Mark Dreyer

Yup, I am pretty good at heel/toe and try not to shift to second on those turns I downshift to that gear til the very end of the braking zone so I think I'm using the brakes to slow the car.

I will try the AG. Thanks for the tip!

terbiumactivated

When you write the AG, save, re read, and edit the letter several times before you send it. Try to make it concise and polite without leaving out critical facts. Keep ALL emotion out of said letter and concentrate on factual data. Dates, charges, descriptions of repair, all professional, then launch it, I'll bet you will be surprised by the result, good luck!

Mark Dreyer

Thanks so much for the advise!

terbiumactivated

YW you can take me for a coffee in the TT when I move south.

PS If it makes you feel any better my 986 cost per mile wasn't exactly a T rowe price account either, it can happen to anyone.

Tbred911

why don't you ask GBOX for an itemized statement of work - they should provide this to you... and also ask them why they missed the 2nd gear idler mechanism. A rebuild should address all of this.

Did they provide you with a list of parts that were replaced and corresponding services to your box?

Mark Dreyer

My mechanic sent the gearbox to GBox on his own dime. I wasn't billed for it. As a result, GBox tech didn't feel obligated to tell me anything and as a matter of fact was quite evasive when questioned. I got the impression that he didn't want to throw my mechanic (his customer) under the bus. Reading between the lines, I am guessing he tried to educate my mechanic on the futility of trying to rebuild these gearboxes, and probably didn't do much to it.

terbiumactivated

That doesn't make sense Mark, earlier you wrote that Gbox fixed the issue better than anyone else had. Therefore whatever he did was effective in the short term. Maybe he tried to talk your mechanic into more work and since it was on his dime he went on the cheap. What is too bad is that your mechanic could have offered to you to pay more to Gbox or whomever to fix it right before re- installation.

Mark Dreyer

I was thrilled the first session on the track after GBox did whatever they did. I didn't explain it properly in my first post in this thread. What happened was that towards the end of that first day, I started noticing some grinding again, and the next event, this past weekend, the grinding was as bad as ever. So I should clarify, that whatever GBox did, made it work beautifully initially, but it didn't last. This was in contrast to the two times my mechanic worked on it after which there was zero improvement both times

GTgears

Rebuilding those gearboxes isn't an effort in futility. They just need to be done properly.

I'm still trying to understand how you are into this for upwards of $8k. Rebuilding that gearbox, properly, should be around a $3000 job. Add in the labor to remove and put it back and I don't see how you are out the door for more than $4000.

I could name half a dozen guys who could do that gearbox for you properly. On the East Coast, Gordon at Autometrics. They run that car and gearbox in Grand Am.

If you want to ship it the other way I would send it to California Motorsports or Bill Rader in Las Vegas. CMS was the first place in the country rebuilding these gearboxes. And Bill does boxes for the likes of TRG, Alex Job, Truspeed, Horton Autosport, and many more. He also does every 986/996 6spd gearbox that goes into a Renegade Hybrids Boxster or Carrera V8 conversion.

Mark Dreyer

GBox quoted me $3200 for the rebuilt gearbox, and $1900 for the RSR parts. (You say there is no such thing as RSR synchros for my car, so maybe it wasn't synchros but there were a RSR parts of some sort he recommended). So that's over $5k, then I figure at least $3k labor to pull and replace the gearbox.

GTgears

I'm not trying to kick a man while he's down. I'm just saying that R&R on the gearbox from the car shouldn't exceed 8 hours. Even if your guy is charging $150/hr it's only $1200. If he's charging you more than 8 hours, I would seriously consider finding a new mechanic. Though it sounds like that is already the case given what happened with this job.

Sounds like Gbox quoted you the Cup Car 2nd gear sycnchros based on the price. That's the ballpark for a set of those. The confusing part was calling them RSR parts. The RSR is a sequential gearbox, has been for the last decade. Nothing from that gearbox would fit in your gearbox except for the LSD.

If you want help finding someone new to look after your car, let me know. Personally, if I was in Orlando, I would probably have BGB look after it for me. They are midengine specialists and are not going Grand Am racing this year. They are focusing on their club racing customers and doing service work and racecar prep. Their guy, Larry, could also sort your gearbox out for you if you don't want to give up on it yet.

Mark Dreyer

BGB sounds like the shop I need to call. Mid Engine specialists sounds good to me after all I've been through.

Tbred911

I agree... I would never use GBOX ever again.... read my story
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/GBOX-P...d-parts-935100

not a reputable shop by any means and this is just one of many stories about GBOX ripping off customers... i'ts not bad workmanship or an oversight.. it's deliberate fraud.

do your research and qualify your shop before you let them do work on your car... save yourself lots of time, headaches and $$$ by doing this

Byprodriver

This was my understanding from your 1st post. I have seen new 6-speeds for sale for $6,K or less. If you call CMS & talk to Roger he will give you good info!
Hope you get a good outcome.

Tbred911

How can you be thrilled by a box that lasts 1 day... ???

$6K for a new box is too much - if your willing to let some time pass you can probably get a good used unit for $2K - $3K - there out there you just have to dig.

if you happen to find a new one for $4K - GRAB IT.. $6K is rich for that piece of hardware IMHO.