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Gearbox repair, rebuild or replacement: which do I need?
The difference between repairing, rebuilding and replacing a gearbox, and how we decide which is right for your car.
When a garage says your gearbox has 'gone', that can mean anything from a faulty sensor to worn-out internals. The right fix depends on what has actually failed, and the cost difference between the options is large, so it's worth knowing what each means.
Repair
Fixing the specific part that has failed, often without taking the gearbox out. Speed sensors, solenoids, mechatronic units, valve bodies, seals and wiring all fall into this group. If the fault is caught early, this is usually the cheapest outcome.
Rebuild
The gearbox comes out, is stripped down, and the worn parts (clutches, bearings, seals and anything else that's worn) are replaced before it's reassembled and tested. A rebuild keeps your original gearbox, which matters on some cars where the gearbox is coded to the vehicle.
Replacement
Your gearbox is swapped for a reconditioned unit. It's often the quickest way to get back on the road, as the replacement is ready to go. We fit reconditioned gearboxes at our branches, or send an exchange unit to you or your garage.
How we decide
A proper diagnosis first: fault codes from the gearbox itself, a road test, and a look at the fluid and any debris. We then explain what we've found and the options, with prices, before any work starts. Sometimes the problem isn't the gearbox at all; our customers have been saved thousands when a 'gearbox fault' turned out to be a loose sensor plug or a blocked DPF.