Bought a car yesterday, Clutch gone today

david.... · 24-11-2012 3:51pm #1

Well i bought a 07 passat 2.0 Tdi last thursday through a private sale, i payed cash up front and coming home last night the clutch gave up!
On the test drive the clutch felt perfect, but yesterday it just gave up!
where do ye think i stand? and do u think the man who sold it to me knew the clutch was going?
Thanks

CiniO · 24-11-2012 3:53pm

In what way did it go?
Is is slipping? or something else?

Tigger · 24-11-2012 4:01pm

if you asked him if the clutch was going and he said it wasn't and you could prove he knew it was then you might have a case for repairs

but you thought it was fine and its very hard to prove he didn't

how long did he own the car is he a real "private seller" or is he someone selling cars on the side if he is a real private seller then you are on your own but if he is selling cars as a job you may have a case

link to the ad ?

ljpg · 24-11-2012 4:05pm

CiniO wrote: »

In what way did it go?
Is is sliding? or something else?

sliding????clutches "slip" when worn....to the op, is it slipping or completely gone?

24-11-2012 4:09pm

ljpg wrote: »

sliding????clutches "slip" when worn....to the op, is it slipping or completely gone?

Cinio isn't a native English speaker, regardless this is motoring not grammer classes.

OP, it's a case of bad luck unfortunately regardless of the seller knowing it was on the way out or not. In fairness to the seller it's quite plausible he didn't especially as the car was fine on the test drive, it's not something he could patch up for the purposes to deceive.

Our man in Havana · 24-11-2012 4:11pm

Buyer beware.

drunkmonkey · 24-11-2012 4:12pm

Where did you buy the car? I mean as in his house or the side of the road? It makes a different. If you bought on the side of the road or a carpark etc you've no comeback. If you bought in a house your have or if the person was a car trader you also have a warranty you might not have been informed about.

BorneTobyWilde · 24-11-2012 4:13pm

Is Passat calbe or hydraulic ,
If cable could be easy fix,
If hydraulic still could be easy fix
Clutch is gone is vague

No pedal what so ever, ? Can get no gears, No pressure on clutch?

Reloc8 · 24-11-2012 4:16pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If you bought on the side of the road or a carpark etc you've no comeback. If you bought in a house your have

Wot ? Your not seriously suggesting your rights changed if you met him at his house are you ?

david.... · 24-11-2012 4:19pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Is Passat calbe or hydraulic ,
If cable could be easy fix,
If hydraulic still could be easy fix
Clutch is gone is vague

No pedal what so ever, ? Can get no gears, No pressure on clutch?

when u push the pedal in, it wont go back up, its wont engage in gears properly and theirs no pressure!
plenty of fluid so thats not it either!
can anyone come a conclusion on that?
oh and it happend when i put her into 2nd gear to turn off onto another road, the clutch lost pressure and it wouldent engage into gear properly after that!
its also a hydraulic clutch! how could it still be an easy fix?

david.... · 24-11-2012 4:24pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Where did you buy the car? I mean as in his house or the side of the road? It makes a different. If you bought on the side of the road or a carpark etc you've no comeback. If you bought in a house your have or if the person was a car trader you also have a warranty you might not have been informed about.

he had it two years! he bought her from the uk, i met him in a carpark but i got his address! aswell, should i ring him?

Our man in Havana · 24-11-2012 4:24pm

He will mostly likely tell you it is not his problem.

drunkmonkey · 24-11-2012 4:27pm

Reloc8 wrote: »

Wot ? Your not seriously suggesting your rights changed if you met him at his house are you ?

I am.

veetwin · 24-11-2012 4:29pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Where did you buy the car? I mean as in his house or the side of the road? It makes a different. If you bought on the side of the road or a carpark etc you've no comeback. If you bought in a house your have or if the person was a car trader you also have a warranty you might not have been informed about.

Do please explain?

drunkmonkey · 24-11-2012 4:30pm

david.... wrote: »

he had it two years! he bought her from the uk, i met him in a carpark but i got his address! aswell, should i ring him?

Ring him and see, are you sure the clutch is gone and its not something else, have you checked the clutch fluid? Pedals etc? Get a price for doing the clutc this evening off someone and call him before the kettle gets cold, I'd be hoping he'd give you a bit back, google his phone number and name and see has he any more cars for sale, it's possible he's a trader if he is he has to fix it for you.

ljpg · 24-11-2012 4:30pm

RoverJames wrote: »

Cinio isn't a native English speaker, regardless this is motoring not grammer classes.

OP, it's a case of bad luck unfortunately regardless of the seller knowing it was on the way out or not. In fairness to the seller it's quite plausible he didn't especially as the car was fine on the test drive, it's not something he could patch up for the purposes to deceive.

i well aware the thread is a motoring one,how was i supposed to know cinios not a native english speaker? as far as i was concerned he was ill informed on the subject.

Our man in Havana · 24-11-2012 4:33pm

Don't be questioning a persons grammar on thread or the way they write in English.

Move on.

CiniO · 24-11-2012 4:36pm

I wonder if hypothetically seller knew there was something wrong with the clutch, how possibly could he hide any symptoms during sale, so the clutch only died next day?

Honestly I can't think of any way of doing it, but maybe there is one.

More than likely seller didn't know clutch was about to die, and fact that it went day after car sale is just pure coincidence.

But obviously I'm just guessing.

BorneTobyWilde · 24-11-2012 4:39pm

david.... wrote: »

when u push the pedal in, it wont go back up, its wont engage in gears properly and theirs no pressure!
plenty of fluid so thats not it either!
can anyone come a conclusion on that?
oh and it happend when i put her into 2nd gear to turn off onto another road, the clutch lost pressure and it wouldent engage into gear properly after that!
its also a hydraulic clutch! how could it still be an easy fix?

Pump clutch up and down with hand if necessary , not while driving lol
See if you get pressure back, Try that,

Bearcat · 24-11-2012 4:45pm

As repeated numerous times before with private sales....Caveat Emptor.

Op...your going to have to man up, get the clutch changed and while your at it do the timing belt.

BorneTobyWilde · 24-11-2012 4:54pm

Bearcat wrote: »

As repeated numerous times before with private sales....Caveat Emptor.

Op...your going to have to man up, get the clutch changed and while your at it do the timing belt.

If he's going to change clutch then lets try and really break it first

If you get pressure back on pedal, Bring for drive, Then change down gear fast, Throw it into second early at 35 mph, Let clutch out, Engine should roar, then in to first at 20, let it roar again, Then stop, rev to 3500 rpm, and slap clutch out in first, Really get clutch working

Ok sounds crazy,,,, But actually I'm serious, You need to work clutch hard,
to maybe fix this problem,,Not drive like an old lady,
clutch could need work due to lack of use,

Try it. Then tell me your clutch is now fine,

Make sure you can smell clutch burning while trying above, work it !

Reloc8 · 24-11-2012 5:15pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I am.

Then you are wrong.

Source : Me (law talking dude)

djimi · 24-11-2012 5:17pm

Sounds like the slave cylinder is gone? Or do they exist in hydraulic clutches? (same thing happened to me with my car but it was 10 years old at the time).

Chimaera · 24-11-2012 5:27pm

Sudden loss of the clutch like that sounds like a hydraulic problem rather than the clutch itself failing. Cracked line or failed master or slave cylinder most likely. Get it to a mechanic and see what they think before going further I think.

spiggotpaddy · 24-11-2012 5:38pm

Chimaera wrote: »

Sudden loss of the clutch like that sounds like a hydraulic problem rather than the clutch itself failing. Cracked line or failed master or slave cylinder most likely. Get it to a mechanic and see what they think before going further I think.

Yeah I would agree with that, and also there's a weld on the pedal that sometimes fail. Definitely get it looked at before you go ordering a clutch.

alo1587 · 24-11-2012 8:47pm

Sounds like a failed slave cylinder seal on the box.Or else disconnection between the pedal itself and the clutch master cylinder.Simple enough fix.Unfortunately its buyer beware in this situation,did you bring a mechanic with you to check the car over? Although a cylinder seal going would not be something a mechanic could foresee unless there was a fluid leak.

Bought a car yesterday, Clutch gone today

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