So I knew this day would come. I have a 2003 AT Coupe with 126000 miles on it. I've been driving less and less in part to stave off impending doom, and in part to not spend so much on gas.

Some brief background....for about 50,000 miles I've had to give the car gas when starting it up on occasion. Also on very cold mornings, the car has taken a few seconds to drop from reverse into drive during that same period.

This morning, it took two cranks on the ignition for the car to start. Odd. Then after work, the cranks sounded a bit nasty. Then on the way home(after driving 20 miles), I had to stop at a light and the car died. It took a couple cranks to get going. Once I got home, I shut the car off, and started it again. Every light in the car went on....AT, check engine soon, slip, and VCD off.

So the deal is, I need a place to get serviced. I don't want Miller bending me over, and I don't want the Z place in West Hills cause they are too expensive. I've never had to worry about a service like this because growing up in Rosemead, my next door neighbors owned a transmission shop in San Gabriel and we always had them as a reliable place. I'm in particular looking for a place in Van Nuys or North Hollywood and I'd like to get the work done at the same place that does the diagnosis. And yes, I'm aware of what a transmission for this car costs.

As a follow up, are the national chains...aamco and stuff....ok for this car? I like the idea that the work is guaranteed for a few years and it seems like a more reliable guarantee than I would get at some small shop. But maybe I'm crazy. I searched the forum and just could not find an adequate answer.

 

In your case, I'd check out precision-Z in canoga park.