$4,000. *Transplant Transmissions (aka Scolene) in Downingtown, PA *ripped me off. - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

GringoGomez · 07-11-2014, 01:30 AM

My car was towed into TransPlant Transmissions on 13MAY2013 due to transmission failure. *The failed transmission was the original factory transmission and had roughly 145,000 miles on it when it failed. *I had bought the car brand new from the Subaru dealer in February of 2003 and had no transmission problems until MAY2013, roughly 10 years. *

Upon arriving at TransPlant Transmissions I was told by Ms. Dittbrenner (owner) that my transmission would be salvaged and rebuilt if possible. *If not, a replacement transmission with a one year warranty could be installed. *The time frame for the job was explained to me by Ms. Dittbrenner as 3 to 5 days. *Once they sourced a transmission (with 1 year warranty) I paid them a deposit of $1,950.00 so that they could get to work and repair my car. *This was on 03JUN2013. *

On 12Jun2013 I contacted TransPlant Transmissions to see if the work on my car was complete. *I was told that, yes, it was ready for pick-up and that I would have to pay the balance for labor. *When I was able to get a ride to TransPlant Transmissions to pick up my car a few hours later, Ms. Dittbrenner told me that my balance was $2,130.59. *I was shocked by the overly large amount of money, however by this time my car had been at TransPlant Transmissions for a month already and I just needed my vehicle back to avoid having to get further rides to and from where I needed to go. *So, I sucked it up and paid the balance IN FULL. *

I then told Ms. Dittbrenner that I felt like I was getting hosed (ripped off) and that I was not very happy with the price and time it took to finish the car. *She started spouting excuses and said that she would allow me a free change of oil for the engine as well as the rear differential. *I told her thank you, but no. *It had already taken them a month to do this job and I could not afford to be without a car any more. *I got in my car and tried to leave. *

I could NOT leave, though. *The car would not go into reverse. *I told Ms Dittbrenner that something was wrong with my transmission. *She called up Phil, the mechanic, to see if he could remedy the situation. *While she was getting Phil, I began to scrutinize my car. *I found that both end-links to the front suspension were missing, therefore the factory sway bar was loosely flopping around. *

When Phil came out, I showed him this. *He told me that sometimes when cars sit for a while the end-links can pop off and that he never touched my end-links. *I had end links on the car, in good condition when I dropped it off for repair. *Now they were gone. *

Since Phil could not get my car to go into reverse either, I ended up leaving my car there again. *I never even got to move the car. *It took TransPlant Transmissions roughly another month to tell me that they had fixed my car. *

During this time I called multiple time for status updates, but was told they did not know for sure and that they would call me with an update. *They never returned any of these calls. *

When I picked up my car again, about a month later, there were brand new end-links and bolts attached to my suspension. *I spoke with Phil again and he told me that my transmission was making a little noise, but that it should clear up the longer I drove the car. *

It did not get better, in fact it got worse and louder. *During that time, I was away travelling (via air) so the car stayed home for about a month and a half. *When I returned from my travels, I tried to ignore the transmission and clutch noise about half a year. *Then the car began grinding while shifting and refusing to go into gear, so I took it back to TransPlant Transmissions. *

This was in May of 2014. *Everything was still *covered under the one year warranty, so when I was able, I dropped my car off again at TransPlant Transmissions. *They took weeks trying to fix it again. * *I had to keep checking to see if the work was complete. *No calls were returned. *I tried e-mailing TransPlant Transmission and got no response.

Finally I went down to TransPlant Transmissions and asked face-to-face about my car. *They told me it should be ready soon. *I was able to pick it up on 07JUN2014. *When I drove the car home it was making the same noises it had before I dropped it off. *It was as though nothing at all was done to my car. *

The next day I managed to get my car to the Meineke in Exton, PA. *The mechanic, Joe, took my car for a test drive and told me the transmission was junk; no good. *He then put it up on a lift and briefly examined under the car. *He immediately pointed out that a transmission bolt was missing and exhaust hangers and bolts were missing, too. *

The next day, 09JUN2014 I took it back again to TransPlant Transmissions and pleaded that they fix my car correctly, once and for all. *

Weeks later, since I was never called, I called to see what was going on and I spoke with Dave Dittbrenner (co-owner). *Dave told me that he was having trouble sourcing a transmission for me and that he was going to put a NEW transmission in my car. *I told Dave that if that was the case that I would not mind waiting a bit more for the repair.*

Which brings us up to yesterday, 01JUL014, when I called to ask the status of the car. *I was told by Phil that it would be finished and ready to go that evening. *He said he would call me that evening. * *

At 11:15 PM I called since no one had called me yet and was told that they had finished, but needed to take it out for a test. *I really needed my car for today (02JUL2014), so my wife drove me down to pick up my car right before midnight. *

When I got there my car was still on the lift. *I told Phil I had had enough and just wanted my car back so that I could get it fixed properly. *I went under the lift to take a look and was told that that was unsafe and that I had to leave the garage bay. *

Fifteen minutes later, someone drove my car out of the shop and onto the public road. *I waited for it to return, got my keys, explained poignantly how displeased I was and left. *The car made horrific noises from the transmission all the way home. *It was difficult to put it into any gear. *While switching gears I could hear and feel what must have been gear teeth grinding. *

Which brings me to today. *Since none of my calls were ever answered or returned I went down to TransPlant Transmissions. *Ms Dittbrenner was there in the office. *She was on her cell phone, but she saw me and asked what she could do for me. *I told her that I wanted my money back. *She refused and started to get loud. *I had had enough with her and TransPlant Transmissions, so I returned the favor by getting loud, too. *

I asked for my money back again. *She told me that I would never get my money back and to sit down. *I told her to sit down. *Then, she started shrieking at me to get off her property. *I turned to leave as it was obvious she was not going to give me a refund and my frustration level was very high. Then she busted through the office door, yelling, and physically pushed me out the door down the steps. *I became angry and called her a few choice words. *She followed me to my car, yelling the whole time. *As soon as I got in my car I left and went home. *

When I got home, the police called me. *Ms Dittbrenner had phoned the police alleging that I was harassing her! *I spoke with the officer and he told me about other avenues to get satisfaction. *He also told me not to contact TransPlant Transmissions anymore. *

I was floored. *She called the police on me after all this! *I did not know what to do and did not want to look like the bad guy to the police, so I called the police to let them know how Ms Dittbrenner had pushed me down the stairs and out of her office. *

I have since taken my car to Meineke for a proper repair and retained legal representation to try and recover the $4,000.00 I paid to TransPlant Transmissions over a year ago.

$4,000. *Transplant Transmissions (aka Scolene) in Downingtown, PA *ripped me off.

Bates · 07-11-2014, 07:38 AM

What a horror story! You should have kept your cool when the owner was getting loud and physical with you. No reason to sink to their level.

I hope everything works out and you get your money back. I am sure it won't be easy.

Also, if you need more help with your car, take it to PSI PROformance in Lansdale. They primarily work on Subbys and Travis, the owner, is definitely one of the nicest around.

camopaint0707 · 07-11-2014, 09:51 AM

So why didn't you get a lawyer to sue them already? You should gotten a lawyer during that 6 months of the car driving like ass. I would file an intent to sue letter by the end of the day.

camopaint0707 · 07-11-2014, 09:53 AM

are you amanda h?

**Big_Jim** · 07-11-2014, 11:10 AM

Very sorry to hear about the horrible service. I do agree with Bates by saying you should not have sunk to their level by returning shouts and name calling. I hope everything works out in the end.

Did you pay by cash or credit card?

07-11-2014, 01:30 AM	#1
GringoGomez Tri-State Training Wheels Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Guthriesville, PA 19335 Member #596 My Ride: 2003 WRX Sedan iTrader: (0)	*$4,000. Transplant Transmissions (aka Scolene) in Downingtown, PA ripped me off.* My car was towed into TransPlant Transmissions on 13MAY2013 due to transmission failure. The failed transmission was the original factory transmission and had roughly 145,000 miles on it when it failed. I had bought the car brand new from the Subaru dealer in February of 2003 and had no transmission problems until MAY2013, roughly 10 years. * Upon arriving at TransPlant Transmissions I was told by Ms. Dittbrenner (owner) that my transmission would be salvaged and rebuilt if possible. If not, a replacement transmission with a one year warranty could be installed. The time frame for the job was explained to me by Ms. Dittbrenner as 3 to 5 days. Once they sourced a transmission (with 1 year warranty) I paid them a deposit of $1,950.00 so that they could get to work and repair my car. This was on 03JUN2013. * On 12Jun2013 I contacted TransPlant Transmissions to see if the work on my car was complete. I was told that, yes, it was ready for pick-up and that I would have to pay the balance for labor. When I was able to get a ride to TransPlant Transmissions to pick up my car a few hours later, Ms. Dittbrenner told me that my balance was $2,130.59. I was shocked by the overly large amount of money, however by this time my car had been at TransPlant Transmissions for a month already and I just needed my vehicle back to avoid having to get further rides to and from where I needed to go. So, I sucked it up and paid the balance IN FULL. * I then told Ms. Dittbrenner that I felt like I was getting hosed (ripped off) and that I was not very happy with the price and time it took to finish the car. She started spouting excuses and said that she would allow me a free change of oil for the engine as well as the rear differential. I told her thank you, but no. It had already taken them a month to do this job and I could not afford to be without a car any more. I got in my car and tried to leave. * I could NOT leave, though. The car would not go into reverse. I told Ms Dittbrenner that something was wrong with my transmission. She called up Phil, the mechanic, to see if he could remedy the situation. While she was getting Phil, I began to scrutinize my car. I found that both end-links to the front suspension were missing, therefore the factory sway bar was loosely flopping around. When Phil came out, I showed him this. He told me that sometimes when cars sit for a while the end-links can pop off and that he never touched my end-links. I had end links on the car, in good condition when I dropped it off for repair. Now they were gone. Since Phil could not get my car to go into reverse either, I ended up leaving my car there again. I never even got to move the car. It took TransPlant Transmissions roughly another month to tell me that they had fixed my car. * During this time I called multiple time for status updates, but was told they did not know for sure and that they would call me with an update. They never returned any of these calls. When I picked up my car again, about a month later, there were brand new end-links and bolts attached to my suspension. I spoke with Phil again and he told me that my transmission was making a little noise, but that it should clear up the longer I drove the car. It did not get better, in fact it got worse and louder. During that time, I was away travelling (via air) so the car stayed home for about a month and a half. When I returned from my travels, I tried to ignore the transmission and clutch noise about half a year. Then the car began grinding while shifting and refusing to go into gear, so I took it back to TransPlant Transmissions. This was in May of 2014. Everything was still covered under the one year warranty, so when I was able, I dropped my car off again at TransPlant Transmissions. They took weeks trying to fix it again. I had to keep checking to see if the work was complete. No calls were returned. I tried e-mailing TransPlant Transmission and got no response. Finally I went down to TransPlant Transmissions and asked face-to-face about my car. They told me it should be ready soon. I was able to pick it up on 07JUN2014. When I drove the car home it was making the same noises it had before I dropped it off. It was as though nothing at all was done to my car. The next day I managed to get my car to the Meineke in Exton, PA. The mechanic, Joe, took my car for a test drive and told me the transmission was junk; no good. He then put it up on a lift and briefly examined under the car. He immediately pointed out that a transmission bolt was missing and exhaust hangers and bolts were missing, too. The next day, 09JUN2014 I took it back again to TransPlant Transmissions and pleaded that they fix my car correctly, once and for all. * Weeks later, since I was never called, I called to see what was going on and I spoke with Dave Dittbrenner (co-owner). Dave told me that he was having trouble sourcing a transmission for me and that he was going to put a NEW transmission in my car. I told Dave that if that was the case that I would not mind waiting a bit more for the repair.* Which brings us up to yesterday, 01JUL014, when I called to ask the status of the car. I was told by Phil that it would be finished and ready to go that evening. He said he would call me that evening. * * At 11:15 PM I called since no one had called me yet and was told that they had finished, but needed to take it out for a test. I really needed my car for today (02JUL2014), so my wife drove me down to pick up my car right before midnight. When I got there my car was still on the lift. I told Phil I had had enough and just wanted my car back so that I could get it fixed properly. I went under the lift to take a look and was told that that was unsafe and that I had to leave the garage bay. * Fifteen minutes later, someone drove my car out of the shop and onto the public road. I waited for it to return, got my keys, explained poignantly how displeased I was and left. The car made horrific noises from the transmission all the way home. It was difficult to put it into any gear. While switching gears I could hear and feel what must have been gear teeth grinding. * Which brings me to today. Since none of my calls were ever answered or returned I went down to TransPlant Transmissions. Ms Dittbrenner was there in the office. She was on her cell phone, but she saw me and asked what she could do for me. I told her that I wanted my money back. She refused and started to get loud. I had had enough with her and TransPlant Transmissions, so I returned the favor by getting loud, too. * I asked for my money back again. She told me that I would never get my money back and to sit down. I told her to sit down. Then, she started shrieking at me to get off her property. I turned to leave as it was obvious she was not going to give me a refund and my frustration level was very high. Then she busted through the office door, yelling, and physically pushed me out the door down the steps. I became angry and called her a few choice words. She followed me to my car, yelling the whole time. As soon as I got in my car I left and went home. When I got home, the police called me. Ms Dittbrenner had phoned the police alleging that I was harassing her! I spoke with the officer and he told me about other avenues to get satisfaction. He also told me not to contact TransPlant Transmissions anymore. I was floored. She called the police on me after all this! I did not know what to do and did not want to look like the bad guy to the police, so I called the police to let them know how Ms Dittbrenner had pushed me down the stairs and out of her office. * I have since taken my car to Meineke for a proper repair and retained legal representation to try and recover the $4,000.00 I paid to TransPlant Transmissions over a year ago. $4,000. Transplant Transmissions (aka Scolene) in Downingtown, PA ripped me off.

07-11-2014, 09:51 AM	#3
camopaint0707 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Central PA Member #15749 My Ride: 2007 Holden Cruze iTrader: (1)	So why didn't you get a lawyer to sue them already? You should gotten a lawyer during that 6 months of the car driving like ass. I would file an intent to sue letter by the end of the day. __________________ 2007 Cobalt 1995 Integra 1997 F150 2004 F150

07-11-2014, 09:53 AM	#4
camopaint0707 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Central PA Member #15749 My Ride: 2007 Holden Cruze iTrader: (1)	are you amanda h? __________________ 2007 Cobalt 1995 Integra 1997 F150 2004 F150

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07-11-2014, 07:38 AM	#2
Bates Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Member #16741 My Ride: 2012 Nissan Juke & 1987 Nissan 300ZX GLL iTrader: (0)	What a horror story! You should have kept your cool when the owner was getting loud and physical with you. No reason to sink to their level. I hope everything works out and you get your money back. I am sure it won't be easy. Also, if you need more help with your car, take it to PSI PROformance in Lansdale. They primarily work on Subbys and Travis, the owner, is definitely one of the nicest around.