All - thanks for the input.
The saga continues.... they "have some numbers" that I haven't seen yet (and they won't discuss over the phone) - seems a little odd.

I have another question though - one of their arguments about possible cause is that somehow I bent the hanger (transporting in car, or ...). I don't believe that this happened - I treated this bike like I treat my own (and I love my bike). ANYWAY, if the hanger had been bent wouldn't that cause shifting problems? I rode for 10 miles before the hill where this all happened - and had no shifting problems....