So do they get a free 6 speed? What exactly were your instructions to them?

I told them to tear it down, call me and tell me what was wrong/how much it would be, and we'd go from there. They called and told me the aforementioned problems, and they said they would call back after they checked the prices. next day, They call and tell me they went ahead and replaced the small parts, and that i owed them $1575. Flabberghasted, I told them I'd come by the next day. That's where I stand right now with them.

If they did work without authorization, they can pound sand on the $1,500. :vash2: Tell them you didn't authorize any work to be done and that you want the transmission back in the condition they got it in. If there was a diagnostic fee agreed, you will pay that. If they don't want to eat the labor to take the new parts out and replace them with the old parts (or they tossed the old parts), tell them you may be willing to pay their cost for the parts but you want to see the invoices of everything they put in.

Remind them they were supposed to get back to you with the costs, NOT do the work and that you would not have agreed to $1,500. You could have bought a new 6 speed for half that and sold your broken one for a few hundred to help cover part of the cost.

Well, before any of this happened, we agreed that if I didn't like the price, they kept it.

Well they screwed you as soon as you agreed to that.

Unless there is something about the story we haven't heard yet, this is really f*cked. Try this and see if it makes sense:

You car is running a little rough. Bring it to me and I'll check out a few things. If the damage is too bad and you don't like the cost, I'll just keep the car for my trouble. You come back the next week to see how the car is doing:

I have installed a 2.0l stroker with all the trimmings with a full EFR hotside and want $20k for my work. Since you don't like the cost, I'll just keep it. :fawk:

They have $100 in parts and $200 in shop time into your free transmission that they will be selling for $1k at their first convenience. It's total BS but you can't make a deal with a shop that gives them hardware if you don't like the cost of the repair. Next time find a shop that will charge a flat rate to diagnose and go from there. Most shops would waive the diag fee if you have the repair done with them.

A verbal agreement probably means nothing, both ways. It's your transmission, ask for it back in the condition you gave it to them, or for cost for the parts in it now. They did unauthorized work, end of story.

Buy a used 6 speed while you take them to small claims. Sell your refurbished 6 speed when you get it from them. Profit.

Go get a lawyer friend to write up a letter of intent to sue.

Take letter to shop, hand to owner, walk out, don't say a word.

Wait in the parking lot for your phone to ring from the shop owner asking if you'd like to "settle" for $250 - get him to agree on $200 cash out the door.

Profit.