Composite Analysis of Transmission Digest Reader Shops
The Transmission Digest Annual Survey of Retail Shops has served as a benchmark and planning tool for the industry now for the past 35 years. Charts and tables in this section are based on a survey that was conducted early this year.
Video: Transmission Kings
Mike Riley sits down with Rick Basta, Owner of TransColonial Auto Service to discuss the origins of his first shop, Transmission Kings.
Proliferating Packages
All about transmission kits and how they relate to the transmission repair industry.
Shop profile: Delta Transmission follows the golden rule
Naturally he took it to someone he knew- Corbet Bonds, then-owner of Delta Transmission. Delta Transmission was first covered by Transmission Digest in 2000 (Vol. 19, No. 6). It is just as clear now as it was then that Roger’s fascination is what led him to his position. Unlike some customers, Roger didn’t sit in the lobby drinking coffee, or run errands while his vehicle was repaired. Instead, he watched the process of the transmission being rebuilt. “I thought, well, shoot that’s kind of neat,” he said.
Shop Profile: Straight Line Transmissions Inc.
Inside the Straight Line Transmissions Inc. shop in Greenbrier, Arkansas, you will find four bays and five lifts, and Caleb Emberson is about to add a sixth. It’s impressive growth from the one-man transmission operation that Caleb bootstrapped six and a half years ago.
Customer Service in the Queen City
Mike Yeager entered a transmission shop after he moved to Cincinnati because his car was in desperate need of repair. Now he owns Northgate Transmissions, where his customers get a personal touch to their service and never leave the shop with an apology instead of a repair.
Small-Town Shop Stays Ahead of the Curve
Athens Automatic Transmission has been in business in Athens for 23 years, Co-Owner Patrick Gryszka said. Originally owned by his parents, Patrick said he himself had never had any intention of going into the business.
Blaine (Minn.) Auto Care & Transmission
Kirby Lesto is describing the issue of not enough techs for numerous vehicles waiting to be repaired. He is speaking in an easygoing manner, sizing up the issue: It’s not a crisis; it’s a decision to be made.
Meanwhile, the work at Blaine Auto Care & Transmission carries on. Kirby sets the tone in simple ways.
Advanced Car Care Center, Strafford, Mo.
Chip Broemmer’s career educating the next generation of technicians has been sandwiched between two hitches in automotive repair, a long early span with Toyota and a recent venture, Advanced Car Care Center in Strafford, Mo.
Preferred Transmissions Plus, Oregon, Ohio
After more than a quarter-century of rebuilding, with self-awareness that this was the time to make the move, and with strong spousal encouragement, Dean Rhodes opened Preferred Transmissions Plus in 2011 in Oregon, Ohio, near Toledo.
The Most Important Part
I met my supervisor for the day, grabbed a pair of safety glasses, and gloved up. After a few brief introductions to my new coworkers, I was ready for the challenge: Jennifer Porter, parts washer.
In my usual day-to-day, I’ve posted, updated, and promoted an open parts-washer position on an almost monthly basis.
A Tale Of Two CRVs
Case studies illustrate diagnosing a vehicle’s misfire and a customer’s misfire
If your shop is like ours, Honda CRVs make an appearance weekly. Mostly for maintenance, but sometimes they need to be diagnosed. We’ve seen several lately with around 200,000 miles and still providing reliable service.
