24 Hour Transmission, Or Nationwide Transmission, Or Coast To Coast Transmission, Or Transmission-1 Deceptive Selling and Major Scam Denton Texas Nationwide

It all started with me needing a cheap option for fixing the transmission in my 1998 Ford Exporer. I searched on Google for a cost effective option, and the first web-site that popped up was a site claiming rebuilt transmissions for $997.00 and up. Too good to be true, but it was a start, so I called them to find out more.

I called their number and a sales rep named Curly answered the phone. I told him my situation. My Explorer would only go into reverse, and not forward. He proceeded to say that was a good thing, and that I would only need a "soft part" repair. Not knowing anything about transmissions I was satisfied with his explanation on how he came to that conclusion.

He proceeded to say that his company could fix my transmission for $1297.00 plus taxes. He even said that there was a special going on, and he had reduced that price from $1497.00. I asked him 4 to 5 times if that price was firm, and that there would be no surprises. He confirmed over and over that is all that it would cost. Once again I was satisfied with his explanation. After all, I had gotten quotes from other companies, and they were quoting $2500.00. I was blinded by these supposed savings. I told him that I would take the deal.

Next, the company faxed over a contract with the quoted price built into it. There was one problem. The verbage mentioned that there would be an additional cost incurred if a "hard part" repair was needed. So I called Curly right away, and said that everything looks great except for this part about "hard parts". Not knowing anything about transmissions, Curly explained to me once again that because my vehicle still goes into reverse, I only have "soft part" transmission problems, and that line is put into their contracts for extreme situations that are clearly not my case.

I once again took the time to reconfirm that there would be no surprises, and that I was going to be paying $1297.00 for my vehicle to be fixed. Once again Curly reassured me of this, and once again I was satisfied.

This is where I should have been smarter, but I was blinded by the savings that this company was claiming to be offering me. They were in a huge rush to get my signed contract with my credit card #, so they can get the ball rolling for me. I did just that, and faxed it right back to them.

The next day (Friday) things seemed okay. They called me in the A.M. and set up a time for a tow truck driver to pick up my vehicle. That went smoothly, and it was sent to a transmission shop here in Cincinnati that 24 hour transmission supposedly had a relationship with. All went smoothly.

That night is when I started to get suspicious. The transmission shop called me, and asked me if they could examine my transmission, which would cost me $400.00. I told him that I was quoted $1297.00 for the whole job, and the gentlemen from the transmission shop proceeded to say that it would take a magic wand to fix it for that price. I came to find out later that the transmisson shop had never worked with this company before. (More on that later)

Still optimistic, but a little skeptical, I call 24 Hour Transmissions later that night. I am now talking to a Jeff. He makes the arrangements for 24 Hour Transmission. When I call him he plays dumb, and says that he doesn't know why the transmission shop called me for the extra $400.00 to examine my transmission. He also tells me that the transmission shop is now closed, and it won't open until after the weekend on Monday morning. I am told to wait till then to find out when my transmission repair will be complete.

Monday morning, I call the transmission shop, and see what is going on. The transmission shop tells me to call 24 Hour Transmission, adn to not call them with questions. This is when I first find out that the transmission shop is caught up in this scam just like I am. The gentlemen at the transmission shop got a call from 24 Hour Transmission out of the blue. 24 Hour Transmission said that they have a client, and asked the transmission shop if he would like to do the work. Of course he said yes. No relationship, no supposed savings!

So I call 24 Hour Transmission. I talk to Jeff again. He proceeds to say that I need to sign the receipts for the $1297.00, and that he will fax them over to me. At this time the money has already been taken out of my account. I remind him that is the total that I was quoted for the whole job. For the first time he gives me the impression that the repair is going to cost me more then the $1297. So I start asking questions.

Once again he plays dumb, and wants me to just sign the receipts for the $1297.00. He says that he doesn't know anything about what is going on with the repair, but he won't say that it is only going to cost me $1297.00. I refuse to sign the receipts until I get answers. I am told that I need to talk to Rich, and Rich is busy. He will call me later.

Rich calls. He calls me with a sense of disbelief. He has never seen a transmission with such damage!(imagine that) By the way this guy, in my opinion, is a real Jerk. They are all a part of the scam, but he is clearly the mastermind. He proceeds to tell me that the repair is going to cost me $3100.00!!! A far cry from $1297, and a far cry from the no surprises that I was promised from Curly. I explain to Rich what I was promised from Curly, and he can't believe that Curly would say those things. He tells me to call Curly, because all calls are recorded, and I need to ask Curly for a copy of the tape.

I call Curly right away. I can't wait to get my hands on this tape! Curly answers, and he denies everything, so I ask him for the tape. Amazingly he is in the middle of moving his office, and he didn't record our conversaton. What a convenient occurrence!

I am beyond pissed now! So I hang up on Curly, and call Rich back. He basically tells me that I am out of luck, and that I signed a contract with his company. So now the $1297 is out of my account, and my vehicle is sitting in a transmission shop waiting for me to pay the $3100.00.

As it stands, I am out $1297.00, and I still have a vehicle with a blown transmission.

This company is a fraud. All they do is pick up the yellow pages and call a transmission shop local to you, and they set up the repair. They then profit off of the work that the transmission shop has done. They are blatantly ripping people off.

The funny part is they don't even do transmissions in their home town. They are a welding company: Denton Welding and Machine!

Please take my advice and stay away from this shady company.

Carl
Cincinnati, Ohio
U.S.A.