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A car is a commodity and as such, defects are part of the nature of things. Stand damage, material damage, planned failure. Something always breaks on the car. There it’s the brakes, there it’s a wheel bearing - always depending on how much a vehicle is being used or not. There is also the case that a vehicle “breaks down” in the garage; Less affected by this problem is gearbox damage, which is one of the most expensive and costly car repairs of all.
Recognize the broken gear
Anyone who listens attentively to all the noises of their vehicle while driving recognizes the damage to the transmission at an early stage. A grinding, as in a mill, or an ugly cracking can close to the defect - but the driving readiness of the car is already counted at this time. However, if spontaneous oil loss or direct shifting problems occur, it is already too late; now the car will sooner or later be left behind. This is the case, for example, when switching from one gear to the next, the gear lever is also properly to move to the desired position, but the vehicle remains idle despite seemingly engaged gear. The operation of a gearbox, also in interaction with the clutch, is explained in this video in detail and understandable, It all depends on which individual component of the complex gearbox broke down; then the repair price depends. However, it can be assumed that in many cases a repair does not work, but a completely new transmission or replacement gearbox must be installed.
Immediate help with gearbox damage?
If the transmission of the vehicle is broken and this is due to remain lying, only the call to a towing company helps to drag the vehicle to the nearest workshop (or home). There is nothing you can do locally to get the car going again; not even to get to the nearest repair shop a few miles away. If the car is still relatively new, it could be a factory fault, which is to be put in order by the authorized repair shop. Possibly also comes at least partially in good faith executed repair of the vehicle in question. For used cars, the question arises as to what extent the warranty given by the used car dealer takes effect; For private used car purchases, only the grip remains in your own wallet.
The Do It Yourself knowledge of most car owners is already exhausted with small things on modern vehicles; After all, even for the oil change today it needs the appropriate data reset and can only guarantee the specialist workshop. So it will exceed the limits of most drivers to replace the gearbox independently. Self-tests in the gear repair from misunderstood ambition (or thriftiness) can increase the already considerable damage here.
Two options for gearbox replacement
As with various pumps and other spare parts for the car, the gearbox can be purchased new and from the original manufacturer, but also as a replacement part. Only in the rarest cases one will be informed by his authorized workshop of the exchange gear as a possibility - here is the interest in the sale of an original component from the manufacturer. Who is not really at home in the subject of car repair, it often does not know that cheap exchange gear for many brands in companies such as GFK Teilehandel GmbH can get. The vehicle owner also has to know that only the purchase price for the component is more favorable when purchasing an exchange gearbox - the working hours for installation are just as high or, depending on the workshop, at most very small.
Is the gear change still worthwhile?
The mood is on the ground anyway, when such immense damage, such as a broken gear, had to be diagnosed on their own car. But just in this situation, the car owner has to ask the question of whether the expensive repair for the old perhaps even worth the car. If the necessary repair bill reaches the amount that the car is still worth (or even remains below), the vehicle should rather be sold - of course as defective and with the exact indication of the damage.
Conversely, care must be taken when buying a used car on the condition of the transmission. A test drive with an attentive tracking of the road noise, the smooth switching and so on is a basic requirement - and a way to go on "safe number", the workshop check before the conclusion of the purchase contract. It would be annoying not to notice the gearbox damage out of ignorance and to stand in front of a horrendous repair bill a few weeks after the purchase of the used car.
Ergo:
The transmission damage is one of the most expensive mechanical defects on the car. The repair is costly, whether with a new or a replacement gearbox. The failure of the vehicle for the duration of the repair, the dangers of self-installation, the cost-benefit comparison: all this varies from case to case and must be checked in each case, if necessary with competent help, with a view to changing the vehicle. Sometimes owners of newer vehicles are fortunate and can hope for warranty or goodwill repairs, but with older vehicles, the transmission damage hits the financial budget in full severity.