I just got back from Cottman, and they said third gear is slipping and that the ATX needs to be rebuilt. The mechanic explained that there's a sort of housing or drum that's notorious for cracking and leaking fluid. They can't replace just the housing, as related parts with lots of miles of wear would soon fail. It'll cost $375 for them to pull the ATX and inspect it, then they'll call me with an estimate for the rebuild. I really don't want to spend this money right now and considered getting rid of the car, but I think I'll have to eat the rebuild.
Is Cottman Transmission known to be reasonable and honest? Any insights or advice to minimize the financial impact of this rebuild?
