Transmission Rebuild Cost

[djape1977]

They are not worse nor better then original fiat gearboxes.

[davery]

I was wondering if it is even worth to have it rebuilt. I planned on the day mine goes bad to just send it to AutoRicambi or Vick Auto as a core and get a new Polish Fiat one or the Lada one. Get a new transmission, plus better 5th gear ratio with either or those options, versus messing with the old one and rolling the dice with how it comes out (and how long it takes ). I guess if I cared about keeping everything original maybe a rebuild is worth the cash, but it is way too late for that! Just seems like for under $2000 for a new transmission is going to be cheaper than what a rebuild will cost, and better end result.

Or you can get a rebuilt one from AR for $1290 but I figure if I'm going through the effort, 100% new for $300 more is money well spent, plus for the longer 5th gear. I do a lot of highway driving and it'd be nice to drop 10% RPMs in 5th.

Are there bad reviews of the Polish Fiat and Lada new transmissions?

If they were the same price, I would agree. I thought about buying the Polaski from AR, but it would end up costing several hundred more dollars over rebuilding my existing tran.

[Turbofiat124]

I had Hugh at Fiat specialist in Knoxville TN rebuild a couple for me. I had him to rebuild a spare transmission and have been storing it for about 15 years in case I ever need it! Back in the 1990s his going rate was around $800. This was not all new parts. Just the parts that needed replacing (bearings, gears) but I think he used new syncros and at least 2nd gear shifter fork because they are so crappy.

Be warned! I had a local guy from a transmission shop rebuild a 124 transmission and it was not right from day one. It was noisier, leaked oil, pop out of 2nd gear then eventually 3rd gear broke. Not much better than the one I removed!

I don't know if Fiat Spider transmissions are unique or what but it seems if you don't have any experience with them, you can easily botch up a rebuild.

I recently had the 4th gear freewheel device replaced in the transmission from my Trabant 601. The local shop that did it, replaced the part (which I purchased) and 2 input shaft bearings and charged me about $800. I would not even call it a rebuild. The crappy thing was he did not get the circlip seated on 3rd gear so it grinded. So I had to remove the transmission a second time.

I'd much rather remove the transmission and engine from my Yugo any day over a Trabant!

http://s222.photobucket.com/user/turbof ... t=6&page=9

I wish I had to patience to rebuild a transmission because labor is not cheap.