Transmission core and core charge – Everything you need to know

Whenever you replace a more significant car part, like a transmission, there will be what’s known as a core. This is quite simply, your old transmission. These have value because they’re used as the basis of a remanufactured transmission. Many reman transmission companies and salvage yards will levy a core charge when you purchase a transmission from them, because they plan to either use or sell your old transmission. This upfront charge ensures that you will return your used transmission to them.

Need a replacement transmission? Get an estimate for replacement transmissions and local installation. Look up your transmission model by vehicle make and model.

What Transmission Do I Have?

Transmission core – Why it’s important

Transmission remanufacturing companies like Street Smart Transmission, exist because most automakers will not sell brand-new transmissions to the general public. If your vehicle is in good enough shape that you want to keep it on the road for as long as possible, buying a remanufactured transmission is the only way to go. In order to build these remanufactured transmissions, a used transmission is needed to start. These donor transmissions aren’t simply rebuilt however, and it may take several transmission cores to make one quality remanufactured transmission.

Since a transmission core is essential to the reman transmission process, they do have value. There are also difficult to come by, which is why a transmission core charge might be more expensive than you would expect. This can raise the upfront cost when you go to buy a remanufactured transmission. But once the reman company or salvage yard receives your old transmission, they will refund the transmission core charge.

If you order a remanufactured transmission online, you need to know that returning a used transmission to get your core charge back isn’t going to be cheap. They will have to be shipped by freight, usually with an LTL carrier (less than load). Obviously a transmission isn’t light, so you’re going to be looking at a few hundred bucks to return it.

The Street Smart difference

Rather than making its customers go to the hassle and expense of returning a transmission core, Street Smart Transmission doesn’t charge its customers a transmission core charge. They even pay for the return freight, and none of this is baked into the price. Once your remanufactured transmission is installed, all your mechanic has to do is place your old transmission in the provided container and call the shipping company. This means all you have to do is order your remanufactured transmission and get ready to get back on the road!

Need a replacement transmission? Get an estimate for replacement transmissions and local installation. Look up your transmission model by vehicle make and model.

What Transmission Do I Have?

To learn more about Street Smart Transmission, watch the video on this page and then click here.