Talk about splitting hairs! :)
BTW, did they go to the same mechanic? I can't tell you how many times I've seen mechanics take some symptom and contort it to what they've seen in the past with no regard to the facts of the present, knowing the fool paying the bill will be none the wiser.
For example, I *HAVE* seen mechanics call for the replacement of a Taurus transmission (not mine, which has been perfectly reliable) when in fact the transmission range sensor was bad (a more common problem on specific 96+ model years, but by no means rampant). The symptoms are VERY similar to a bad transmission, but the repair cost varies by a huge amount ($100 vs. $2-3k).
Negative - different mechanics at two unrelated and separately owned dealerships in different Dallas suburbs. In the case of the transaxle failures, I got my roommates to get a second opinion from a transmission shop I trusted because the dealer initially claimed that the female driver had abused it and that the warranty would not cover it.. That shop also mentioned sensor or solenoid failure and checked the transaxle out thoroughly. I forget the exact diagnosis, but it was definitely rebuild time - wasn't a sensor or solenoid, and the car showed no signs of abuse. A written opinion was rendered, along with a note from my attorney, and the dealer suddenly decided to honor the warranty.
The second transaxle failure was a rerun of the first incident, complete with note from attorney.