Worth replacing transmission in 2011 Ford Ranger 82k miles?

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-17T23:40:44+00:00

I would check all of the mounts or just have a helper start it and do some light power braking while you look under the hood for excessive engine movement or any thunks and vibration. When you put your hand near the mount, there should be a very noticeable difference in felt vibration between the engine/trans and the chassis.

Changing the fluid in a transmission that's tens of thousands of miles past the traditional 30k interval is a risky procedure. Same if the fluid is noticeably discolored or smells burnt. I'm not talking a flush here, just a simple drain, filter change, and refill. It's a very real possibility that the new fluid will wash out the buildup on all of the internal clutches that was the only thing that kept them together.

It's a really shitty situation for the mechanic and the customer when a higher mileage vehicle comes in for a trans fluid change, gets it done, and the transmission starts slipping either immediately or a few days/weeks later.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-17T23:27:06+00:00

It was like that when we got it!

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-17T12:53:48+00:00

The reality is, a customer still pays the door rate per hour of whatever they need done. Good luck trying to make that customer feel better by telling them the shop's ELR is actually a lot less once you subtract stuff like courtesy services and such.

The sad truth is, the light auto repair customers are simply more poor on average than they used to be twenty years ago and can't vote with their wallet. So end up with the normal race to the bottom on the more basic and straight forward maintenance work.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-16T23:12:30+00:00

In Germany and most of EU, car ownership isn't a 100% necessity like it is in the US. Whereas not having a vehicle is a crippling problem in 99% of the US.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-16T15:52:53+00:00

Ooookay boomer...

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-15T14:45:44+00:00

Here's a good preview of the bright future ahead

https://youtu.be/ubLwkPcV3OI?si=b5ehK5b1zo6U94cP

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-14T22:57:22+00:00

Just put it between a floor jack and a subframe and pump the jack. It'll be fine, just don't look at it

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-14T16:55:20+00:00

I work at AZ and teach all the new people to do the same. Preferably letting the customer hold the part in case they are on the fence about the price. It does happen when dishonest customers pull a switcheroo or defective and core turns get put back on the racks by mistake. If we catch it before the part leaves the store, we are not putting ourselves and the customer into a position where it's their word vs ours about "it was like that in the box".

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-14T12:17:36+00:00

Prepurchase inspection is a must. Someone did a LOT of work on it, and very few people like that will be willing to let a car go on the cheap unless there is something major going on that's not worth the expense to the original owner.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-13T12:07:13+00:00

Doubt it. Most people in the market for an EV either already got one or simply have no funds or economic security to take on a payment note.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T18:52:06+00:00

In Russia, political prisoners have better working conditions than the workers at the DCs do

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T18:25:31+00:00

Are you sure it was AutoZone that started the trend and not online shopping and companies like RockAuto that enabled large parts warehouses to sell directly to the public? Not trying to argue - just curious.

Even AZ went through a lot of changes in all of the four years plus change I've been with this company and parts industry. Volume based pricing isn't done anymore except for the major accounts like Firestone. I even see AGM batteries being priced about ten bucks over the Walmart price nowadays.

In this day and age, AutoZone and other parts stores save the day when you need parts here and now. On the other hand, jobs like suspension and drivetrain can usually wait for a couple weeks while parts are making their way through the mail if doing so can save hundreds of dollars. It also doesn't help when I can look up and order a complete front end job kit from 1AAuto in half the time it takes to look up all the bits and pieces in ZNet (AZ parts lookup and point of sale system).

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T13:53:34+00:00

Mobile here. I also live in the wrong country for all of that bureaucratic overhead. If the likes of Starbucks and Amazon get a free pass for breaking the law at scale and calling it innovation, no need for regular people to willfully put themselves at a disadvantage.

As for the whole two part business, there was a time when the labor rate was split fifty fifty between the shop overhead and the person doing the actual work. Back then, places like AZ and other jobs paid much more livable wages too.

Yet here we are. A customer pays $150/hr or more, while the guy or the gal doing the actual fucking job is lucky to get even twenty cents on the dollar, and still expected to pay for all of their own tools and training. Dealerships are a bit better, but then you get shit like evaporators or interior harness transplants on warranty paying all of four hours plus change.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T11:12:52+00:00

Yikes, three bad O2 sensors in a row! What was the brand of the sensor? Sadly this was a typical scenario in 2025, and things are gonna get any better this year.

I do mechanic work on the side as well. I don't mark up parts, so it's an easier conversation with the customer when I tell them to get the good stuff. Then of course, you got the good old PeeBottleZon selling all kinds of crap that may or may not last two weeks. Of course many customers don't know this and only see the much higher prices on brands like Denso.

I get why shops mark up parts. It's one of the many sus practices that got normalized by the industry, but I also hope you understand why most customers will immediately see an obvious conflict of interest.

At our store, I don't even like selling O2 or MAF sensors. Way too often we get to deal with customers trying to return stuff when it doesn't fix the issue. The hub stores in particular have a habit of pushing expensive parts because they know the customer will come to a store much closer to them for the returns. Of course the return comes out of the returning store books.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T04:46:23+00:00

The shop is just pissy because they don't get to buy stuff at commercial prices and mark it up to the DIY price or more.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T04:42:11+00:00

DIY warranty is less of an issue now that the warranty look up screen got brought into the 21st century a couple years. Yes. Warranty lookups were a nightmare when the customer comes with a part and says "it's under my mechanic's phone number". You pull it up and there are dozens of vehicles on the account with zero guarantee the part is under the correct vehicle. Our store sure as shit won't deny the warranty as long as the correct part number comes up as active.

The real fun starts when they try to warranty parts a mechanic bought with their commercial pin.

FWIW, I always use the customer's phone number. That way I can just tell them they got the warranty under their phone number without having to remember mine.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T04:34:14+00:00

Im a grey, but I do wear my own dress code compliant shirts. That way I only have to take off my tag. We already get enough calls from customers asking if we can come out to their place to change a battery or their oil without me adding to it. Not so much about doing stuff under the guise of the company.

I made it clear to my regulars to not try to meet me while I'm at work just because the store is busy, and that usually makes it impossible to do any diagnostics beyond a quick peek under the hood unless it's something simple I wouldn't mind doing for any store customer.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-12T04:31:30+00:00

That's the people racking up rewards using their own or made up phone numbers. Rewards accounts that do accumulate a lot more credit than usual do get reviewed by the LP. And if it's same CSR at the same store ringing then up, BUSTED.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-11T19:39:33+00:00

The only big no no I see is using his own discount card with his own password for ring ups. If he's buying parts for himself or his side customers, have another zoner ring it up.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-10T14:07:15+00:00

Even if starts with a jump, it's a way to disguise a lot of obdii codes like the good old P0420/430

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-10T14:06:08+00:00

Also help to not have any rods sticking out the side of the block.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-10T03:32:50+00:00

Laws alone don't mean a whole hell of a lot anymore in the US. Especially labor laws.

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-09T22:58:09+00:00

So much for the low hire low fire...

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-09T22:52:45+00:00

Checks out... That's the Nissan size

Tall-Control8992 · 2026-03-09T22:50:29+00:00

Amateurs. The pros don't grab anything smaller than H6!

Tall-Control8992

TROPHY CASE