Hello everyone, first time poster here,
I recently had my bad transmission changed on my 2001 VW gold GLS 1.8T Gas, 4 door hatchback 4 speed auto trans. The guy that did the job botched it by not checking a seal which lead to a major leak and it started to slip. After about 2k miles it normalized out and stopped slipping but now its back. When I pull out into traffic in a tight spot I push my car to get into line and up to speed and when I do that it for some reason sticks in second (maybe third) gear until I come to a dead stop and go again. Well now it is down shifting hard when I’m coming to a stop but it seems to do it after driving a while. It isn’t leaking that I have seen but I will have to check in the morning as it just started to hard shift again. This happened to my last transmission, it started out by downshifting hard then not catching when shifting up then completely failing on me. I’m in a tight spot because I really don’t know what to do with this car, is there a different transmission I could buy used that would stand up better then this one? Could a rebuild fix my issues? I am having a lot of trouble even finding a place to buy a new transmission as is and with all the issues I’ve had with a used one I’m afraid to take that route again but I’m also aware that sometimes a rebuild wont fix anything. If by chance you happen to know a place around stamford N.Y that is reputable for used/rebuilt transmissions or fixing them please let me know. I appreciate anyone whose taken the time to read this and/or reply.
It seems to me that “the guy that did the job” is on the hook here.
He should fix your transmission at no charge to you.
UNLESS he installed a used transmission . . .
It was used and it’s a friend of my dads, both of which aren’t the most honest of people, so im stuck footing the bill again, last time it was around 2 grand and it didn’t even last me a year sadly.
With all due respect, is the car worth a new transmission?
I’ve had a bunch of transmissions rebuilt but would never trust a used one. You go to all that work and expense to remove and replace and never know what you have. Most of the time a rebuild is done correctly if it is a quality shop, but again the question already asked is if its worth it at all.
Kelley Blue Book says the car is worth roughly $3600 private party value in good condition, in your zip code.
Besides the transmission, what condition is the car in?
How many miles?
Rust?
Good tires?
Good brakes?
Maintenance up to date?
etc.
There is some paint issues, no rust, brand new tiers, good brakes, engine runs fine interior is clean , oil change on the regular and so on. Brand new front bearings, and spark plugs and it has 117k miles I wouldn’t really know how to go about trading it in or anything though.
@Thanitos it might be worth fixing the car.
IMO you should consider installing a genuine VW remanned transmission. It should have a decent warranty and any and all upgrades.
I assume the goal is to drive the car for another 4-5 years?
Does your engine have a timing belt?
If so, is it up to date?
"The guy that did the job botched it by not checking a seal which lead to a major leak and it started to slip. After about 2k miles it normalized out and stopped slipping but now its back."
This suggests that you had a leak and let it go for 2000 miles, driving it while it was slipping, rather than fix the leak? And then it “healed”? And it seems you’ve been driving it beyond that 2000 miles? Hmmmm, I’m not sure that helped your transmission very much.
I’d suggest you check with a locally owned independent transmission specialist (NOT AAMCO, Mr. Transmission, or other chain business) to see a) what they think is going on, and b) what it would cost for a rebuild of the transmission you’ve got in there. Compare that with the cost of the reman transmission @db4690 mentioned and having that shop install it.
But before you decide what to do, be sure to answer db’s question about the timing belt, and if that is due or coming soon, include that cost in your decision process. Also, since you are probably in a roadsalt environment, you might start by having a qualified shop investigate the structural integrity of the car (underneath), to see if you have any issues there. If you do, the transmission job may not be a wise expenditure.
The car originally came from a salt free area it was given to me in September 2012. I have no idea on the timing belt so with that then if it has one it is due to be checked. And the leak was right after I got it fixed then I brought it back to have the gasket fixed and then drove it up until now, sorry for the bad explanation.