Business Description:
Tramcar Transmission is independently owned and operated, we are not a franchise like Aamco transmission.
Categories
transmission repair
Tramcar Transmission Specialists
5914 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60646, USA
(773) 792-1003

Total Experience

Value

Communication

chris b.

Chicago, IL

Tramcar Transmission Specialists

I've been robbed, and lied to

I went to tramcar based on the reviews and the lifetime warranty. after they supposedly diagnosed my trans they said it would cost me $1600 to rebuild. I gave the OK and the next day they told me it was worst than they thought and the price went up to $3500. then they told me that it was already disassembled, So I couldn't take it somewhere else. The lifetime warranty was only if I gave them an extra $500. This trans new and installed was less than $3000, but what could i do. I paid and noticed the trans still shifted the way it did right before it started slipping. 5000 miles later it went out again. I don't drive the car often so it was a few years later. so the warranty was no good. I took it to a trans shop close to me and they told me whoever did the rebuild didn't replace all the worn parts and did a very bad rebuild. I told them the price and they told me i was robbed I got the trans completely re gutted for $1500 and now it feels like it's a new car. The owner of tram car may have 30 years experience, but I guess he's not the one doing the work. They don't stand by their advertisement and no longer advertise lifetime warranties. I was simply robbed and lied to. That's one of life's lessons. They saw me coming :_(

comments

Chris I did reach out to have you call me concerning your review but did not here back from you so I am responding to your review as you have written to set the facts straight so any prospective Tramcar Transmission Customers can make an intelligent, informed decision about using this facility to repair their car.
Let me first address your allegation that you were informed that it was worst then first thought and that there was nothing you could do as the transmission was disassembled. The automotive repair act for the State of Illinois as well as the City of Chicago requires that the customer be informed of reassembly charges by the repairing facility. We had to receive your authorization to remove the transmission and you in turn were informed of the reassembly charges should you decline the repair. Tramcar Transmission has followed that requirement for the last 29 years.
You then stated that a new transmission was less than $3000. I have to correct you on this statement as at the time of repair which was March of 2009 a new transmission was not available through Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi does offer a factory remanufactured transmission for $1955.61 plus sales tax of $185.78 plus Trans fluid of approx $100 and roughly 6.5 hours of labor at $100/hr to install the transmission for an additional $650 bring a grand total to $2,891.41. Yes I will agree when you said you could get a new (remanufactured) transmission for less than $3000.
When I went back and reviewed your bill, and what is nice about our bills is they are all completely itemized, so every penny for every part that you paid for is listed on your bill. What I really need to point out is the repair to your 1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT performed at Tramcar Transmission did not involve ONLY a transmission but the Engine Control Unit (cars computer) was replaced and reprogrammed as well. You were charged $1,007.34 for the ECU, Labor and sales tax. If we deduct this amount from your total bill you actually only paid $2,201.31 for the transmission which is almost $800 less and, well under the $3000 you could have paid for another transmission.
What I probably question and dont understand the most, is how can you pick up your vehicle after paying $3200, (not $3500 as you have stated) and state that it was shifting as bad as before the transmission went out and not Immediately and I do me immediately turn around and bring the vehicle back to the repair shop to get an explanation or have the problem corrected under warranty? Not only did you come back, or call, or write, you drove the car for another 3 years like that?
Unfortunately you claim to have taken the vehicle to a shop near your house and they have already repaired it, so I do not have the opportunity to defend that shops allegations that all worn parts were not replaced. As stated earlier, our bill is fully itemized, and if this repair shop would indicate and put into writing which parts you were charged for and not replaced I WILL REIMBURSE YOU FOR HIS REPAIR. How can I be so bold, we run a straight ethical shop, if it is on your bill you got it!
I am truly sorry that you had a bad experience with us, I have tried to call you however the number we had on file is no longer valid. I have reached out to you through email and have not heard back from you. As you can see by the length of this response we take bad review extremely serious. Our mission is to exceed our customers expectations, and when we fall short we make every effort to correct.
Chris I have an open door policy and I am extending an open invitation to you to contact me directly in order to discuss what can be done to satisfy you.

Tramcar Transmission Specialists commented on 08/02/2012