clutch gives out after 2,5 months - reasonable?

msminni

Hello,

I'm just looking for some advice here. I bought a 2000 Nissan Micra 2,5 months ago and now the clutch has broke.
I was told there's 3 months warranty on the car but the seller (dealer) says the clutch is not included (i don't have a paper copy with specifics).

So I was wondering -
is it normal for warranty only to apply for part of the car?
and
is it reasonable of the seller to refuse to repay me for having the clutch fixed? The dealer told the garage that clutch breaking is a 'driver's thing', but I don't see how I would have managed to break the clutch in 2,5 months. I don't even drive every day.

Any advice?

sean1141

clutches dont normally be covered under warranty.. car is 10 year old. possible used as a Lerner's car which could count for the wear...

mickdw

Nobody will guarantee a clutch on a used car so it is pretty normal for them not to cover it.
The way I see it, the clutch could have been on the way out when bought or you may have burnt the clutch out all by yourself. Ive seen people destroy a new clutch in a couple of days. If you are a very new driver or not a good driver, it is a strong possibility that you have caused this yourself.

Alanstrainor

A clutch is a consumable it will go eventually, therefore they are not usually covered under warranty. As mentioned, the car is 10 years old, who knows how it's been treated during that time.

Mr Benevolent

Is this your first car OP?

NewApproach

It's not normal, far from it, but someone could burn a clutch out in 15 minutes if they wanted to , so as such there is a very strong chance that it was driver error that caused the clutch to fail. For this reason clutches are very rarely included in warranties.

Barr

If its within the 3 months it should be covered.

fitzeyboy.

Clutch is a consumable. I only buy used cars and I always have money aside to replace it when I buy one. How am I to know how it was driven before I bought it? Just curious what mileage is on the car? and has it been changed before?

fitzeyboy.

Barr wrote: »

If its within the 3 months it should be covered.

If bought from a dealer you usually get 6 months engine and gearbox warrranty, that is all. If what your saying is true I could buy a used car, burn the clutch out of it on purpose and get a new one for free. Not a hope

ianobrien

OP, you're assuming that the clutch was new when bought. It probably wasnt. As others have said, clutches are consumables and are never covered by warranty.

As an aside, we had a clutch in a '96 Mica last until 120k miles, and when the mechanic was changing it, he asked how did we get it to last so long. Most of them last 50k to 70k miles he stated as the clutch in the Micras is tiny, and hasn't much meat on them for wear.

Also, I managed to burn a new clutch out in under a mile of driving, but that was at an attempt at autotesting.....

Jenna69

Just out of curiosity how much would a new clutch be? I have a Renault Clio (01), 56k miles, and i know someone that would fit it for me, just wondering how much would i have to pay for one.

Muckie

Clutch installing varies, my guess for your Clio €300 to €350.
Try and indy garage, don't go near the main dealer.
Also ring around a few places too.

djimi

You might get lucky with warranties; I had 3 months engine and gearbox warranty on my Integra, yet when the slave cylinder went in the clutch after a fortnight the dealer replaced it for me no questions asked.

Clutches do eventually go. As has been said, Micras tend to be bought as learners cars, and learners give clutches a fair hammering. You were unlucky with it but its not abnormal.

alias no.9

djimi wrote: »

You might get lucky with warranties; I had 3 months engine and gearbox warranty on my Integra, yet when the slave cylinder went in the clutch after a fortnight the dealer replaced it for me no questions asked.

The slave cylinder is not a consumable part of the clutch. If the plates had worn down or the thrust bearing was on the way out, I doubt you'd have got the same level of service.

djimi

Oh, fair enough!

DYLF

msminni wrote: »

I was told there's 3 months warranty on the car but the seller (dealer) says the clutch is not included (i don't have a paper copy with specifics).

The dealer told the garage that clutch breaking is a 'driver's thing', but I don't see how I would have managed to break the clutch in 2,5 months. I don't even drive every day.

wouldnt happen to be a particular car dealer in julianstown would it??

exact same thing happened to me when i bough my car. 5 weeks after buying the car with a 3 month engine and gearbox warrenty the clutch went. he fixed the clutch for me and only then told me it wasnt covered by the warrenty because i probably wore it out my self because i was still on L plates.. needless to say i knew that was BS told him so and left... never heard from him again