1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

mechanic price check

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Old Feb 19, 2005 | 09:07 PM
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mechanic price check

so im taking my car to a mechanic, dont normally go to mechanics, my first time actually O_o

my tranny is out, hes saying a rebuild would be about 1200, or he could find a used one for 5 or 600, and put it in for like 200, does this sound about right? or am i getting fucked?

ive been trying to find used, rebuilt, or even new transmissions for my 79, but wherever i call, they tell me to just rebuild mine, but i dont have a place, nor the time to rent a place and do it myself, so that brings us back to the shop =/
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Old Feb 19, 2005 | 09:51 PM
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Fucked.

Guy in the For sale forum has a 79 that he just rebuilt and wants like $150 he is even out your way. A used trans costs from $50 to about a $100. 200 is a good price for the pull and reinstall.
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Old Feb 19, 2005 | 10:03 PM
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Yup, they're available for under $200 used and in good shape. If you have four good jack stands and a cheap hydraulic floor jack you can re and re the transmission yourself in about two hours the first time. Not a difficult job at all.
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Old Feb 19, 2005 | 10:09 PM
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Bullshit. Engines and trannies in the scrapper here got for $300... Condition Unknown...
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Old Feb 19, 2005 | 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Pele
Bullshit. Engines and trannies in the scrapper here got for $300... Condition Unknown...
Then find yourelf a different (ie: less corrupt) scrapper. Guys who are parting out their cars will sell you a 1st gen transmission for under $100. I once paid $35 for a good used one and then installed it myself using the above-mentioned technique. Our local wrecker charges under $200.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 03:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
Fucked.

Guy in the For sale forum has a 79 that he just rebuilt and wants like $150 he is even out your way. A used trans costs from $50 to about a $100. 200 is a good price for the pull and reinstall.
i looked but didnt find anything in the for sale/wanted section made a post though
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 03:09 AM
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Never hurts to ask.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 06:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Aviator 902S
Then find yourelf a different (ie: less corrupt) scrapper. Guys who are parting out their cars will sell you a 1st gen transmission for under $100. I once paid $35 for a good used one and then installed it myself using the above-mentioned technique. Our local wrecker charges under $200.
Almost ALL local area scrappers are parented by a company called "Brandywine"... They run the parts locator, the delivery service, the inventory database... It's very organized... And very expensive.

Scrapper parts are expensive 'round this region.

I've got a couple of other suppliers, but as far as scrappers go, that's what the Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland area's got.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 07:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
Fucked.

Guy in the For sale forum has a 79 that he just rebuilt and wants like $150 he is even out your way. A used trans costs from $50 to about a $100. 200 is a good price for the pull and reinstall.

Sorry guys but I made a deal with the seller. Picking it up this week for $125. also, Im also picking up a free 83 in Santa Barbara today (in the rain).

Last edited by Siraniko; Feb 20, 2005 at 07:13 AM.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 09:32 AM
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Scrapper parts are expensive 'round this region.

I've got a couple of other suppliers, but as far as scrappers go, that's what the Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland area's got.

I know theres a place near potomac VA, South East from Aquilla, that has verry decent prices. Every once in a while they have a "$10 if you can carry it out deal.

I was stationed in Norfolk for a few years.

Also there is a couple places in norfolk that i always used. has a huge inventory, and very respectable prices.

price really depends on location.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 11:27 AM
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Pele is correct. Most junkyards do not have any RX-7 parts, and the only ones that do are owned by the same company. It is also very rare to see an RX-7 on the road or for sale in northern Virginia. I could count the 79-85 RX-7 seen on the road in an entire year on one hand. On a positive side, some people have parts stashes and for new parts, Malloy Mazda is local.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by cosmicbang
Pele is correct. Most junkyards do not have any RX-7 parts, and the only ones that do are owned by the same company. It is also very rare to see an RX-7 on the road or for sale in northern Virginia. I could count the 79-85 RX-7 seen on the road in an entire year on one hand. On a positive side, some people have parts stashes and for new parts, Malloy Mazda is local.
so the best bet really is a rebuild or gettin ripped off by the mechanic?
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 12:19 PM
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Originally Posted by wackyracer
Sorry guys but I made a deal with the seller. Picking it up this week for $125. also, Im also picking up a free 83 in Santa Barbara today (in the rain).
im so not giving you a christmas card this year ;[
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by cosmicbang
Pele is correct. Most junkyards do not have any RX-7 parts, and the only ones that do are owned by the same company. It is also very rare to see an RX-7 on the road or for sale in northern Virginia. I could count the 79-85 RX-7 seen on the road in an entire year on one hand. On a positive side, some people have parts stashes and for new parts, Malloy Mazda is local.
I think the situation varies depending on where you are. In larger cities there are more of these cars still around, and drive train components often last long after the car they came in has disintegrated into a pile of rust. This means that there are more transmissions available at any given time than cars to put them in. Wrecking yards only get a portion of these. The rest end up in service garages and the back yards of the local rotary engine gurus for any given area.

Those living out in the sticks aren't as fortunate. With fewer options for a buyer, the seller knows he can name any price and get it, because the buyer will waste an entire day of his time and two tanks of gas driving into the city to save a measily $150 to $200.

This is where the local rotary gurus come in--- the ones who will sell you a decent transmission for under $100. The majority of car purchases are from private sales rather than from dealers because most people know that they'll pay a premium buying from a dealer and not necessarily get anything in return for that premium. Private sellers usually have lower asking prices for a given vehicle condition, and they don't try to stick you with a "handling fee" or similar scam. So if your local wrecking yard charges through the nose, avoid them. Just get on the forum and locate the rotary guru nearest you. If he doesn't have what you're looking for he'll direct you to someone who does.

Here in Canada we don't have a national auto wrecking organization that can monopolize the industry and corner a particular market for a given vehicle make, so wrecker prices are usually reasonable and come with a 90-day warranty. And 1st gen RX7s, while not as plentiful as they used to be in our wrecking yards, are still ariving at a rate of one or two per week.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 12:49 PM
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i havnt been able to find any rex7's in any yard i live in quite a big city too, but i see maybe one rx7 a month, but never seen another 79
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ops
i havnt been able to find any rex7's in any yard i live in quite a big city too, but i see maybe one rx7 a month, but never seen another 79
That's suprising considering you're in the bay area. I'd check on the section of this forum that's specific for your area. There's bound to be a few gurus with five or six trannys (the mechanical component type I'm referring to, not the other type) in their back yard.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Aviator 902S
That's suprising considering you're in the bay area. I'd check on the section of this forum that's specific for your area. There's bound to be a few gurus with five or six trannys (the mechanical component type I'm referring to, not the other type) in their back yard.
aw damn ;\ got my hopes up lol

ill do that right now thank you for all your help n such
what makes me sad, is that over by my dads house, theres 3 rx7's just parked, havnt been touched in months, and i cant have them ;\ they finally towed one of em away, it sucks
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:07 PM
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Contact Dan Atkins, He had a 79 he was parting a few months ago. a guy in VA was selling a 79 Engine and trans two weeks ago.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/value-engine-tranny-394018/

Here is an 80 being parted.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=396674

A trans weights in at about 70 pounds and should be less then $50 in shipping.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:09 PM
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oh one other thing you might want to look at. There is a guy out your way that will put a Miata gear set in your housing for like $700. BadAss7 posted it on mazspeed a couple of weeks ago.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
oh one other thing you might want to look at. There is a guy out your way that will put a Miata gear set in your housing for like $700. BadAss7 posted it on mazspeed a couple of weeks ago.
whats better about the miata gear sets?
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
Contact Dan Atkins, He had a 79 he was parting a few months ago. a guy in VA was selling a 79 Engine and trans two weeks ago.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=394018

Here is an 80 being parted.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=396674

A trans weights in at about 70 pounds and should be less then $50 in shipping.
ill deffinately check that out thank you
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by ops
whats better about the miata gear sets?
parts will be around for much longer. Seams like they can take a bit more power. and if you are paying $600 why not add another $100 to it. Hit the search and you will find why people do it.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
parts will be around for much longer. Seams like they can take a bit more power. and if you are paying $600 why not add another $100 to it. Hit the search and you will find why people do it.
from what ive read, and for 100$ more, it sounds like an awesome deal, im lookin around trying to find the guy, but does this mean ill have to buy a miata tranny? or does he just have gears n such laying around?
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:55 PM
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http://www.mazspeed.com/forum/thread...d=39&styleid=1

Sorry it is MeansAssrx7 not badass.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Hades12
http://www.mazspeed.com/forum/thread...d=39&styleid=1

Sorry it is MeansAssrx7 not badass.
haha woops =X badass is gunna be a very confused man next time he signs on ;x
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