Well this happened to my dads 99 chrysler. Turned out to be the speed sensor. Plus, 20 miles to the nearest auto parts store that lets me use their diags computer for free will be awkward doing 40mph all the way there on highway.

 

the auto parts store doesn't have a scanner, they have a toy called a code reader. you need to use a real scanner that can access the transmission computer. code readers do not access the trans the codes you get from a code reader isn't accurate enough to diagnose trans problems. When I was in high school, we had a bunch of good scanners, I ended up buying my own cuz it's an absolute must if I want to fix my own car.

 

Just took it for a test drive with a new input sensor. Got it out to the road and took it easy. Climbed through first just fine and shifted nicely into second. Second climbed nicely and then shifited into third well enough. Just shortly in third gear it slipped and I lost all power. Suddenly it locked back into gear and I could accelerate for about 3 seconds then it happened again. Once or twice more and I lost the tranny all together. I coasted into a parking lot and turned around and it shifted into reverse fine. Got back on the road and it was back in limp mode.

 

Do just tranny shops have these scanners? Is there any shops that do free scans? Reason I ask is cause this car is already on its last leg and we do not want to spend a couple hundred just to find out that it will take another 1500 or so to fix the actual problem when we could have just sold it off and been rid of it without having to pay.

 

well if a tranny shop needs to fix an electronically controlled trans, I suppose they would have a scanner. I guess a lot depends if they just want to give you a free answer on how you can fix it so they can't keep their doors open.

If I paid $5000 for a scanner so I can make a living and feed my family, I really can't see myself just giving the answer to someone so they can take food from my family's mouths. I charge $100 for diagnostics. if the want me to fix the car, I put the $100 toward the repair. if they don't want me to fix the car then they have to pay me $100 for my time, my knowledge and my tools. I fixed a trans for someone that needed an output speed sensor. They wanted to know what's wrong. I told them that for $100 I'll determine the problem. If they wanted it fixed I'd apply that $100 toward the parts/labor. I fixed their car for the $100 including diagnostics, parts and labor.

 

Yeah thats what some shops have done for me in the past. Thats pretty backwards thinking about the scanner though. I dont charge someone for every turn of a screw driver or for each time I use the network cable tester or voltmeter. And I certainly dont charge more just because I am working on a companys server instead of just a dummy terminal. Doesnt really seem right that some some kinds of repair you charge for using your tools and other you dont.

 

I would think that you bought the scanner so that you can do a better job of diagnosing the trouble so you can do better business. Seems like you are making it sound like you hired a cook/house keeper in the form of a scanner.

 

So if you spent $5000 on a scanner, have a building that cost $150,000 to build, have to pay over $15,000 per year in taxes, electric billl is $500/month, you'd just diagnose everyone's car that comes in for free, tell them what's wrong so they can go home and fix it?

 

I dont see where your occupation would be different than anyone elses. In my line of work you have to find out whats wrong first before you can do the work and get paid. So say, the servers power supply went out. And I tell the company that the power supply is 50 bucks and to have me install it is another 20 bucks. Then they decide if they want to spend the money.

And most businesses have buildings, equipment, and hardware that they need to start doing business. It doesnt mean that they are going to start charging a fee each time they have to put their vehicle on the lift, or use an impact wrench. Because they are all tools in doing a job.

You have a tool that tells YOU whats wrong and therefore dont have to actually do any major physical work to positively identify the problem. Therefore I wouldnt think that I would have to pay just for to spend 5 minutes hooking it up. Thats a quick and easy 100 dollar score for you for doing very little.

I would think that if your business was good enough people would want to come to you because they know they will be treated right and get things done correctly the first time.

 

everything that comes in my shop gets fixed right.

so say if you had a place call you and say their system is down, you'd go there, find out it was a bad power supply and tell them they can buy one from radio shack. and not charge them for your expertise or your time?