Transmission rebuild time at 71K miles cost breakdown

Well, 2nd gear took the dump....so in the next few weeks shipping it out for rebuild. Trans rebuild price..........................$2,500-3,000 Shipping trans to and from..............$400 Fluids and install/reinstall................$920 At least it will be like new though. Just wanted to give you guys a breakdown of the costs. GBOX will be doing the rebuild for me. Shame, I just had the clutch replaced like 4 months ago and the IMS bearing upgrade.....DOH!!!! Should be like a new car when I get it back.....I hope.

I just had mine rebuilt for worn out bearings. I lucked out and had a friend who's a long time Porsche mechanic do it. Saved me tons of cash. The car shifts beautifully now and I can actually hear sounds OTHER than the screaming bearings! Nice color 996, btw. Mine's a Guards Red 2000 C2 too.

Wow - I guess I was lucky. Bought my 04 C2 as a CPO in 2007 - noticed 4th gear a littly notchy at times shifting in at higher rev's. Worked it out with the dealer to drive it and at my choosing to bring it in under CPO. Drove it for another 20k miles or so, no real problems, then took it in and they had Porsche rebuilt shipped in, total job at zero cost.

6th was out in mine when I bought it, lucked into a used tranny & it has been great.

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GBox will probablly make it better than new!

Gbox did a great job on mine! Shipped it to them from Montreal!! Shifts like butter. perfect job. Pete

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California Motorsports has a good reputation as well.

So carcster... Whatd the clutch/ims run ya? Mines going in next week to my indie for the to bearing, clutch kit, water pump, ims bearing. Just wanting to see some ball park numbers....i have a pretty good idea what mine will cost but just checking. Thanks

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What's included in the rebuild?

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Yes agreed, if /when my day comes I would choose between these 2 specialists. If I was the OP I would deliver the trans to GBox & save the $400 but maybe he is to busy to do that.

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I would use California Motorsports and pay the extra because you'll only have to do it once OR buy a GETRAG transmission from Ebay that is NEW for $4K and don't deal with the potential pitfalls of a rebuild

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Can't really remember, I had several other things done at the same time. Wish I had the figures around still to tell you. Was really not that bad. My Porsche dealer is actually pretty good, and price is close to Indy prices...believe it or not. I did not get the water pump done yet. Right now the only other issues I still have are valve cover gaskets and a cracked oil filler tube. Should be much cheaper to fix once the trans is out of the way I imagine. They are not really on a fast fix for me though since this is doing a little damage to my wallet. But....I intend to keep this car for well over a decade.

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They have to crack it open to find out what is needed. Hopefully mine will be on the low end of the rebuild, also I have the GBOX detent installed already so will not have to pay for that. Really only issue I have is 2nd gear....everything else is smooth as butter. 1st gear is perfect and all other shifts are tight..

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I am retired military and now work for the government doing shift work. I know it would be cheaper...but I work rotating shift work. Would just rather drop the car off at the Porsche dealer...and drive my Durango 5.9 R/T until it is fixed. I never really have a chance to drive that till winter anyways. Pretty fun to drive after being so low in the 911. Plus.....nice to have all the Honda and Subaru cars leave you in peace for the work drive for a change. Good things come to those who wait. My dealer recommends GBOX and I trust my dealer since they actually do me very well and have gone out of the way for me several times.

I have to chime in that 71k for a transmission failure is alarming. The other posts regarding failures are as well. Can you guys tell us (or me) how these cars were driven? Any DE or Track Days or AutoCross? If they were daily drivers, then I am pretty unimpressed with a transmission that fails at 71k... And I am a Porsche guy. (I don't buy stupid Carrera underpants at the dealership, but I am pretty loyal to the mark). Not trying to stir up the pot here, but I really am curious as to the history of these failures. Mine is at 180k and no problems other than a clutch. Daily driver, no DE or Track Days or AutoCross. Reasonably punctual maintenance. Thanks, JKC

996 tranny has weak points that fail. There are brass syncros and sealed bearings in there like the IMS bearing. Gbox is the right call and get the correct parts updated. I would never go and put a stock tranny back in if I have to rebuild a tranny.

Good to know when I need a rebuild. Also, mildly unsettling. In any event, thanks for the info. JKC

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Yooo, you must be the guy Matt over at Hennessey told me about. He was going on about how reliable these cars are and one guy who has 180k miles on his car without too many problems........small world.

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Had mine done at the dealership a couple of months ago......new clutch assy/flywheel/throwout bearing/fitted IMS bearing/AOS/new clutch slave cylinder.......parts and labor around $3900.

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the Getrag transmissions have good updates and are available for $4K on eBay or through reputable sources... why the hell would you pay for a re-build when they don't replace all the bearings.... they only replace what is needed and then 2-3 years later it will come back to bite you in the ***. you'd rather rebuild vs get a new gearbox... HUH?

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I think mine was around $2500 or so for IMS fix....mine was dual row bearings, RMS, AOS, and new clutch at the dealer. Give or take a few hundred.

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I have to say I bought my car used with 57K on it. The clutch was pretty worn when I got it and the pop out started a few months after when it was cold. I think part of that was due to the previous owner. Granted....clutch wear varies on the driver....I think the 2nd gear was also part previous owner and part weak engineering by Porsche. Even the turbo guys have that problem. Tomorrow, I drop my car off at Porsche of Colorado Springs and the trans will be shipped to GBOX for a rebuild. I think they will take care of me and have no worries. I stand by my dealer 100%....first for me standing by a dealer. Will let you know how it goes when I get the car back. I hope to be driving happy in under 2 weeks. Little by little, I will make this car bulletproof as I can. I plan on keeping it for quite a while. Also, I do not let the faults of the 996 scare me, I knew that when I got into it. Besides the 2nd gear issue.....everything has been normal maintenance stuff. Also, thanks to the message board for all the great info over the long haul. I just want to post real figures, real results, and stuff from my perspective. Hopefully it helps out others in the long run...besides searching Google and finding nothing that helps. Also, I did install the GBOX detent, by that time the damage was done so would not help...I did pray that it would though....LOL. I would say if you have a 996, and have no 2nd gear pop out...just slap in the detent before you have an issue though. My 2 cents.

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Thats quite the range...2500-3900! Just got quoted up to 2k for the parts and probably 10 hrs shop time.

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Yes. Matt at Gbox gets my call. https://rennlist.com/forums/9701969-post22.html

Dropped car off at the dealer this morning. Trans should be yanked tomorrow....now the waiting game. Did have a nice ride in a Panamera again.

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When I questioned the service manager about my trans at under 23k miles having a problem he did acknowledge that trans problems were known and originally Porsche did not allow dealers to rebuild, only to replace. As to my car, and he felt quite a few others, he blamed it on people not knowing how to drive these cars, he said he had been on many test drives to verify trans problems where people drove them like a big block chevy of old. I rode along with an instructor during a DE and noticed she was shifting as almost double clutching. I asked her about it after the run and she just smiled and said that's the way the cars are meant to be shifted, no bang shifting, no trying to see how fast you can grab the next gear.

03996, If you are kidding... Then, pretty good one. Ask Matt about my slippery shifter ****! If you are not kidding, then let's try to stay positive. I'm not "... going on and on" about anything but I am trying to figure out what to do at 200k, or not. I am asking questions about these things because I'd like to get feedback from other folks on here. I kinda thought that was the purpose of a forum like this... To try and share experiences and feedback so we can all make better decisions based on collective advice. Thanks guys, JKC PS Have a question about GTec (spelling?) but I'll post it under another heading.

03996, Re-Reading your post... I think I get it. You were saying "Matt" was going on and on about being re-buildable and quoting my car... Promoting the brand. Correct? In any event, my jury is still out. I am talking to Jake Raby about a re-manufacture/re-furb at 200k and may still look at the transmission while the engine is out. I have to say that my experience has been pretty good compared to a lot of other posters. But I think I drive my car a little easier. I also think (and this opinion is very subjective) that the 996 was not meant as a DE/Track type car. I've driven mine a lot more like a luxury GT w/o a bunch of static. I am just wondering if some folks are really pressing the cars into "... service" without upgrades and re-enforcements... Not trying to step on toes but even race cars need frequent rebuilds and suffer pretty scary breakdowns. This car was built and marketed as a street car. I wonder if pushing them so hard is part of the issue. I think if you are going to DE or Track it, then beef it up. To be fair, this car has been much more reliable and nearly as exclusive as the Ferrari's in my neighborhood, and it beats the BMW's hands down. My usual response has been that, on balance, it is the best sports car on the planet: Not the prettiest, but up in the top 10; Not the fastest, but up in the top 10; Not the most reliable but up in the top 10; Not the most nimble, but up in the top 10; and you get the picture. I think if you weigh these things out, the 996 (or 997 for that matter) is a great value. Again, thanks for the input. It helps. JKC

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Matt Monson doesn't work with/for is not affiliated with GBOX Matt Monson owns Guard Transmission which is what the link in your post is showing.

I think we are talking about a different Matt. This one is at an Atlanta Porsche dealer. Thanks, though. JKC

I was going to share that as well Tbred. I would be happy to answer any questions however that anyone might have. We are always here to help, whenever possible. 71K on the 996 gearbox is not acutally that bad if it did not receive the proper maintenance in the past or has been driven hard. Typically there are two sealed bearings that go bad, then there is the dreaded 2nd gear popout issue which we resolve. While there is certainly nothing wrong with going the new route, keep in mind that the detent issue and engagment to 1st and 2nd gear will still be the same and can eventually run into the same issues as the gearboxes that are currently experiencing pop-out. Happy to help, and thanks for the nice words everyone. Erik Johnson GBox LLC [phone removed] work

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My post was to show the shortcomings of the OEM tranny and siding with OP's decision to rebuild. You can't go wrong with either GBOX or Guard although I would add LSD also if it was my car.

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Mr.Creasy, The shop that I referred you to for service in the Atlanta area has extensive knowledge and practices for the 996 transaxle. They have repaired one of the units for us when we didn't have time to fool with it and I was very pleased. We have zero time for tranny work with our schedule so I refer all the local people to them for tranny service, or to Gbox for those out of town as Gbox has been great as well. At 200K take advantage of the engine being pulled to go ahead and have the tranny addressed. More than likely it won't go another 200K and you are very lucky that you have had such good service with it, especially in regard to 2nd gear issues. The more you do at once, the better the chances that you be nickel and dimed to death in the coming years.

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Glad I re-read the posts as I was about to get bent out of shape with your response. Thanks for correcting your mistake, not everyone on these car lists does that! Anyway, as you say, Matt was in fact touting the hardiness of the car and used your car as the example. I had occasion to talk to Mr Raby a couple of months ago about doing my clutch and IMS work. Wasn't able to take it to him (warranty issues) but I can say he seems to be a very knowledgeable and accomodating guy. I do agree that at 200k miles, removing the engine and NOT doing the gearbox would seem to be false economy. Assuming that is, you intend to keep the car. I also agree with your assessment of the comparative performance value of the car compared to what else is out there, built to the same standards. I don't agree with the notion that the car isn't the greatest looking machine.....I do think it's a great looking car....not as good looking as my Jag E-type, but then I'm probably biased....:-) Best regards Les.

Ensure at any rate the pinion and layshaft bearings are replaced. I would remove the seals on the new bearings to allow splash lubrication.

With GBOX, I am sure they will take care of me. Right now just waiting for the trans get in their hands so they can work their magic. It really sucks driving a 911 without 2nd gear working well. I am hope the rebuild charge is on the lower end since to me seems like only a 2nd gear issue.

Les, No sweat. My mistake. End of a long day. I'd love to see your E-Type sometime. Let me know when you are in the area and maybe we can hook up for coffee or something. Jake, Need to set another appointment with you in the next few weeks and go over stuff. Was thinking just as you were about the transmission stuff. As for keeping the car, I am so deep into it now and would probably get next to nothing for it if I sold it or traded, so it probably makes sense for me to spend the money and "... restore" it mechanically, with improvements and upgrades, that is. Thanks for the feedback, guys... I have another question off this topic that I'll post in a bit. Take it easy, JKC

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I live in Marietta. Where do you reside? Maybe we can choose somewhere in between. I'm out of town this Friday - Tuesday then home for 2 days then gone again for a day. Be in town on Sat/Sun the 8/9th. Would be happy to drive the E unless it's raining of course...:-) Best Regards Les.

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Jake, if you want to get together sometime, contact me at [email removed] Best regards Les.

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rebuilds don't last that long... rebuilders don't replace everything (and they won't tell you that) although it seems cost effective @ $3K you may be dipping into your pocket two years later... it's happened to a few people we know... just go buy a new one off Ebay for $4K and you'll have peace of mind for the next 60,000 miles.... I track with a lot of 996's and I don't know of any with the 2nd gear popout issue... didn't know it was that common.. in any case it's an easy fix... it's not that common and there is nothing wrong with the 1st to 2nd shift... sounds like a "sell" to me. wouldn't you rather buy something new for an extra $1K ? heck you can probably sell your core for $500 and your way ahead of the game... and I wouldn't send my gearbox to GBOX ; few folks have had bad experience and GBOX doesn't stand behind their work; you'll be fixing again. new = best choice my 2 cents

I for one would tend to disagree with you! I have never seen a new transmission for $4000.00 for a 996. (Porsche are asking $14000.00) The work that GBOX does is exemplary based on many people (racers) that I have spoken to who get their Cup car transmissions rebuilt there. I have had my transmission rebuilt there and it not only shifts like a dream but is whisper quiet while running. When I sent it down from Montreal, they advised whern they received it, advised when they opened and diagnosed and gave a price which they stuck to as well as as how long it would take and that was accurate as well. You shouldn't disparage a business that you have not had personal experience with, just sayin! (Hearsay is inadmissable in court!) Pete

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new 996 transmissions are on Ebay all the time... search is your friend and they go for about $4000. Cup cars get rebuilds every year cause racing destroys cars... and gbox ain't the only ones doin it.. you can look up GBOX in WWW.RIPOFFREPORT.COM I'm not making this up.

And we are off.. I know Guard gets raving reviews and only bought my 2nd gear detent from GBOX on ebay. GBOX did not provide much support or shipping notification which is disappointing since I paid close to $100 for a piece of metal. Nonetheless, product work as advertised because my 996 gear box's 2nd gear would be difficult to shift into when cold and sometimes would pop out because my tranny would not lock into 2nd gear. You run into customer service issues when operating any business. Obviously, you need to take care of your customers but there are always two sides to every story.

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sure... the truth and bull****; keep your eyes on www.ripoffreport.com as more gbox customers chime in

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Thank you for clarifying that. Neither I nor my company have any affiliation with Gbox. When I first purchased Guard Transmission from Paul Guard a bit over 3 years ago, there were a slew of threads here on RL speculating that Gbox was the buyer. I wasn't terribly active here back then and some of those threads went a year or more without me seeing them and correcting them. Unfortunately, many people never saw my corrections and still think that Gbox bought the company which I own. Just last week a 944 owner was posting in the racing forum about how he had sent his gearbox to me for rebuilding service and had his first weekend at the track with his rebuilt box. We're a manufacturer of motorsports parts for Porsche gearboxes. We don't offer rebuilding services. This particular guy got his gearbox back and in his car, all the while believing he had sent it to me, even though all his communication and paperwork was with Gbox. We are NOT the same company. Regards, Matt Monson Guard Transmission LLC

LOL at the thread. I was just telling my trans rebuild story I hope to be in the car by next Friday.

Yeah this thread has gone sideways. OP how come you havnt considered/mentioned replacing your LSD while doing your rebuild?

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I have no LSD or PSM..........pure drivers car.

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I don't think LSD and PSM is the same thing. Installing a LSD makes it a better driver's car. Love my LSD on my TT vs the open diff on my 996 C2.

Yeah... a limited slip differential will only improve the drivability of a RWD car... PSM is useless in older 996s. In my experience the PSM can apply the brakes in order to stabilize the car. Unfortunately this can happen on a high speed sweeper and completely upset the car. I'm sure the system has evolved and become less obtrusive with newer cars...

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Yep, they are both different things and my car has neither I am going to give GBOX a call tomorrow and check on the transmission. Left a message Friday but did not hear back from them, probably because the holiday weekend. I am really itching to get my 996 back together.

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Absolutely! When LSDs are set up correctly, it provides stability during hard braking and improved traction upon accelerating out of corners; especially bumpy ones.

Well, transmission rebuild total with some problems in the diff fixed: $3,846.....with tax and shipping included in that. Labor and fluids.......about $950 Waterpump looks like it is leaking so now is a good time to take care of that, still not cheap. From what GBOX told me looks like someone never changed the trans fluid and ragged on it quite a bit. I did pick the car up at 57K miles on it. I love the car and with the new clutch, AOS, RMS, IMS fix done 5K miles ago...this should make it like a brand new car.....and with the water pump getting done as well. Just wanted to keep you all updated. I am sure the next thing that needs replacement/upgrade is the suspension. DOH!!!!!! Overall, GBOX made it pretty painless and I hope to have the car back soon....pending on if the dealer has the water pump in stock and if GBOX gets the trans back in a day or so.

Actually, when I think about it.....around a little over $10,000 in repairs and maintenance in the last 2 years I have owned the car. Never thought it would add up so fast. No, I am not totally upset, I knew what I was getting when I bought a used 996. I would say for anyone buying a used 996.....make sure you have money set aside like I did or you might take it a little different than I did. Just saying...........this car only had 57K miles on it when I bought it.

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Unfortunately, Porsche tells you that you don't need to change your gear oil until 90k mi. It is totally a disservice to the owners. I tell my clients to change it every 15k. For most people that amounts to once every year or two.

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I will be doing that from now on as a normal part of my maintenance Just happy I have a like new transmission now.

Picking up the car this morning at 10AM!!!! I am so happy to be back in the Porsche, will let you guys know how well it drives with the trans fixed and fresh fluids. Have to get all the use out of it before the snow comes soon!!

FINAL UPDATE: Picked up the car today, Porsche of Colorado Springs was great as usual. After GBOX worked their wonders on the transmission, shifting is smooth, crisp.....night and day difference. Feels like a brand new car. Right now very happy with the car. Also feels good to know everything is pretty mechanical is as new or bulletproof as I can make it for many more years of driving pleasure. Too bad winter is coming around the corner but that is time for mods and upgrades

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let us know how it holds up in 2 years... they gave you a 12 month limited warranty right?

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They sell Carrera underpants at the dealer? Men or women's or both? In all seriousness though, I do agree with you that tranny failure at 70k seems ridiculously low. Hell, my Saab has about 60k miles on it and both the clutch and tranny both still feel very strong (knock wood)...albeit with a little whine...but in that case we're talking about a 39 yr old car. -Eric

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It did the best it could for a car that was not taken care of for 10 years till I bought it. Since I take care of my things and know how to drive a stick.....I am sure it will last. And yes it has a 12 month limited warranty. Correction....I bought the car in Feb of 2011....all previous neglect was not my fault. Clutch wear was pretty much normal with the original clutch going out. Waterpump was due, all the rest of the things were just normal maintenance. The IMS fix was done by me with the new clutch install....that was a easy decision. Since I have owned the car.....never been tracked...has been driven hard though. Oil changed every 3K miles with Mobil 1. As far as the owners history besides CARFAX....I have no idea what went on prior to me.

2 years and almost 20k kilometers on my rebuild with Gbox and the transmission is still as quiet and smooth shifting as day one. Pete

Thanks for the kind words all. I took a quick look at the complaint that was posted on here earlier. It was fairly unfortunate and we are quite aware of what happened with that gearbox. Brand new parts were actually used for that build, and unfortunately after two years of racing, (which is not clearly laid out there, and only one oil change, which is also not adequately explained in the complaint) there was a ring and pinion failure. We do not warranty racing components, which is not unusual, and the owner is known for being quite harsh on his equipment. When we explained that we were not going to warranty this part, nor give him a refund for the part, which was purchased brand new and installed, we were told that he was going to splash this all over the net and try to make us look bad. Years ago I would have risen up to a statement like this and made a big stink about it, but now, I think I will simply take the high road on this one. However if there is someone who would like this explained in more detail, please feel free to PM me or give me a call. I will be happy to explain in detail what happened with this deal. Again we thank everyone for your support, and look forward to helping whenever we can. If you run into questions, just PM me and I will get back with you as soon as possible. Erik Johnson

Hi folks. I just caught this response here and what is said by Erik above is not true. As usual he continues to distort the truth of what actually happened so he can get away with yet another botched job and appear as if "all is well" Well, that's not the case. We weren't racing this car , it was a DE car and a summer daily driver and had the tranny fluid flushed out every 8 track hours as preventative maintenance. The new R&P made noise from day one and I was told this was normal. I contacted Roger Btown of California mototsports who clearly stated in an email it was most certainly NOT normal. You can read the rest of the story on ripoffreport.com by searching GBOX There are more reputable places to have your work done and GBOX is a shop many who have been burned will be staying away from Sorry Erik, the cat is out of the bag. everybody you can read about it hear and Erik's private message to me which clearly contradicts what he's saying above https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...gefromerik.jpg