In a message dated 1/17/04 9:30:32 AM Central Standard Time, docrth@xxxx writes: THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER ($225.00) AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER (139.15) PLUS $440 IN LABOR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING MORE POORLY THAN WHEN THEY STARTED. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE CAR. ALMOST 4 WEEKS LATER I GET CALLED AND TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS ARE FINISHED AND THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. THE ADDITIONAL COST IS NOW AN ADDITIONAL $1500. DOES THIS COMPUTE? >>>>>>>>> I don't know much about the insurance issue, but i do know the transmission. The parts they ordered would have been about $125 cheaper from PJ Grady, and they would be the correct and highest quality part. But they probably didn't know they could get parts for them there, and i'm sure they would have been more than happy to use your source if you would have told them you only want parts from a DeLorean vendor, of which you would supply contact information. I had no idea what i was doing when i first replaced my clutch master and slave, and i would say that it probably took me about 4 hours including learning how to bleed it. i would hope they know better than I, so do they charge $110/hr for labor? what IS their hourly labor rate? I had the transmission dropped, cracked open, cleaned up, replaced the roll pins, and had a centerforce clutch installed for about $1000, parts and labor. again, what is their hourly rate? remember that when you brought it back, they had to do a diagnosis so that will take more time to figure out what the problem is. Since this is a 'high end' shop, by which i suppose you mean they specialize in Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls, Maserati, etc, i'm sure they have a high labor rate but they probably also know enough not to make things worse (such as when dealing with the fuel system). For the clutch and transmission, i'm sure there other other places better than a Texaco but not as specialized as a high end shop. Try to find a place that has been around a long time, has a very clean shop and waiting area, knowledgable staff, clean exterior and curb appeal, and they probably are booked solid because the best shops get around through word of mouth. make sure you negotiate warranty and satisfaction standards before they start or do any work at all. Anyway, back to your problem. Does the transmission feel like brand new again? the only part they didn't replace was the clutchline with a stainless braided variety. You should probably get this done too, if you haven't had it done yet, especially in the heat of Florida. For that price (which is probably fair because i'm sure their labor rate is high but posted, and you probably told them to 'fix my car', which implies you want them to do whatever is prudent and necessary. remember, the typical Ferrari owner has deep pockets and is used to a high bill for repairs. YOU came to THEM, so should they believe you to be any different?), i'm sure the transmission is buttery smooth now. You got what you told them to do, and you probably could have gotten it done cheaper, but legally, you have no basis for non-payment, unless you already agreed to a cap on the repair bill, which they could have exceeded. The real test is, are there still transmission problems? If not, you had better give them what you owe them. In the future, i would take a few days to talk to other owners on the list in your area and find another safe but cost-effective repair shop. Surely they are out there! But I really dont think the place you went to did anything wrong or charged you astronomical prices. Sounds about right for the Miami area. Good Luck, Andy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]