Not Satisfied with Performabuilt Transmissions
03-11-2009, 11:38 PM
#1
Not Satisfied with Performabuilt Transmissions First off let me say that I wish I did not have to do this but I have to share my experience with Performabuilt and Frank with Performabuilt.
http://www.performabuilt.com/GMCars022008.html
So about a year and a half ago I had finished paying off my level 2 4L60E for my LT1 Camaro. I ordered the level 2 with a 3000 stall. I had it put in by a good shop by my house and everything was good. It ran good for about 11 months then out of nowhere it started to slip. Then one day on my way to school. I lost every gear. No movement at all. Everytime I put it in a gear it would just rev like it was in neutral. So I called Frank and Performabuilt and we talked. He agreed to replace it as it was still under warranty but I had to pay shipping which I didn't agree with but paid anyways because I needed my car asap.
So I got the new one and had it installed at the GM dealer where I work and everything was great. This one actually felt more solid than the one before. I was quite happy with this. 6 months later I am on my way to the movie store and just pulling on to the main road. I hear a loud noise when the car shifted out of first then it just revved like nuetral. I thought maybe It slipped into nuetral but nope still in gear. When I let off the gas it went into third. So I kept going and got up to lock up speed but the car never went into 4th. I pulled into a local autozone to check the fluid and it was full and still very red with no burnt smell. I turn the car off a few times disconnect and reconnect the battery to see if maybe there was somekind of error.
I then go to leave autozone and come to find out that when I put it into reverse there is nothing there. Reverse just revved like nuetral. So by now I'm pretty mad about this because the transmission is rated to 700RWHP and I'm making about 300 if i'm lucky.
I called Frank at Performabuilt and told him what happened and all he could say was that he couldn't do anything about it but tell me to send it back and for 950 he would rebuild it. I was quite angry about this because I had only had this supposebly "built" transmission for 6 months. We just left it at that because that was the best he said he could do and I'm stuck with a $1700 broken "built" trans.
http://www.performabuilt.com/GMCars022008.html
So about a year and a half ago I had finished paying off my level 2 4L60E for my LT1 Camaro. I ordered the level 2 with a 3000 stall. I had it put in by a good shop by my house and everything was good. It ran good for about 11 months then out of nowhere it started to slip. Then one day on my way to school. I lost every gear. No movement at all. Everytime I put it in a gear it would just rev like it was in neutral. So I called Frank and Performabuilt and we talked. He agreed to replace it as it was still under warranty but I had to pay shipping which I didn't agree with but paid anyways because I needed my car asap.
So I got the new one and had it installed at the GM dealer where I work and everything was great. This one actually felt more solid than the one before. I was quite happy with this. 6 months later I am on my way to the movie store and just pulling on to the main road. I hear a loud noise when the car shifted out of first then it just revved like nuetral. I thought maybe It slipped into nuetral but nope still in gear. When I let off the gas it went into third. So I kept going and got up to lock up speed but the car never went into 4th. I pulled into a local autozone to check the fluid and it was full and still very red with no burnt smell. I turn the car off a few times disconnect and reconnect the battery to see if maybe there was somekind of error.
I then go to leave autozone and come to find out that when I put it into reverse there is nothing there. Reverse just revved like nuetral. So by now I'm pretty mad about this because the transmission is rated to 700RWHP and I'm making about 300 if i'm lucky.
I called Frank at Performabuilt and told him what happened and all he could say was that he couldn't do anything about it but tell me to send it back and for 950 he would rebuild it. I was quite angry about this because I had only had this supposebly "built" transmission for 6 months. We just left it at that because that was the best he said he could do and I'm stuck with a $1700 broken "built" trans.
03-12-2009, 10:37 AM
#2
Unfortjnatley like any company we have to adhere to our warranty particularly in this business. I mean we have the longest warranty out there and we warranty transmissions that are infact heavily abused. We did replace the unit under warranty at 11 months and yes you did have to pay shipping which is a normal standard in this bussiness with any vendor for warranty that I am aware of.
But the situation is this. Most times the transmissions last for years we have guys in the low tens going for years now. But things happen and parts break or fail. From the sound of things you may have a sun shell or rear planet failure its hard to say. The failure at 11 months was the result of a PCS failure(presure control solenoid)
But anyway heres the thing we have the longest warranty in this business. If we repaired units out of warranty and or gave a new warranty with every repair we would face several issues. It would one be simple enough to every time a person got near the warranty to just break it and send it back and get a new warranty.
It would be impossible to calculate cost in warranties since they could technically become indefinate.
We have the 950 restore for trans that break out of warranty. I personally think thats a great deal. And it comes with a new warranty and includes all shipping parts and labor.Thats more than any other company I know offers.
I am sorry this is not adequate to suit you however asking more from any company would be beyond any reasonable scope.
For instance my 46 inch LCD tv broke just before the warranty ended. It was replaced/repaired. I did not get a new warranty with it either. But I didnt get upset because I understand how warranties work.
I am sorry you had a failure and not having seen the unit I have no way of knowing why or how it happened.
Frank at PerformaBuilt
But the situation is this. Most times the transmissions last for years we have guys in the low tens going for years now. But things happen and parts break or fail. From the sound of things you may have a sun shell or rear planet failure its hard to say. The failure at 11 months was the result of a PCS failure(presure control solenoid)
But anyway heres the thing we have the longest warranty in this business. If we repaired units out of warranty and or gave a new warranty with every repair we would face several issues. It would one be simple enough to every time a person got near the warranty to just break it and send it back and get a new warranty.
It would be impossible to calculate cost in warranties since they could technically become indefinate.
We have the 950 restore for trans that break out of warranty. I personally think thats a great deal. And it comes with a new warranty and includes all shipping parts and labor.Thats more than any other company I know offers.
I am sorry this is not adequate to suit you however asking more from any company would be beyond any reasonable scope.
For instance my 46 inch LCD tv broke just before the warranty ended. It was replaced/repaired. I did not get a new warranty with it either. But I didnt get upset because I understand how warranties work.
I am sorry you had a failure and not having seen the unit I have no way of knowing why or how it happened.
Frank at PerformaBuilt
__________________
Last edited by performabuilt; 03-12-2009 at 07:20 PM.
03-12-2009, 12:59 PM
#3
Anytime an item has to be sent back for warrenty repair or replacement it is up to the customer to cover shiping to the company. In many cases the company may also require the customer to cover shiping back as well.
Warrentied items are for an X amount of time or milage. For example. Take your car new from the factory. GM gave you an X amout of time and milage on the factory warrenty. If something breaks while the warrenty is still in affect GM replaces it at no charge. If that same item breaks again after the warrenty is up you are out of luck if you did not purchase an extended warrenty.
I know this sucks when things do not go the way we all wish they would. But that is just how the warrenty program works. Programs are put into place to protect the company just as much as it is to protect the customer.
With out certain guid lines everyone would ask for stuff to be fixed for nothing and in many cases stuff breaks due to customer abuse or neglect. The time lines and rules are there to protect the company. The warrenty program is created to offer a gaurantee and protection to the customer. Sometimes it doe snot work to someones full advantage but yet under many instances it works to the customers advantage. With out the rules and guide lines companies would not be able to afford to offer a warrenty program at all.
Sorry to here about your bad luck.
I know it will not make you feel any better but I have known many that have had to rebuild there overdrive transmissions just about every year or two and these units were built by different shops. However I have seen people have great luck over a period of time. Its a hit and miss to if they hold up to abuse over a period of time. ( This is just my opion from my personal experience. I have never done buisness with perforabuilt nor do I know them.)
Dave
Warrentied items are for an X amount of time or milage. For example. Take your car new from the factory. GM gave you an X amout of time and milage on the factory warrenty. If something breaks while the warrenty is still in affect GM replaces it at no charge. If that same item breaks again after the warrenty is up you are out of luck if you did not purchase an extended warrenty.
I know this sucks when things do not go the way we all wish they would. But that is just how the warrenty program works. Programs are put into place to protect the company just as much as it is to protect the customer.
With out certain guid lines everyone would ask for stuff to be fixed for nothing and in many cases stuff breaks due to customer abuse or neglect. The time lines and rules are there to protect the company. The warrenty program is created to offer a gaurantee and protection to the customer. Sometimes it doe snot work to someones full advantage but yet under many instances it works to the customers advantage. With out the rules and guide lines companies would not be able to afford to offer a warrenty program at all.
Sorry to here about your bad luck.
I know it will not make you feel any better but I have known many that have had to rebuild there overdrive transmissions just about every year or two and these units were built by different shops. However I have seen people have great luck over a period of time. Its a hit and miss to if they hold up to abuse over a period of time. ( This is just my opion from my personal experience. I have never done buisness with perforabuilt nor do I know them.)
Dave
03-12-2009, 11:22 PM
#4
I understand the way the warranty works. I just find it ridiculous that a trans that is rated for so much power broke in 6 months behind a motor making maybe 300hp and Frank just wants me to fork out more money. I work a minimum wage job and go to school I can barley afford gas let alone another rebuild. I am done with dealing with Performabuilt because there is about 2000 dollars into a broken trans in my garage.
This is not like a 42" tv. I kind of need this car everyday of my life. You do not need a tv everyday. Two completely different areas.
This thread is just to state my experience with Performabuilt and I am unsatisfied with the product because it did not live up to what was said it would on his page. I went with Frank's trans because all the good things I heard about them, and I got the bad end of the stick. Live and learn, I will never buy anything Performabuilt again.
This is not like a 42" tv. I kind of need this car everyday of my life. You do not need a tv everyday. Two completely different areas.
This thread is just to state my experience with Performabuilt and I am unsatisfied with the product because it did not live up to what was said it would on his page. I went with Frank's trans because all the good things I heard about them, and I got the bad end of the stick. Live and learn, I will never buy anything Performabuilt again.
