Click n Clack

It all started several weeks ago with an ominous noise coming from the direction of my engine.  It started suddenly, but quietly.  I struggled for days to identify the noise in a way I could recreate it.  Imagine me humming, whirring, clapping, and clunking, but nothing seemed right.  Finally it came to me.  RRRRRRR.  Did you ever learn to roll your r’s in Spanish class?  Well that’s the noise.

Once I had successfully defined the noise I followed a friend’s advice to call the NPR Click ‘n Clack show to see if I could stump them.  I had to use my trusty assistant Emily however to make the car noise since I never learned the art of flapping my tongue in a dignified manner.  Despite what I’m sure was an entertaining voicemail audition, I unfortunately, although not surprisingly, did not get called back to be on the show.

Alas, I was left with taking it to a transmission shop.  After extensive, official, Google research, I settled on a little known shop in Monroe run by a man who has been building transmissions since before I was born.  After a free consult with the specialist, I was dutifully impressed and was willing to follow whatever advice he might lay before me.  I had spent weeks preparing myself for the worst – a potential blown transmission and upwards of $3000 in repairs.  What I was not prepared for however was the comment by the receptionist that she had priced a Mini Cooper automatic transmission a few weeks ago at over $6000.

At this point I couldn’t decide if I wanted to cry or drink.  Since I’m not an alcoholic and I didn’t have a ready supply of tissues, I realized I needed another option.  Red Robin cheeseburger with a chocolate shake would have to do.

The next morning, after thinking about the potential cost of a new transmission and if I needed to get in touch with an insurance agent about having my car totaled, I finally received a call from the receptionist at the transmission shop with the final numbers.  

Here’s how she broke it down:

$850 – Labor

$2,034 – New transmission

$84 – Transmission fluid

$284 – Clutch

Total: $3,252 + tax = $3,531.

All I have to say is that I have never been so happy to see a bill for $3500.