Rideout’s Transmission Repair
Jacob Buttrum, R&R Technician
lot, we’ll offer him a reman,” explains Dave. “That way, if there’s a problem while he’s away from home, all we need to do is call the reman company. The reman company will find a nearby shop, ship out a new transmission, and pay to have it replaced. But for most other customers we prefer to rebuild them ourselves.” Of course, cost plays an important
factor in everyone’s business model, and Rideout’s is no exception. “There was a time when we’d refuse to install a used transmission. If the customer wanted a used transmission, we’d send them to the salvage yard and let them do the job. But today, if the customer really can’t afford a rebuild, we’ll try to find a used transmission to help him out.”
Longtime ATRA Member Rideout’s opened about the same
time ATRA was forming in California. And when ATRA began reaching out across the U.S. for membership, Red Rideout was one of the first shop own- ers to jump onboard. “Our original ATRA Member Number was A527.
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We weren’t Charter Members, but we weren’t much past that,” says Dave. Why ATRA? “Back then, ATRA
was the best source — really the only source — for good technical informa- tion. If you had a problem, there was a good chance someone else had it too. And very often ATRA had the solution before the problem ever showed up here.”
Of course, the technical support is
just part of the reason. “There’s nothing better than being able to tell your cus- tomers that, if they have a problem any- where across the country, all they have to do is call, and I’ll be able to send them to an ATRA Member nearby,” explains Dave. “I’ve been on both sides of that
situation. I’ve had to help other shops whose customers have gotten stuck here, and I’ve had to send my custom- ers to other shops across the coun- try. I’ve never had a bad experience; they’re all true professionals.”
Longtime WIT Customer This issue’s cover story is about WIT — Whatever It Takes transmission
David Holly at the bench
parts. And few shops have followed WIT longer than Rideout’s. “(WIT President) Kenny Hester used to come here in a box truck, selling torque converters,” says Dave. “Over time he began adding some hard parts that he’d pick up and rebuild, such as pumps and planet sets. “Eventually he opened Hester
Transmission Parts, or HTP, and we were one of the first shops they called on when they opened. And we con- tinued to follow him when he opened WIT. Today we buy about 75% of our parts from WIT.” Until recently, WIT’s nearest
location was about two hours from Rideout’s shop. They’d usually order parts during the day, and WIT’s deliv- ery person would drop them off in their lock box over night. But recently WIT made arrangements with a nearby parts store to warehouse parts right in Evansville. So now Dave can call and have most common parts delivered within 15 or 20 minutes. So why WIT? Why not another
transmission parts supplier? “When they opened, they chose the name
GEARS March 2012
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