Peter Zimmermann

For your enjoyment, the cost to repair the type-915 transmission:

For this study I have used prices currently listed on Pelican Parts, and have found them to be fair across the board. We’ll make a few assumptions: (1) The transmission to be repaired has covered close to 150K miles or more, (2) It’s either an unrepaired survivor (a rarity), or has had work done to the 1st/2nd synchros or similar, and (3) The ring and pinion is in good condition. This breakdown cannot possibly include any of the rare and interesting repairs that I’ve done on a number of 915 transmissions. Such repairs would include the pieces of an exploded 1st gear synchro taking out 3rd gear (+ $600.00), a severely damaged 5th gear caused by a dealer mechanic who forgot to install the required bearing race circlips for the bearings adjacent to fifth gear (+$1,000.00), damaged gear sets caused by an incorrectly tightened main shaft nut that worked loose (+$1,500.00), and any number of valet-caused problems that I’ve seen (+$$$$$). This post is for the ”typical” repair, and I will assume that 5th gear is in good condition (about 7 in 10 is bad), and that the reverse idler has not been damaged by an incorrectly set 5th/R slider or poor driver technique (shifting into reverse while the car is rolling forward). I will also assume that 1st – 4th gears are also in usable condition, although the dog teeth on both first and second gears require replacement (which is the norm). The parts list will go something like this:

1. Synchro ring (1st): $80.25
2. Synchro ring (2nd): $80.00
3. Synchro ring (3rd): $80.50
4. Synchro ring (4th): $80.50
5. Slider (1/2): $212.00
6. Slider (3/4): $178.50
7. Dog teeth (1st): $186.75
8. Dog teeth (2nd): $175.75
9. Slider guide (1/2): $173.25
10. Differential carrier bearings x 2: $52.00
11. Misc pinion shaft & main shaft bearings: $600.00
12. Gasket set: $80.00
13. Flange nuts, hardware, shims: $40.00
14. Reinforce diff housing for pinion shaft bearing: $500.00
15. Labor (10 hours @ $100/hr): $1,000.00

The above costs add up to about $3520.00 not including applicable tax, fluid, or R&I labor. Please note that there are no prices listed for synchro parts known as blocks and bands, which are often damaged if the car has had a synchromesh failure. The labor charge for the repair is conservative, and generally includes checking/setting the differential pinion depth, bearing pre-load and backlash. Obviously, failed parts, such as a ring & pinion, 5th gear synchro and slider, or a gear set (any of the six), can have a radical upward impact on the repair cost, as would a re-buildable replacement transmission, should one be needed, that includes a core charge of between $500.00 - $800.00. In some cases the repair can easily push well past $4,000.00, sometimes $5,000.00. It’s not cheap now, and I don’t see it getting better in the future.

lfe132

Damn. My 915 needs some work too. Second gear synchro is going out.

Amber Gramps

did you sign a "do not com-PETE clause" when you sold your shop?

elpresidente

Pete,
Thanks for that post. Incredibly inciteful. Depressing, but inciteful. Now I know I should sock away the $600 burning a hole in my pocket.

Amber Gramps

My pre purchase tranny rebuild was $1,200 for just the first and second gear syncro., cluth and throw out. (G-50) I'm thinking that at 54,000 miles it may have been a case of the dealer not knowing just how stiff the tranny can be when cold. I think with as weak as the stock clutch is that the clutch replacement was a really good thing.

Peter Zimmermann

douglas: I'm really confused by your post, $1200.00 can't even get you in the door when you're talking about clutch (typically $2,000.00 including the T.O. fork update) and trans (synchro work is unheard of at your mileage) repairs. (Oh, yes, I signed a no "com-PETE" clause, but only for five years! ). I sure would like to know what make fluid is in your trans. I know that this forum has discussed using synthetic gear oil in G 50s, but apparently all synthetic gear oil is not equal!

elpresidente: With a little luck here's hoping that you get many thousands of miles of use from your 915 transmission !

Toby Pennycuff

Don't EVEN ASK about the current price for 5th gear sets from Porsche. Yes, they are available. Sit down (better yet, LAY DOWN) before you get the price FOR ONE GEAR SET! O M G!!!!

Amber Gramps

Pete, I haven't said this out loud before, but this was more of an adoption or rescue than a purchase based in logic or good sence. The car was at a dealer that was storing it for a friend that took it in trade for another car. I am sure the previous owner got nothing for it. First they took it to the auction and had it sold and returned to them on the same day because they "could not shift the car". They then took it to a speed shop (I will leave out the name) that did way more than they were suppose to do. the bill was upwards of $4,800. the dealer somehow got the bill down to just the cost of the parts installed. that is where the $1,200 comes in. I have a list somewhere. All in all it is a fantastic car. I won't ever recomend the dealer and if it were not such an untouched bone stock car I would have ran the other way. I think it still had the original distributor cap on it. I saw the add on autotrader the day it went up and looked at it and took it home a very happy customer. All the trauma and drauma was worth it. besides, I have guys like you to help.

Ed Hughes

That can go well with my $9000 DIY rebuild using my old pistons and cylinders!!

GothingNC

Pete,

It's about the same price as a VW Tiptronic Tranny that usually craps out around 100,000 miles if the "lifetime" fluid is not changed. (Vag-com needed for fluid change)

I would rather spend $4,000 on a tranny rebuild for a car that's worth 15 - 20k then on a car worth 5k.

John

GothingNC

Check out the prices of the new VE DSG Transmission

Dealer quoted someone $8,198 just for the tranny, ouch !!

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread...nsmission+cost

Fluid neds to be changed in these units every 40k miles - dealer cost for job is $450 to $500.

I'll stick with a manual tranny and hope they don't stop importing them into the US.

John

64_Comet

Interesting post, thanks for the info. I am starting to learn about Porsche 911s and this is good to know.

I would say that I don't find the price for the rebuild to be that unreasonable. Definitely not cheap, but not unexpected.

Would appear that at least $1000 can be shaved off by doing it yourself, that is good to know as well.

D.C.

This is not good news, as I am sure there is a tranny rebuild in my future. My 1986 915 has had some form of a rebuild at 178K and I am now at 238k. I was considering a rebuilt from Vertex Auto. They are reasonably priced, but after looking at Petes price's, it makes me wonder how they can rebuild them so cheaply. Does anybody have any experience with these rebuilt units from Vertex?

LUCKe27

I had a friend tell me at breakfast this morning that Motormeister rebuilds the transmissions pretty cheap. I told him that that firm doesn't get a lot of good press on these forums, but I hadn't heard anything about tranny's ... mostly feedback on engine rebuilds.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Great post, Pete,......

Unfortunately, thats the just reality of today due to aggressive pricing at Porsche and the Euro vs Dollar situation. One can take shortcuts but that results in a gearbox that is not "rebuilt" and depending on the particular details, it may need to be redone relatively soon.

I tell all of my customers (and anyone else who might listen) to be VERY kind to their transmissions as the cost of abuse has risen exponentially.