"This order was a first one for me with this firm. The total value was over $1400, of which $1100 was for a new transmission.

The shipment arrived by UPS in a totally destroyed condition. The 66 lb transmission was loose in an oversize wooden crate and had punched holes in both ends of the crate, damaging many of the loose parts thrown carelessly in the box along with the heavy transmission. The crate itself was obviously set up for fork truck handling but the shipment had gone out via normal (not truck freight) UPS service and as the drivers have only a 2-wheel dolly, they had stood the crate on end to be able to move it. The transmission had likely sustained internal damage when the 66 lb weight had slammed down on the fragile shift linkage input shaft (manual transmission).

I contacted CIP1 to inform them of the damage and request a replacement be shipped. The initial contact with customer service was turned over to someone representing themselves as an owner, who then assured me that there had been no damage to the transmission and that I should install it and they would make good on the warranty if it turned out something bad had happened. As the cost of installation is considerable, and as I had paid $1100 for a new (read undamaged) transmission, I refused receipt of the entire shipment and had it returned to CIP1.

Then begins the name calling and threats from CIP1. I was accused of not following RMA procedures. Duh, this was a damaged shipment, no RMA required. Ultimately I was able to obain a full refund from my credit card company, thanks to the careful documentation I kept and the digital pictures of the destroyed shipment.

Bottom line for me, this firm is clearly not in business to do business and is emplying total nitwits in their shipping department. Why they would blame the customer for what is a total failure to adequately package and secure a heavy shipment is beyond me.

I purchased a rebuilt transmission from a firm in California, who knows how to ship transmissions, and am quite happy at last."