Today there are more than 120 different transmissions in use, with new ones showing up all the time. Many of those transmissions have several different variations or calibrations, with as many as a dozen modifications necessary.

What’s more, today’s transmissions are computer controlled, which means even though your transmission may not be working properly, there’s a good chance the root cause of the problem doesn’t have anything to do with the transmission itself.

To provide you with an accurate assessment of your transmission’s condition and give you an honest estimate for repairs, technicians must perform a series of  tests.

They must identify which transmission is in your car, and which version of that transmission it is. Then they have to identify the specific problem, and isolate whether it’s in the transmission or the computer system. Finally, they have to determine the likely causes for the problem, based on a logical diagnostic process.

Once they have that information, the shop is able to give you a more accurate explanation of your car’s condition, and put together an accurate estimate of the costs to repair it. There’s just no way to do all that over the phone.

One of the first things you can look for is technician certification. These are certificates indicating that the technicians have passed tests to prove a level of compentance.

Many manufacturers and organizations offer some type of certification program. And while certification is no guarantee of competence, it does indicate a certain level of pride and professionalism.

But no one offers a more detailed or extensive certification program than the one that ATRA offers its members. There are three types of ATRA certification: R&R Technician, Rebuilder and Diagnostician.

ATRA’s tests are extremely demanding: You can be certain that any technician holding an ATRA certification is qualified to work on your car or truck.

Another thing to look at is how long have the technicians been in the transmission industry and how long they have been employed at the shop you are choosing.

There’s no doubt about it: Transmission repairs can be expensive. But it’s not so much money when you consider what’s involved in the repairs.

Today’s automatic transmissions consist of hundreds of individual components. During a major repair, each one is removed, cleaned, and inspected to exacting tolerances. Any worn or damaged parts are repaired or replaced.

Then each part is put together into one of many subassemblies. Each subassembly must be adjusted, and tested for proper operation. Then the subassemblies must be assembled into the transmission case, where the adjustment and testing procedure begins all over again.

Finally, once the transmission is completely assembled, it has to be reinstalled.

If that’s not enough to justify the cost, there’s something else to consider: Virtually all of today’s automatic transmissions are computer controlled. Which means that the transmis-sion’s ability to operate depends on much more than the condition of the transmission itself. Engine problems now can have a dramatic effect on how the transmission operates.

All of which boils down to one, inescapable conclusion: Sure, transmission work can be expensive… but, dollar for dollar, it’s one of the best values around.