It's a very simple answer.
The size of the marketplace, and the amount of options. The market dictates the costs of doing business. Capitalism.
Model turbine sales represent a very small and very specialized portion part of the global marketplace.
Most of the model turbine parts are produced offshore as well. Transportation costs raise the price too. I don't think that your repair shop specialist absorbs the transportation costs...he passes them along to you.
Even at the prices they have to charge, I don't think that there are many people in the model turbine sales and/or repair business that drive a different new Ferrari to work every day. I could be wrong, but in order to create a small fortune in that business, you need to start with a large fortune.
Your transmission didn't need to be rebuilt at all; you chose to do it, and you could have replaced it with a junkyard transmission.
You could also purchase a used car and strip it for parts, or buy a replacement transmission on Ebay. In less than 20 seconds, Ebay revealed tons of them for as little as $600.00.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...ssion&_sacat=0
In the auto parts business, there is a ton of competition.....
I suppose there are more options than I have described, but lets face it. The amount of Ford F-150 transmissions sold in one day far outnumber the amount of model turbines sold in a year.
How many model turbines are available in junkyards, or on Ebay?
How many turbines are for sale on Ebay? Today, a quick search revealed none. Repair parts: none.
I complain about the prices too, but spend the $$ at JetCat anyway...