Crooks. Their rebuilt transmission broke after about 2000 miles. Wouldnt honor warranty. Demanded 1000s of dollars of computer rebuilding before theyd even look at vehicle, but only through their shyster Jack. I finally got the transmission removed, rebuilt, and reinstalled at a reputable shop for just a little more than the rebuilt transmission itself originally cost. Turned out a retaining ring slipped out of a worn groove. Obviously missed in whatever inspection their shoddy rebuild went through. But if you plan on screwing your customers by not standing by your work, why not? Also doesnt seem like a computer rebuild, whatever that is, would fix that.Shoddy work. Do not honor warranty. Crooks. Avoid like the plague.See pictures for: warranty form sent to me from German Transaxle. Documentation of worn part sent to German Transaxle from transmission shop that rebuilt the transmission as part of warranty claim. I say again: Shoddy work. Do not honor warranty. Will dissemble, distract, and avoid responsibility for their mistakes. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

Great people, transmission rebuild complete and looks amazing. The shop is super busy so dont be in a huge hurry or you will just cause yourself stress. Im super happy with what was done and it was worth driving 600 miles RT - twice

Dropped off the transmission from my 1978 VW Bus on 7/13/21 and picked it back up on 7/22/2021. Excellent turn around time, as I thought I would need to wait weeks. Were back on the road and happy campers! Thanks!

Great customer service as well as best German Transmission shop in the US of A.

Very informative and friendly over the phone. Needed my Audi A6 transmission rebuilt but I do not live in Bend and their quote was too expensive for the age of the car and the mileage. However I did appreciate the input and I would definitely recommend them.

It might seem odd to gush about a transmission service, but I’m about to do just that. I own a 2002 Rialta RV. These are wonderful smaller RVs, but it is not easy to find someone to work on one. When my transmission started slipping, I went to the Rialta owners’ sites and was pointed to German Transaxle of America in Bend, Oregon. I drove my Rialta to Bend, on a “wing and a prayer” and was rewarded with a discount for getting it there from out of state. Kateka, the “Wonder Woman” office manager, and I had been emailing so I was aware of what I was looking at regarding cost getting a rebuilt transmission. She went over everything with me again explaining it to me like I was 5, because that is my age when discussing engines and such. She is remarkable in her knowledge and ability to help even me understand what was needed and how until they got the transmission apart, we wouldn’t really know what work needed to be done. I returned home knowing this would be a serious investment, but I love my RV and they are not easy to find. When Ken, the owner, got a chance to work on my transmission it was discovered that the “core” and “hard parts” (it’s all “hard parts” to me) were not destroyed and rebuilding the transmission would not be as costly as I had been prepared to pay. Kateka went over all the reasons why and I pretended to listen, but all I could think of was how much I saved on getting the transmission rebuilt! The truth is, I was going in blind, and I could have been taken advantage of, but Ken and Kateka are honest, kind, ethical people and I am grateful for them. They celebrated with me that my RV was back on the road at a much lower cost than I’d imagined. I will be returning to them when it is time to service my transmission and look forward to seeing them again!

Nice folks, but know that the warranty is prorata so after only 12,000 miles you’re not covered for 50% of the thousands of dollars of your newly rebuilt transmission. My original VW Eurovan transmission lasted 106K. The rebuild only 21K. They just aren’t very reliable new or rebuilt.

This place is awesome. They have great customer service and do what they say they will. I recommend these guys highly!

Once I had the right transmission for my VW Bus motor, I rip down the roads! Thank you German Transaxle for making my bus sing like 1977.

What a great team of competent professionals! Picked up my locking Syncro trans with Paul Guard’s gears. Wow! True craftsmanship!

Have a 2002 Eurovan that was having transmission problems (would lock in 3rd gear when the Transaxle would get hot) at 155,000 miles.I called German Transaxle of America from Seattle and they said they has the same Transaxle in stock. I drove to Bend (then flew home to Alaska) and within two days they had the Transaxle replaced and ready to drive! After driving it back to Seattle, I swapped out with my wife, who drove it to Alaska, her comment after getting to Alaska it shifts so much better and smoother, like a new vehicle!The folks at German Transaxle of America were fantastic, friendly, helpful and what a clean shop! I would use German Transaxle of America again in a heartbeat!Thanks All at German Transaxle of America!!!

GTA rebuilt a racing gearbox for my Porsche, and added a Gard LSD. Due to the age of the unit, they struggled to locate a couple parts, but didnt give up until they succeeded. I could not be more happy with the result, as well as their kindness, patience and professionalism.Awesome people, who do awesome work. Please support German Transaxle!

I didnt ask for a lot from German Transaxle because I was on a budget. I needed my type 1 trans rebuilt to handle a larger engine. My only request was a top speed of 85mph. Ken built me a freaking awesome transmission. $1,500 got me a super diff with welded 3rd and 4th gears. I Now that my new 2054cc engine is broken in, I can scream down the highway at 89mph no problem.Thank you German Transaxle. You are highly recommended in my book.

German Transaxel was only shop that was capable of rebuilding our 97 VW Vans automatic transmission in house. We also could talk to the mechanic and the front desk, Kateka, as often as we wanted. They are highly skilled at this job, which so few do - in all of the US! Other shops even recommended them!! Good thing we broke down in Oregon 👌 When our insurance was barely going to pay for the tow which they had pre-approved, Kateka wrote a fabulous email to them about the problem and why the tow was necessary to get to Bend, OR. You can trust your vehicle to them.

Replacement syncro transaxles are rare. Care and maintenance are critical. Problems make me nervous. German transaxle took the time to explain what the problems were with my transaxle and front differential and told me how they would fix the problems. They showed me how individual pieces work and how GT and company made improvements to individual components to increase oil flow, harden contact surfaces, and even how they would resurrect my case. I put the TX and front diff in myself, but had trouble lining up the shift linkage with the gears. They took my call or called me back promptly every time. When I still couldn’t get second to seat, they invited me to swing by so they could take a look at it. They put it up on the lift and sorted the problems out immediately. Again they showed me what was wrong and explained the solution. They encouraged me as a hobby mechanic and gave me confidence in the vanagon’s running gear. My experience with GT was overwhelmingly positive, from Jesse to Kateka to Ken. They are a professional crew with big hearts and I would recommend them to everyone.

Hope you all are well and not too busy in your quest for the perfect transmission. I really appreciate your help while I was there in Bend for the rebuild process on my 1997 VW van - our baby, as you called it. And it was truly a pleasure working with you and Jess along the way.Just to let you know - the van and its transmission ran perfectly all the way home to SW New Mexico. I gave it a good workout up and down hills and mountain passes, through urban and rural traffic, for 1400+ miles in three days. Not a blip or a bleep, it was like having a new van again.Please stay well and keep up the good work. German Transaxles resurrected our Eurovan when we had just about given up all hope.

Very happy with the service and performance on my transaxle rebuild for my 2002 Eurovan purchased from the overseas military car sales program (AAFES) in Ktown and Heidelberg, GE. A special shoutout to Kateka and Frank for keeping me informed, taking my money, and giving me another 17 years of road time with my big bug. Thank you so much for the quality work and the smooth performance.

Loving the pro street tranny from GTA! Heres to many happy miles ahead.

Listen, I wouldn’t wish transaxle problems on anyone. But if you end up in need, there is no better place to get help than German Transaxle of America. The folks here are not only experts in the industry, but are great people! I was faced with a number of roadblocks getting my van back on the road and some had nothing to do with GTA or my transaxle. They not only helped me with every one of them, they showed up with a sledge hammer to help me break down the roadblocks. I couldn’t recommend them enough.(Also read the non five star reviews below and they are complete BS!)

GTA assembled a 5 speed for my Ghia. It sure made it nice. Thank you to the crew.

As an owner of a 2002 Eurovan full camper, I like most Eurovan owners needed to have my transmission replaced. It wasn’t easy finding a repair shop that was even willing to look at the vans transmission, no one wanted to touch it. My husband went online as did I looking for assistance with the Transmission. The only place we could find on the West coast was in Bend Oregon, we are from California. Checking reviews and questioning a lot of people, we knew German Transaxel was the place we needed to trust.Hubby reached out and after much coordination from the Queen herself (Katika) the main office coordinator, do it all person we had the van put on a carrier and transported to Oregon. The news was pretty much what we expected, we needed to get a rebuilt transmission, along with a transmission control module and an after market cooler kit. Katika gave us a date the following week when the work on the van would begin. The timeline was exactly as Katika explained. She knows her stuff!!So after being updated by Katika we were ready to make the trip up to Oregon. Because of medical appointments made much in advance for my husband it was determined that I would make the trip up to Bend to retrieve the van by train. Long story short my wallet was taken at a pit stop along the way, it was discovered by a lovely Amtrak attendant in the trash can, all money removed but luckily my cards were all there!!! Not knowing if the van even had enough gas to make it to Klamath to retrieve my wallet my husband contacted the Queen Katika and arranged for the gas to be filled and $20 dollars for me to be able to eat. Since I had no money to pay for a Uber to take me from the station to the shop to pick up my van a wonderful and personable man from the shop (Ken) picked me up at the station in my newly repaired van. He made me feel comfortable immediately and we had a great conversation back to the shop. Thank you Ken!! I would have been left up the creek had it not been for Katika and Ken.Upon arriving at the shop I was introduced and welcomed to Katika. This lady is beyond impressive in her knowledge of these transmissions! She tirelessly went through my warranty, yes there is a two year warranty even! Katika explained in detail the repair work and our responsibility to uphold the warranty. I didn’t have a clue as to most of the information she gave me but she wrote it all out in detail.I made the seven hour drive home from Bend and oh I’m the happiest person on earth right now! The van drove like a dream and like Katika explained I no longer had to ease into a shift like I had been doing. She explained to let the computer onboard to do the work. It totally worked, no more clunks as the van shifted gears and it was such a pleasant ride home with the confidence that I knew I was safe in my little home on wheels finally.It needs to be said that every single person I came in contact with at the shop was friendly and totally professional. No cruddy looking repair men all filthy, the shop was spotless clean. My van was clean unlike other shops that leave your seats dirty from grease and such with dirty fingerprints all over everything they touched. Impressed? Indeed I am!! I would HIGHLY recommend with confidence German Transaxel of America!! Thank you GTA for putting this Grammy back into her van safely. Boondocking here I come!!! Patti & Gene Stoddard

The transmission in my 2002 VW Eurovan camper started acting up about a year ago: got stuck in reverse, then couldnt shift into the manual 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, then, most seriously, reverse gear wouldnt engage properly. I called GoWesty from whom I bought the car six years ago but unfortunately they dont do repair work any more, and did not have transmissions or parts for that car. They recommended GTA in Bend, OR. To avoid that long drive from the Bay Area I called numerous other VW and transmission places locally and no one wanted to touch the van. So I called GTA. Kateka answered and immediately set my mind at ease. She was knowledgeable and friendly. Long story short, I drove the 800 miles round trip from Oakland, CA to Bend, OR last week, turned the van over to the folks at GTA and in a day they had everything fixed with a new (rebuilt) transmission, plus fixed a few other things while they were at it. Afterwards, the mechanic, Jesse, showed me the parts they had to replace and what was wrong with them. Two year warranty; van drives like a dream now. These folks know what theyre doing! Highest recommendation. Mike Sherwood and Kathy Keeran.

We have been working with GTA for over 10 years and cannot recommend them highly enough to our many Eurovan clients. Thanks guys!

Hands down the best transmission shop in the country for your Vanagon and Syncro!

I talked to Ken the owner of the business about bringing in my differential to have him set it up he said yes no problem bring it in Monday I brought it in on a Monday morning went to the door of the door was locked a lady came to her door ask me what I wanted very unprofessionally I told her Ken said for me to bring my differential end they have built she said sorry we cant help you I said wait a minute thats not what he said she said youll have to wait hes on the phone I waited outside for a half an hour finally he came out tapped on my window and said sorry I dont have time to help you today after I drove an hour one way he seemed very frazzled and unprofessional told me he didnt have a certain tool that he couldnt find I would highly not recommend this place

It’s been over two years since the people at German Transaxle rebuilt the howling mess my Vanagon’s transmission had become. On my five hour drive home from Bend after I picked up the vehicle I was stunned by the deafening silence coming from the back seat. It’s still smooth and silent. I wouldn’t even consider another shop.

When our 2003 Eurovan MV Weekender’s transaxle finally died, I began the stressful search for a solution. My stress quickly went away when I met the folks at German Transaxle. From the first time I spoke with Kateka on the phone I knew this was an organization I could trust. I was not disappointed. Kateka and Ken were extremely professional and customer friendly. They were careful to make sure I fully understood their process and warranty policy. When I ran into shipping issues, they offered to coordinate it for me. The new transaxle arrived on time and they provided ongoing technical support to my local mechanic. The new transaxle runs great, my wife has her “Evie” back and the van runs better than it has for a very long time. I highly recommend German Transaxle! Time to go camping!

I wouldnt ever recommend that you have your transmission rebuilt here or even fixed . Ken and John will lie to you, and they will try to up sale you to put more money in there pockets . they put old parts in your transmission and use old cases that they spray paint to cover old rust ..they charge you a core price to rip apart the old one you have to sell it to someone at full cost ..all the parts on a transmission that you paid for is not new its all used parts from other cars..SERIOUSLY WATCH OUT FOR THESE PEOPLE..THEY WILL WORK YOU OVER AND DRAIN YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.. The only good thing about there work is that they do put new lube where needed.

Good people, impressive operation, sterling reputation in the Vanagon Community. Im getting my Automatic Transmission rebuilt by these guys based on many recommendations. Visited in person and was very impressed.

Ken and the crew are great people and awesome to deal with!

Had a transmission rebuilt for our 02 Eurovan from GTA. They were super helpful and very communicative through the whole process. A transmission rebuild for a Eurovan is not cheap anywhere, but their process includes all new parts and a full inspection. The new transmission runs so smooth and the included aftermarket cooler was a breeze to install. Great service and highly recommend!

They only use the most expensive shipping possible, and the two day shipping that they charged 54 dollars for took longer to arrive than a package that was mailed priority flat rate from another company on the same day. German Transaxle refuses to use priority flat rate shipping. They would rather mark their shipping up 4.5 times over USPS. Will not be ordering from them again unless they can fix their shipping problem. Perhaps people who can deal with them locally would fare better.

I own a 2002 VW Eurovan, and the transmission died on us. I ordered a rebuilt one from German Transaxle and had it installed by a local dealer (Urabus VW) in CO. I have to say that this new transmission is waaaay smoother than the old one ever was! I simply cannot believe how smoothly it shifts now, you can barely feel it at all. Our original transmission always gave us a bit of a lurch when up or downshifting, and that has all but vanished with the new one. I couldnt be happier with the way it turned out!

Theyre great!!! Exceptionally timely service, honest support.Katika is kind and understanding, and the work performed was top notch.My transmission returned looking like new.

Great service. Got my Vanagon transmission going in no time. Highly recommended.

Great professional shop.....in every way possible. As a Westfalia Vanagon owner you are always looking for ways to keep your vehicle on the road....without shops like this....those amazing roadtrips wouldnt be available. Excellent work you can count on...when heading down the remote Dalton Highway:)

I have a 1991 VW Westy with 3 speed automatic. At 200,000 miles the automatic transmission needed to be rebuilt. I made an appointment with German Transaxle and they removed, rebuilt and reinstalled my transmission. The folks at German Transaxle are awesome! It is refreshing to find a group of professionals doing terrific work. Thank you Ken, Laurie, Frank, Jesse, Shawn, Terry and Kateka for doing a high quality job, you are a great team!! I drove home in hot weather, up and down mountain roads, hours on Highway 5 at 70 mph and home 9.5 hours later. It was quite a test, the transmission worked perfectly finding the right gears and operating smoothly and quietly. I highly recommend German Transaxle of America!!

I had German Transaxle of America build me a special VW 020 9A gearbox.Very long ratios (from 3 different transmissions), a low rear and a Peloquin LSD. Frank and Kateka were really great to work with, entertaining all my questions (and changes in plan along the way) with a smile and professionalism. Build time was incredibly short and the final product is just stunning to behold. Im very happy that places like this are still around. Absolutely top shelf in every way. The gearbox is simply AMAZING. Smooth shifting, the LSD is unreal. Im going to have to relearn how to drive this beast now that it has traction. Thanks GTA!

Found better prices in the Bay Area and better service. Communication was not good nor meeting the agreed upon time line.

It was a big trauma to be stuck without my beloved 2003 Eurovan. I was recommended to GTA by a local mechanic in the Bay Area. From the first phone call with Katika to meeting the owner, Ken, they took exceptional care of me and my situation every step of the way. I had several options, researched deeply and my desision to go with these guys was perfect! My van rides better than before and I feel completely confident in the integrity of the company, the people and the rebuild! If you need a rebuild, these guys rule!

From the start, German Transaxle knows and shows great customer service! Yes, their website is easy to use and I was able to find all of the information I needed. However, I also called to talk to them several times - and they called me a few times to keep me up to speed, and it was always a very pleasurable experience. My water-boxer transaxle arrived quickly and performs perfectly - I couldnt be happier with it. And I couldnt be happier with the support I received from Kateka and Ken at German Transaxle! I will enthusiastically recommend them, and would definitely come to them again for transmission/transaxle needs.

I cannot say enough good about German Transaxle. Over ten years they have rebuilt three Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro transmissions for our family as well as those of many friends and acquaintances plus they are the only shop we trust to preform the scheduled service on our German cars. They are not only professional and extraordinarily knowledgeable but also genuinely kind people, an exceedingly rare combination in this or any other field of endeavor. Their pricing is fair and I consider them a bargain for the level of quality that they deliver. Thanks to Ken, John and Katika, you make transmission rebuilding fun!

The O1P trans-axle I purchased for my Eurovan shifts better than the original did new.GTA worked closely with my local shop and delivered all that was promised.I received my new unit promptlyVery impressed and highly recommend GTA.

This is transmission #4 that you have done for me. I couldnt be happier with any of them. Keep up the good work.

Been using german transaxle for 25 plus years, i only use the best, JERRY from StinnsAutoHaus Santa Maria Ca.

I am very happy with the rebuilt transaxle that I purchased from German Transaxle for my VW EuroVan. The kit included everything needed to get my van back on the road, and was shipped quickly and packaged well. Great service overall.

The team at German Transaxle (GT) is simply the best! Truly. I promise you will have a five star experience with this company and its people. I have a beloved 2002 VW Eurovan poptop with 190,000+ miles on it. I have been nursing the transmission for the past year, dreading the day I had to sell it because the tranny was dead. And then I learned about GT from a local Bay Area VW bus mechanic.So I called them. Starting with my first interaction 6 weeks ago, the entire team and experience has been completely professional and surprisingly satisfying. Kateka runs the front office and plays a very important role. She knows an incredible amount about the entire business, including deep knowledge of a variety of transmission work. She walked me through all the steps with ease. As our conversation progressed, I quickly came to realize Kateka was metaphorically holding my hand - she had my back. We set up an appointment and I arrived in Bend 6 weeks later. They had a newly rebuilt transmission already to go (it was literally sparkly clean and shiny - almost as it were brand new). They ran my new transmission through an amazing number of diagnostics on a specially built computer controlled very large and sophisticated transmission machine. Its the only one in the nation and it is GTs secret sauce. Many German transmissions (particularly the VW Eurovans) are complex and can be finicky. Ken and his wife (GTs super couple owners) understood that investing in the diagnostics machine and software was key to ensuring that they would be able to send old VWs back out into the world with rock solid rebuilt trannys. Ken and his team on the shop floor (including Frank and Jesse) pay attention to details. They know their business (German trannys) with an expert level of knowledge an experience. They work hard to create a superior customer experience. The team is careful not to over-promise and under-deliver. They function as a tight knit, well run team. They know their capabilities. And they are able to anticipate and easily deal with the various twists and turns that inevitably happen in the tranny rebuild/repair business. I want to be clear that no one paid me to write this review. In truth, I dont like to write them. But in this case is my absolute pleasure. In this case, I am writing an online review to express my deep thanks and appreciation to the whole team at GT for how they treated me and my family over these past couple of days here in Bend. It has been completely unexpected, surprisingly warm and welcoming. Mary and I felt as if we were being treated as close friends - almost as family members. So to Ken and his wife: many thanks for running a kick-ass family run business that provides exceptional quality and service. To your team out on the shop floor: Thank you for your attention to detail, for your care and expertise, and most importantly, for breathing new life into my beloved VW Eurovan and all the continued west coast outdoor adventures I get to have with my family and close friends. And finally to beautiful, powerful Kateka: You are an amazing, strong, smart, talented woman, loving mom, and proud grandma, as well as being an integral part of and key person in the GT team. With much gratitude to the whole GT team! -Tim & Mary

Excellent, prompt and very accurate servicewe had a customer with a eurovan down in our shop, we could not find an axle stub that had been discontinued by the dealer, after trying numeroussites, we struck out everywhere.We then contacted one of our used parts suppliers that had already informed us that they did not have the part, just to ask for recommendations. They turned us on to german transaxle, i called and katika knew exactly what i was talking about, had it, shipped it next day and customer was super happy!!! thx again guys for your awesome service. Lorenzo ortiz and the guys at Phillips transmission in Tempe Az.

This was an excellent experience from the great customer service and follow up from Kateka in the office to the quality workmanship from Ken on the custom transaxle for my CAV GT40 replica. The new box is a tremendous upgrade to my car and I couldnt be happier with it. I highly recommend GTA for high performance and custom transmission applications.

Was having difficulty finding someone to work on the transaxle in my CAV GT40 in Arizona. Contacted GTof A and was able to get a recommendation to modify the unit and commitment for schedule and cost. All transportation was arranged by GTof A and the unit was picked up at my home, rebuilt per the plan and promptly returned. The service, communications and quality of work was excellent. The revised transaxle is working great back in my car and all the expectations were achieved.

Great people

Im a returning customer of 15 yrs +. After trying several local & CA builders years ago, and having many bad experiences with each, Ill NEVER go elsewhere. GTA has continued to build & supply the best ProStreet transmissions for my personal custom air cooled VWs: 4) type 1, 2) type two. I send friends & customers to them without hesitation. From stock to High Pro, early to late model, VW or Porsche (and others too) GTA builds them all & well. Smooth shifting outta the box, no noise, quality workmanship, fantastic customer service, good turn around time, quality parts and the transmissions even look great! Nothing but thumbs up for team GTA.

Great service and price!

Really helped me out. Thanks