My old truck's transmission gave out on the way to a job in Springfield last Tuesday.

I had a choice: drop $4,500 on a rebuild or buy a used one for $800 and install it myself over the weekend. I went with the used part and saved a ton, but it was a long two days. Anyone else had to make a big repair call on a work vehicle lately?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice_harris352mo agoTop Commenter

Figure out any tricks for finding a good used transmission (like, did you check specific salvage yards or just go with the first cheap one you found)? I've heard some real horror stories about used parts failing after a couple months, which would basically put you back at square one.

skyler_white952mo ago

Found a decent one after calling every yard in the county.

noahclark1mo ago

I hear you on those horror stories about used transmissions, I really do. But in my experience, a lot of those failures come from people not checking the donor vehicle's history or mileage first. I always look for a transmission that came from a wrecked body, not a blown engine, and I make sure to get it from a yard that offers at least a short warranty just to have some peace of mind.