On February 24, 2014 my BMW 330i suffered a transmission failure. I was able to drive the car into Everett Washington to Conaway Motors for diagnosis and repair. My car sat in Everett for 24 days approximately waiting for a rebuilt transmission to be shipped up to Conaway Motors in Everett Washington from Precision European located in Fountain Valley California. The remanufactured ZF Getrag transmission cost roughly $4, 500 installed. I have known the work that Conaway Motors does and have known the family for roughly thirty years.
Roughly five days after installation I noticed puddles developing centrally under the car whenever it is parked. I do not know anything about transmissions, however, seeing a puddle underneath a car of any type is a cause for concern. I called Conaway and drove the car into them that day. Conaway Motors lifted the car onto the rack and discoverved the rebuilt transmission was leaking fluid. Conaway promptly put me in a rental car. Rebuilt transmission number one was pulled out, and another one was ordered from Precision European. It took five weeks this time to get another transmission sent up to Everett Washington from Precision European . During this time I was in three various rental cars.
Right after coming home with the new rebuilt transmission, if you are following, this is transmission number two, I noticed it too was leaking. I drove the car back to Conaway and was told to wait until the following Monday to bring it back in as it could have been over-filled or this might be excess. The leak didn't stop and the following Monday as was told to do, I brought it back into Everett Washington to have it looked at. Toward the end of the week Conaway put me back into another rental car and another wait started. This time, roughly two and a half weeks, including the wait from Monday to Friday for a three week and one day wait for transmission number three to be installed in the car after shipment from Precision European.
On Friday the 2nd of May, 2014 I was told the car was ready to go again from Conaway Motors. I drove into Everett to return the rental car so graciously provided by Conaway motors and anticipated finally having my 330i back in my possession! The owner and his son had it out for a drive to make sure the car was operating properly. They returned back to Everett at roughly 2:45pm in the afternoon, made sure the car had no leaks, which it started to develop again, ever so slightly, and was told to drive it home and if the condition got worse to bring it back in on Monday and they would take a look at it again. I drove the car from Conaway Motors into Snohomish WA to fill up the gas tank and was looking forward to a nice back road drive home. I got gas at two places, Fred Meyers first, then the Chevron downtown to fill the remainder of the tank up with Super unleaded gas. I crossed the main drag of Snohomish to 13th Ave and noticed the car had no power. Also at this time the service transmission warning light was on. I pulled the car over to the side of the road. Called Conaway Motors, drove the car back. I was drove back home by one of the owners.
As of the moment that I am writings this, Conaway Motors is replacing various valve bodies and lines in the third rebuilt transmission to come out of Precision Motors, Fountain Valley California. Why would a newly rebuilt transmission have internals that need to be replaced considering the cost of the original was in the neighborhood of $3,600 without the labor of Conaway and taxes added to the total? On this third try, what exactly was installed in my car, my car that has been in service for only ten days in the last eighty?
I have been told that this is the very first time anything like this has happened, yet, why has this very first thing happened to me three times. Why is there no support for faulty, leaking transmissions in a timely manner? I am very curious to why these conditions have occurred considering the repair facility my vehicle has resided at for the last seventy days has a sterling reputation.
I am highly disappointed.2014-05-0714:32:13