one of the previous owners. I was quoted the $1,800 - $2,200 to fix the A drum, and not a rebuild..I'm assuming.

The total bill once the A drum was refitted, the oil put in was $2,650 but the car still wasn't driving properly. It turns out the valve body also needed replacing. They did that FREE OF CHARGE, which I was extremely thankful for. The total bill was $2,650 for the A drum, oil, and valve body.

Whether or not it was a good deal or I got ripped off..I have no clue. I'm just happy I can finally drive my XJ8.

 

Our dealer send out the transmissions to be rebuilt and rhe dealers cost is 1800 for a full rebuild before labor to remove and install trans and misc. gaskets..

I would not pay for it unless it is shifting properly and talk with that manager about the original quote.

 

Hi
I had our 2001 XJ8 transmission rebuilt at the only ZF factory authorized ZF transmission specialists in Connecticut. Our transmission failed at 91800 miles. They found a bad freewheel, a internally cracked valve body housing (HSG3) and they changed the valve body main pressure regulator housing, the sprag, installed the new design forward drum, they remanufactured our existing torque convertor, filled transmission with ZF transmission fluid, then tested the transmission on a Dyno.
Their retail price for the rebuild is $3450.00, but I was able to get it at wholesale price of $2295.00 (includes the fluid).

Our friend has a part time business as a mechanic and has a garage with a lift. He charged us $550 for removing and installing the transmission.

Therefore our total cost was $2845.00, which we thought was a very good deal.

Jim Lombardi

 

I would agree with you on that. You went to the right place and got a good deal on the rebuild and the removal/ installation. I assume it must have consumed some time... that perhaps "holybananas" did not have. Normally you would have paid the $3450.00 and about $600.00 to $800.00 for getting it out and back in and maybe some freight on top. So it could have been well over $4000.00. I does not sound like holy got a great deal for just the repair, but as he says, if the car is running well now, maybe he is past it. Hope it holds up

 

The transmission on my 1998 XJ8 went at 117,000. I had the entire transmission rebuilt. I got two estimates, both 2,600. I went with the shop with the better reputation and better warranty.
Was not happy when the trans went but the car really runs great- car now has 130,000 miles and runs great. Some one in my house drives it every day - so I am glad I repaired the car.

 

Hi obriendob
Did the $2600 rebuild include the transmission removal, installation and re-fill?
Please include the name of the repair shop in your reply.

Jim Lombardi

 

He removed transmission, replaced all parts, reassembled a placed transmission back in car also test drove the car for a day. Totally he had the car 5 days

Closter Transmission , Closter New Jersey

A few months later I asked him to replace the timing chain tensioners, that I supplied. He charged my 700 for the labor

 

Hi obriendob
Was the $700 labor for replacement of primary & secondary timing chain tensioners or just the secondary tensioners?

Jim Lombardi

 

secondary tensioners, gaskets, oil, labor