Well, you are right...have to have a GE tech come out to diagnose/repair. No way to get the transmission itself without going through the GE authorized service it appears, and that's what I figured. Haven't been able to get the authorized source on the line yet, but am certain that the cost will be prohibitive to go that route, even with the 'free' transmission. The company they directed me to is over 60 miles away, so travel costs alone will likely be comparable to the transmission cost itself. And there's no motivation for them to be competitive on the service if they are the only source through which I can get the transmission warrantied.

I can't imagine a viable option other than me just buying the (ahem, 'warranted') transmission outright and changing it myself. Might as well get familiar with this thing now - don't care to spend $300 or more on the thing and would rather not drop $1000 on a new washer/dryer (wife can't bear the thought of a mismatched set...lol). I'm sure I'll see a similar set of events again... :(