that price is right in the ball park IMO.

One advantage of dealing with a transmission shop is they don't
especially charge to remove and install the trans ..
where if you hired a vanagon-friendly shop to pull your trans,
then you ship it to a known-good experienced VW and vanagon transmission
rebuilder shop like German Transaxle in Bend OR ...
you'll have the expense of that R & R labor, the shipping both ways ..
and hope your core is good.
You'll sure spend more than 1500 to 1800 that way  for sure ..but you'll
have a very high chance of success.

I just had them do one for me for an 86 I have ..
they dyno test it before sending it out even.
use really good synthetic fluids, etc.

with AMCO there's some risk I think.  I keeping expense as low as
possible you might take a chance with them.

Ask them how many vanagon or VW automatics they've done..
and if they do the rebuidling  work right there.
It's a quite convention automatic trans ...shouldn't be a problem IF
they actually do good careful work and care .
Scott

On 05/17/2016 08:39 AM, John Rodgers wrote:
> The saga continues. My mechanic has run out of ideas. Doesn't know what
> else to do, and being essentially an engine rebuild specialist, suggests I
> get it to a transmission shop and have them check it out. S far all local
> shops but one turned me down. I got everything from "we don't work on VW'S
> of any kind" to " our insurance doesn't cover vanagons". I think basically
> they just don't wan't to do Vanagons. The one exception was AAMCO
> Transmissions of Birmingham. They are a franchise outfit, and said they
> would do it, but for this area I thought the pricing a little high,'  like
> $1500 to $1800.
>
> Anyone experienced with people?
>
> John
>