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$3,000 for a CD4E rebuild!!!

L

Lou3

CEG'er
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
Messages
158
I was just quoted $3,000 for a complete CD4E rebuild with an improved drum, valve work to reduce the pressure that caused the first drum to crack (common in the CD4E) and a new torque converter. 36-month guarantee and they toss you the keys to a loaner while they have your car. Without the torque converter, a little over $2,300. What do you think about that price? I'm already into them for almost $500 for the transmission removal and inspection. Also, they originally told me rebuilds range from $1,200 to $2,000. I checked with a local Cottman, and they said the price was insane and quoted me $1,500-1,800 for a complete rebuild (should be less because they'll be getting the car with the transmission already out). If it were you, would you have the car towed out of the first place and let Cottman finish it? Cottman doesn't have loaners, so I'd have to rent a car for a couple of days - plus the price of the tow.

Man, I hate this stuff.
 
Lou3 said:
I was just quoted $3,000 for a complete CD4E rebuild with an improved drum, valve work to reduce the pressure that caused the first drum to crack (common in the CD4E) and a new torque converter. 36-month guarantee and they toss you the keys to a loaner while they have your car. Without the torque converter, a little over $2,300. What do you think about that price? I'm already into them for almost $500 for the transmission removal and inspection. Also, they originally told me rebuilds range from $1,200 to $2,000. I checked with a local Cottman, and they said the price was insane and quoted me $1,500-1,800 for a complete rebuild (should be less because they'll be getting the car with the transmission already out). If it were you, would you have the car towed out of the first place and let Cottman finish it? Cottman doesn't have loaners, so I'd have to rent a car for a couple of days - plus the price of the tow.

Man, I hate this stuff.
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I'm not at all surprised by the $3K figure from the private shop. That seems to be about par for the course in this arena. You should be able to rent a car for $30 a day -- maybe less, so I'd look into that and see where the math takes you. Tow can't be more than $100. If you have AAA, you can get a discount on both the car rental (through Hertz) and the tow could be free.

Whatever you do, replace the torque converter while you're in there.
 
Lou3 said:
I was just quoted $3,000 for a complete CD4E rebuild with an improved drum, valve work to reduce the pressure that caused the first drum to crack (common in the CD4E) and a new torque converter. 36-month guarantee and they toss you the keys to a loaner while they have your car. Without the torque converter, a little over $2,300. What do you think about that price? I'm already into them for almost $500 for the transmission removal and inspection. Also, they originally told me rebuilds range from $1,200 to $2,000. I checked with a local Cottman, and they said the price was insane and quoted me $1,500-1,800 for a complete rebuild (should be less because they'll be getting the car with the transmission already out). If it were you, would you have the car towed out of the first place and let Cottman finish it? Cottman doesn't have loaners, so I'd have to rent a car for a couple of days - plus the price of the tow.

Man, I hate this stuff.
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One other thing. Replacing the torque converter is a cake walk once the tranny is out. It slides onto the shaft, and then you've got to align the dowels on the back of it with the holes in the flexplate as you reassemble the bellhouse. The part should not be more than $400, so they're apparently nailing you for some $300 for very limited work.

Folks who have posted about cutting your losses have a point, but to what degree depends on you and your car. If the car is a prize, in very good condition, or both, you might realize a level of utility equal to the price paid. If not, then maybe you make like Kenny Rogers and "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em..." :cool:
 
Madness. Notorious transmission specialists strike again. I'll bet they didn't remove or inspect.

You can get a rebuilt cd4e from eBay or online... or anywhere for about 350-$800. Shop around for labor costs to install only, since that shop allegedly removed it. (Why would they put it back in, if it was busted?)
 
I feel your pain. I had my ATX rebuilt at Ammco for 2800 with a one year warranty and after 13 months it f'd up again, so I took it back and they told me my warranty has expired, but for $2000 they would re do it with a 3 year warranty, and like a dumb ass I paid :cry: and its still not the same as it was when I first got the car .Ammco says it their "shift kit",anyways do yourself a favor and just get a whole new or junk yard trans installed ,youll probably save yourself half the money and the whole headache
 
Thanks for the replies. The car is in decent shape, the motor runs fine, and it has a new timing belt, rear struts, and tires. I'm confident I can get another couple of years out of it - if the transmission is rebuilt properly. My gut feeling is that it's a big if at the current shop.

Another person told me that even a new transmission shouldn't be as much as what I was quoted. What ticks me off the most is that they gave me a price range for a rebuild, then overshot it by $1,000.

So far, I'm feeling good about Cottman doing the rebuild. My regular mechanic recommended them (I wish I had asked the mechanic earlier), and that mechanic has been nothing but honest with me.
 
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Lou3 said:
Thanks for the replies. The car is decent shape, the motor runs fine, and it has a new timing belt, rear struts, and tires. I'm confident I can get another couple of years out of it - if the transmission is rebuilt properly. My gut is telling me that that's a big if at the current shop.

Another person told me that a new transmission shouldn't be that much. What ticks me off the most is that they gave me a price range for a rebuild, then overshot it by $1,000.

So far, I'm feeling good about Cottman doing the rebuild. My regular mechanic recommended them (I wish I had asked the mechanic earlier), and that mechanic has been nothing but honest with me.
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Sounds like you've got your answer. Time to call the towing company. :cool:
 
AAA most likely won't cover the Tow since there is no tranmission in the car, if that shop really did remove it in the first place...

Gone through that a few times. Someone drops the car off, has tranny removed, wants car back at there place while its being rebuilt by THaines, and then tows it back... AAA Truck drivers said no 3 times!

Good Luck though, I really hope it all works it for the best.
 
aircougar said:
AAA most likely won't cover the Tow since there is no tranmission in the car, if that shop really did remove it in the first place...

Gone through that a few times. Someone drops the car off, has tranny removed, wants car back at there place while its being rebuilt by THaines, and then tows it back... AAA Truck drivers said no 3 times!

Good Luck though, I really hope it all works it for the best.
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thoes AAA drivers should be shot.

as long as the car has valid plates, all 4 wheels on it, it should be able to be towed, especially if its going to another shop to be repaired.

ill only turn a AAA call is the plates arent valid, i cant get my truck to it to hook up, if its in a parking garage, or if its on 4 cinder blocks.oh and my favorite no ID/ card


sucks about the trans. find a low millage one from a local junkyard.
 
A Contour without a transmission will not have front suspension, it came off with the subframe to enable tranny to come out bottom of car. I strongly suggest that anyone rebuilding a CD4E change the forward/direct clutch cylinder for NEW, not used as used one can break super quick because it already has time on it. The land that retains snapring holding forward clutches breaks/cracks and pieces fall into a rotating mass of several parts. Can easily run up several $$$ in multiple parts, a very common failure on these cars. A NEW cylinder is MUCH stronger, you can tell by visual comparision. A used old one is more trouble waiting to happen. Many new ones are still the old design, they will tell you they are the "good" part, some break in only a few thousand miles. Someone tried to sell me a "new" one that had been glassbeaded and I pointed out to counter guy that it already had cracks in it, part no good. I lost several parts, rebuilt/installed mine myself, total cost in parts alone about $650, including $85 for a rebuilt converter that had been cut apart and rewelded to change clutch and thrust parts. Did the line pressure mod too, car has run fine now for 8 months.
 
I called the shop this morning intending to tell them to get the car ready to be towed. Before I got to that, they told me they could do the repair for $2,000. They said they'd install a used drum, lower the valve pressure that causes the drums to crack, and refurbish my torque converter. With this option, they'd give me a 1-year warranty.

It's a tough call now. The whole process (including towing and rental car) will cost a few hundred more if I have the car towed to a different shop. I told them that I checked with other shops and got quotes of $1,500-1,800, and they said the other shops were most probably lying; either they'd pull "we just found this thing that we didn't know about" and jack up the price, or they'd use inferior parts (if not the wrong parts). They told me that, having been in the business since 1980, they could assure me that nobody could do a proper rebuild with drum replacement for under $2,000. I too thought about these possibilities - or in the world of transmission repair, probabilities. Because of being misguided by the original estimate, they'll waive the inspection charge and lower their labor by $20 an hour.

What this shop is saying about the mechanics of the rebuild makes sense and is consistent with what other people are saying. It just comes down to the price and whether I can trust them to do it right. With the one-year warranty, I'm now leaning toward letting them do it.

ARGGGHHH!!! No, I don't feel better now.

Update: I double-checked with Cottman, and they offer a 1-year warranty. I don't know how the quality of the parts and work differ, but things seem to be evening out in terms of price.
 
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Lou3 said:
I called the shop this morning intending to tell them to get the car ready to be towed. Before I got to that, they told me they could do the repair for $2,000. They said they'd install a used drum, lower the valve pressure that causes the drums to crack, and refurbish my torque converter. With this option, they'd give me a 1-year warranty.

It's a tough call now. The whole process (including towing and rental car) will cost a few hundred more if I have the car towed to a different shop. I told them that I checked with other shops and got quotes of $1,500-1,800, and they said the other shops were most probably lying; either they'd pull "we just found this thing that we didn't know about" and jack up the price, or they'd use inferior parts (if not the wrong parts). They told me that, having been in the business since 1980, they could assure me that nobody could do a proper rebuild with drum replacement for under $2,000. I too thought about these possibilities - or in the world of transmission repair, probabilities. Because of being misguided by the original estimate, they'll waive the inspection charge and lower their labor by $20 an hour.

What this shop is saying about the mechanics of the rebuild makes sense and is consistent with what other people are saying. It just comes down to the price and whether I can trust them to do it right. With the one-year warranty, I'm now leaning toward letting them do it.

ARGGGHHH!!! No, I don't feel better now.
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Yeah, I hear you. Having made up your mind to make the change and possibly not doing it leaves you feeling like you may get hosed by the current shop. Is the used drum an issue? If not, maybe you just stay with these guys. Would be no good to get the car to the next shop only to encounter more tomfoolery.
 
Laura, I told the first shop to proceed with the $2,000 repair with the one-year warranty. As I added to my post above, it turns out Cottman's warranty is one year.

What has yet to be answered is why I was given a $1,200-2,000 estimate when almost 30 years of experience makes it obvious to them that less than $2,000 isn't realistic. But to their credit, they're working with me to make it right. Now they know that I don't take these things lying down, so hopefully it'll stay right. If I can get another two years out of the car without any other major incidents, I'll be happy. Meanwhile, I'll sock as much as I can into a new car fund.
 
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Lou3 said:
Laura, I told the first shop to proceed with the $2,000 repair with the one-year warranty. As I added to my post above, it turns out Cottman's warranty is one year.

What has yet to be answered is why I was given a $1,200-2,000 estimate when almost 30 years of experience makes it obvious to them that less than $2,000 isn't realistic. But to their credit, they're working with me to make it right. Now they know that I don't take these things lying down, so hopefully it'll stay right. If I can get another two years out of the car without any other major incidents, I'll be happy. Meanwhile, I'll sock as much as I can into a new car fund.
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For better or worse, that last is the most esoteric of the questions on the table. Who can reason what mechanics think at any one moment. Some are great, both talented and principled, while some are neither. The shop might have been there since 1978, but if they guy who spec'd out your job only has 3 weeks experience, it would go a long way toward explaining your variance.

In my brief experience with tranny shops, I've found that the work is shockingly expensive -- nearer to 3 grand, as I've said. If you're able to get out for two, so much the better.
 
LauraSVT said:
In my brief experience with tranny shops, I've found that the work is shockingly expensive -- nearer to 3 grand, as I've said.
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That's what I'm finding, and it's what the shop said - but regrettably not at first. I assume an MTX rebuild is less expensive, which is one more reason to drive a stick. I'd like my next car to be a stick.
 
Watch the refurbished converter. They may be dealing in good faith with you, but converter 'rebuilder" may not rebuild them at all. Many just clean converter out, halfway check the end clearances, spraypaint it a different color and pronounce it as rebuilt. It's not rebuilt until they cut that sucker apart, change the thrust bearings and the clutch friction surface if needed. You can look at the weld bead and tell pretty much whether someone has thrown it up on a lathe and cut the weld and later rewelded on top of the old weld. I personally have purchased "rebuilt" converter that when I put an input shaft in it to check things out shaft dragged. Flushed out converter myself and pieces of the plastic thrust washer came out with solvent. Needless to say, tried to get money back, got in argument, when they wouldn't guarantee the replacement part for that one. Put stator support in that one and turned both ways, one way clutch no good. Some days you just can't win.....
 
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