I have a 2002 Tahoe Z71, 4WD, and somewhere around 210,000 miles the transmission was screwed up. I had it rebuilt at a cost of about $1300, and that lasted a year before it was screwed again. My younger son is in Fort Collins, CO, and driving a BMW 3 series, so I was thinking about fixing the Tahoe again, so he'd have a 4X4 for the winter.

I can get a GM remanufactured transmission, installed, for about $3100 + tax, with a 3 year, 100k mile warranty, good at any GM dealership. I also see several companies online selling remanufactured transmissions for about $1500, including shipping, with a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty. It would cost me $600 to get it installed. The warranty is good nationwide they say; if it has a problem I can go to any legit automotive repair shop and they will ship a replacement at no charge and pay the labor to have it swapped.

I have already decided that if I do anything, it will be a replacement with a warranty. No more local repairs/rebuilds. So, the question is, should I do the GM one for $3100, or one of the other remanufactured ones for $2100? It's almost $1300 less, as I think I'd only have to pay tax on the $600 labor, not the $1500 online tranny.

Does anyone have any experience with any of the large online transmission sellers? The warranty sounds fine, but it's only as good as the company.
Any other ideas?

The engine is fine, the body and interior are pretty good, and I've had the A/C replaced not too long ago. If I can get 3 years of reliability for a few thousand bucks, I'm inclined to do it. But a warranty isn't the same as being reliable. If you know transmissions, please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

We have a outfit here called transmission warehouse in Portland. They are great to work with, never had to file a claim for replacement. But if you do have to keep in mind that they may only pay half the labor. They usually state what they will pay per hour in the warranty paper work. Even with that in mind I would go with a aftermarket rebuild rather than a GM. Sometimes the aftermarket is even built stronger than a GM stock product.

Jasper

My buddy has sold and installed more Jasper engines and Transmissions than anyone in this part of the state. He can tell you anything you would ever want to know about a vehicle.

He's in Pride. Mark Stroughter owner of Pride Auto Service. 654-0327

Will the GM have a transferable warranty like Jasper does? Will the GM be the same transmission that broke? From what I was told they are not updated so you get the same build with the same problem that caused it to fail? Will GM pay the labor to put another one in if it fails?

From what I've been told since my friend has been dealing with Jasper they pay the labor if it fails, the warranty is transferable. And Jasper takes the GM transmission and updates the transmission so you don't still have the same problems.

If you are worried about getting support, go with the GM reman. For a stock vehicle their remans are pretty good. I've seen where they get most of their 4L65E and 4L80E remanufactured.

If you're moving the vehicle a GM rebuilt transmission will be the easiest to warranty out as any GM dealership will. Jasper it will be a problem when it comes to warrantying out the labor!

Take the info for the mystery trans to three random shops or even call out of state.

Ask them how they have or would handle a broken unit that showed up. That is where the rubber meets the road.

My experience with aftermarket warranties has been hit or miss, with a heavy lean towards the miss side.

The way most of them work is the mechanic is supposed to call the company, get authorization to do the work, and then the company will pay the mechanic.

What actually happens is this: you take your car to the shop, explain all of this to the mechanic, the mechanic ignores you, does the work, and tells you the car is done.

Then you go to the shop, find out the mechanic never called the company, you call the company and they deny the claim. The procedure wasn’t followed, the terms of the warranty were violated, and you foot the full cost of the bill.

I’ve had this happen with tires, a jasper engine, and a rebuilt tranny.

If the warranty is really a concern, pay the extra coin for the gm product, but realize that the money you could save by going rebuilt will easily cover any issues that might arise.

FWIW.

Retired GM dealership parts counterman here, 47 years worth. Go with the GM transmission. I'm usually pretty critical of anything GM but not that product or program.

GM remanufactures these transmissions using OE quality parts. Any of the "hard parts" such as shells, drums, shafts, gears, anything that does not meet new part specifications is replaced. Obviously clutches, bands and electronic parts like solenoids, valves and wiring are replaced.

GM comes with a three year one hundred thousand mile warranty. Like another posted, good at any GM dealership. If it was installed at an independent shop the warranty is still the same. See this:
https://www.chevrolet.com/cont...gm-warranty-card.pdf.


It states "Parts only warranty when sold over the counter", from my experience that is handled on a case by case situation. They may or may not authorize labor but from my experience they usually would pay for it. Your results may vary though.

Biggest thing is that if there is a problem, first thing before ANY work is done the GM dealer, the independent shop OR the private owner MUST first call the GM Powertrain call center, 866-456-4123, follow the prompts and speak to specialist. They will assign a case number, authorize certain diagnostics and whatever steps are necessary to rectify the problem. Upon authorization they may repair or replace the complete unit. The warranty does not reset to zero, in other words the 3/100,000 does not restart, it just continues from that point but if for example the transmission is for example a month or maybe a thousand miles from the end, the warranty would be then 12 months/12,000 miles, so at least you would have a 12/12k coverage. At no point would you have less than a year warranty on the replacement part or labor.

I have used some of the aftermarket remanufactured assemblies out there, good and bad. As I sold GM Powertrain assemblies as a major part of my job at the last two dealerships I was with, while I would not say that I had zero problems, they were minimal. In fact, the last GM vehicle I owned, a 04 Sierra, the transmission was replaced at 80k with a GM reman unit. At a tic over 160k my daughter sold it, Michigan rustout got to the truck. That and a baby made a regular cab pickup impractical for her to keep it.

So, just my .02 worth.

GM transmission. Trust me. Also look around, some dealerships offer better warrants. A couple around me offer lifetime parts and service warrants on them. Go GM all the way.


ARman

4L60E?

The electronic version of the 700R4 (POS).

Shift kit, external cooler and no matter what, quit driving it in OD.

If you have multiple GM dealers in your area, price shop. There is no MSRP on them, depending on the dealership and their purchasing volume you might get a better deal down the street, dealer incentives to them, hungry for business, want to increase their customer pay business, etc.

Also, ask if there are any rebates from GM at this time. Last one I knew of earlier this year there was a $200 rebate when it was purchased and installed at a GM dealership. Again this is up and above the best price you can negotiate.

You got 210,000 miles out of the GM built tranny. You got one year out of rebuild for $1300. I think you answered your own question. There is a lot of junk parts out there in some rebuild kits and aftermarket parts in general these days. GM at least has standards set for their parts.

If it’s for your kid ask him what he thinks and let him pay for it.

Bob

I'm an ease of warranty type of guy. When I get a battery I go to Walmart, tires I go the Discount Tire. I can go to any of either store in the US and get warranty because I am in their system. Yes GM trans is more expensive but he can go to any GM dealer and be taken care of for warranty work.

Not that it's a negative but GM does not build their SERTA line of transmissions. They contract them out.

I would go with a GM unit and maybe get a independent shop to do the installation. Warranty stays the same.

I put a factory trans in my 02 Silverado at 110k miles. Warranty bought me a fresh one at 180k. Had that one rebuilt when I cooked the clutches due to a radiator leak at about 320k.

If the truck is one you want to keep, get the GM one.

quote:

I have a 2002 Tahoe Z71, 4WD,...

Do you do regular transmission fluid changes?
I've got a 1999 Tahoe, original transmission, no issues. Keep the fluid clean and they last forever.