Ain't this always the way?
Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:37 pm
Yesterday, I drove to one of my offices in another town to do a site assessment for adding another 12 staff. On the way down, as I left the highway for the Loop that goes around Lufkin, Tx., I could feel something bad happening with the transmission on my '07 Camry. When changing gears (automatic), the engine would rev as if the bands were slipping. Now, I don't know if they have bands anymore in transmissions, but that's the only reference I had.
After doing our work, we ate, and I started driving back here to Nacogdoches, about 30 mi., and the "Check Engine" light came on. The car jerked and jerked until I got to speed then is settled down. So I went to an auto store and asked them to put the diagnostic computer on my car and see what the errors were. It had to do with a Solenoid either on or in the transmission.
The first place I took it to get repaired didn't do transmission work, so referred me to a place. When I got in there, there were 2 people waiting. The shop owner was talking to the first, and I overheard "Well, these 2 pins cost $300 each, and that's covered in the cost of the overhaul". Gulp! Two pins? $300 each? Then the 2nd guy went up to pay his bill and get his car. The guy said "That'll be 1796....................45" I really Gulped. But I left it overnite, and the man calls me today.
"I'm sorry, I can't find the parts for this in the aftermarket arena and you'll need to take it back to the Toyota dealer". GULP big time! So I asked "Just ball park me on about how much I'm looking at for this repair"
"I'd be very surprised if you got out of there with less than $4000".
After I woke up, I got my keys, told my wife to go on back to work, and I went to finish the day at the office. Man, I got the title for this car back in January after paying it off. Now this repair will cost me about 1/2 to 2/3's the value of the vehicle.
Can't a guy catch a break here and there?
Thanks for listening to my sob story. I don't feel better, but, I don't feel worse.
Bob
After doing our work, we ate, and I started driving back here to Nacogdoches, about 30 mi., and the "Check Engine" light came on. The car jerked and jerked until I got to speed then is settled down. So I went to an auto store and asked them to put the diagnostic computer on my car and see what the errors were. It had to do with a Solenoid either on or in the transmission.
The first place I took it to get repaired didn't do transmission work, so referred me to a place. When I got in there, there were 2 people waiting. The shop owner was talking to the first, and I overheard "Well, these 2 pins cost $300 each, and that's covered in the cost of the overhaul". Gulp! Two pins? $300 each? Then the 2nd guy went up to pay his bill and get his car. The guy said "That'll be 1796....................45" I really Gulped. But I left it overnite, and the man calls me today.
"I'm sorry, I can't find the parts for this in the aftermarket arena and you'll need to take it back to the Toyota dealer". GULP big time! So I asked "Just ball park me on about how much I'm looking at for this repair"
"I'd be very surprised if you got out of there with less than $4000".
After I woke up, I got my keys, told my wife to go on back to work, and I went to finish the day at the office. Man, I got the title for this car back in January after paying it off. Now this repair will cost me about 1/2 to 2/3's the value of the vehicle.
Can't a guy catch a break here and there?
Thanks for listening to my sob story. I don't feel better, but, I don't feel worse.
Bob