Opel Astra 2004 1.4i cheated by garage?

skytl

Need advice on this if possible please.

I brought my car into an opel dealership in March for a service.

Ended up spending an absolute fortune on the car as they kept finding things wrong with it through the day they had it ( In reality they probably saw me coming, knew I had no knowledge of cars and ripped me off to their hearts content)

However I wasn't overly unhappy at paying all the money as I was gaurunteed by the garage that my car would be fine and not give me any trouble with all this work having been done.

Problem is now a few months later my clutch has completely gone and I cant even move the car, now I know nothing can be garunteed but the garage seemed to fix and change everything back in March apart from the one area where there was obviously a problem brewing.

The list below is what was done in March. Can anyone who knows anything about these cars advise me if they would/should have done anything to the clutch while doing these jobs that would allow me to go back to them and not have to spend a fortune again.

change oil and filter
replace timing chain and gasket and pump
fit new cooling hose
fit new oil housing seal
fit new oil light switch

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Need advice on this if possible please.

I brought my car into an opel dealership in March for a service.

Ended up spending an absolute fortune on the car as they kept finding things wrong with it through the day they had it ( In reality they probably saw me coming, knew I had no knowledge of cars and ripped me off to their hearts content)

However I wasn't overly unhappy at paying all the money as I was gaurunteed by the garage that my car would be fine and not give me any trouble with all this work having been done.

Problem is now a few months later my clutch has completely gone and I cant even move the car, now I know nothing can be garunteed but the garage seemed to fix and change everything back in March apart from the one area where there

change oil and filter
replace timing chain and gasket and pump
fit new cooling hose
fit new oil housing seal
fit new oil light switch

The answer to your query is no.

The clutch failing is nothing to do with the work done and may have appeared perfectly fine over five months ago when the work was done

Clutches are consumable parts and can fail What mileage on the car??

On a car that old paying main dealer Labour rates is pointless you should try and find yourself a good independant mechanic and save some money

Your thread title is misleading nothing in your post indicates you were cheated here

colm_mcm

Clutch is completely unrelated to the work done.
It'd be like the radio stopping working.

On a side note, bringing an 11 year old car to a main dealer isn't a great idea. They have to do everything by the book and use new genuine parts. Paying main dealer rates will almost always cost you more than going to a good independent garage.

skytl

Stheno wrote: »

The answer to your query is no.

The clutch failing is nothing to do with the work done and may have appeared perfectly fine over five months ago when the work was done

Clutches are consumable parts and can fat. What mileage on the car??

Almost 85,000 miles

There was a small leak coming from the car when parked on Saturday and Sunday.

I had hoped to have it looked at tomorrow but too late it seems.

The brake fluid level is fine so I presume something else is leaking and this will be quite a big job to fix?

Cee-Jay-Cee

What did you leave it into the dealer for in the first place?

I know nothing about opels but timing chains aren't usually changed unless there's a specific problem with them, or stretched and rattling. Was yours?

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Almost 85,000 miles

There was a small leak coming from the car when parked on Saturday and Sunday.

I had hoped to have it looked at tomorrow but too late it seems.

The brake fluid level is fine so I presume something else is leaking and this will be quite a big job to fix?

Well if the clutch needs replacing that's a big enough job tbh

Read the rest of my first reply find an independant mechanic, you will save a lot in Labour
if you put up your location likely someone here will know one

skytl

colm_mcm wrote: »

Clutch is completely unrelated to the work done.
It'd be like the radio stopping working.

On a side note, bringing an 11 year old car to a main dealer isn't a great idea. They have to do everything by the book and use new genuine parts. Paying main dealer rates will almost always cost you more than going to a good independent garage.

Yeah, learned that the hard way unfortunately

Pity though as I had hoped that after putting that much money in it wouldn't give me trouble for a while

Live and you learn I suppose

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Yeah, learned that the hard way unfortunately

Pity though as I had hoped that after putting that much money in it wouldn't give me trouble for a while

Live and you learn I suppose

It's an eleven year old car things go wrong on them

colm_mcm

If you intend keeping the car a while then it's not the end of the world.

skytl

Stheno wrote: »

Well if the clutch needs replacing that's a big enough job tbh

Read the rest of my first reply find an independant mechanic, you will save a lot in Labour
if you put up your location likely someone here will know one

Thanks for the advice

If it's a leak will that cost even more do you know?

Apologies for my complete ignorance RE cars!

colm_mcm

Does the clutch feel any different to normal when pressing it? Can you see where the leak is coming from?

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Thanks for the advice

If it's a leak will that cost even more do you know?

Apologies for my complete ignorance RE cars!

Honestly it depends on what's leaking and why
get it to a garage have them diagnose it and give you an estimate. Insist on getting the estimate before they do anything other than diagnosing the issue

cml387

You don't say a leak of what, but it seems like the garage suspected an oil leak if they changed the oil seal and oil pressure switch. In that sense they haven't fixed the oil leak (if that's what it is).
The clutch is not something that can't be examined during a service, when it goes it goes and there's no way of forecasting.

Stheno

cml387 wrote: »

You don't say a leak of what, but it seems like the garage suspected an oil leak if they changed the oil seal and oil pressure switch. In that sense they haven't fixed the oil leak (if that's what it is).
The clutch is not something that can't be examined during a service, when it goes it goes and there's no way of forecasting.

An oil leak that wasn't fixed over five months ago would have given trouble long before now, no?

The Muppet

A leak could be a minor problem and cheap to fix or could be as you fear a
More labour intestive and therefor expensive . It's impossible to tell which with the information given

. What's fluid is leaking coolant, brake/clutch fluid, oil or power steering fluid?


Thread title is wrong from what you have posted here so far there is nothing that suggests you were cheated .

skytl

The Muppet wrote: »

A leak could be a minor problem and cheap to fix or could be as you fear a
More labour intestive and therefor expensive . It's impossible to tell which with the information given

. What's fluid is leaking coolant, brake/clutch fluid, oil or power steering fluid?


Thread title is wrong from what you have posted here so far there is nothing that suggests you were cheated .

I'm presuming brake/clutch fluid was leaking as the clutch is now not working however when I examine the brake fluid levels no leak there.....therefore I presume leak is coming from the clutch fluid but I can't find where that is in the car

Feel cheated is probalby what I should have said!

skytl

cml387 wrote: »

You don't say a leak of what, but it seems like the garage suspected an oil leak if they changed the oil seal and oil pressure switch. In that sense they haven't fixed the oil leak (if that's what it is).
The clutch is not something that can't be examined during a service, when it goes it goes and there's no way of forecasting.

Clutch is the problem not the oil

Reason I'm suspecting a leak of something is I had noticed a small bit of liquid under the car when I moved away after parking on Saturday

Stheno

Can you get the car in gear at all?

skytl

Stheno wrote: »

Can you get the car in gear at all?

Nope

Loud grinding noise and will not move into gear

enumbers

if the leak was brake clutch fluid from under the middle of the engine bay, most likely issue is the hydraulic release bearing failing. If this is the case will need replacing along with the clutch at that millage. Also as others have said nothing to suggest you've been cheated in anyway. Timing chains stretching on that car is very common and would be quite expensive paying dealer rates for it.

skytl

enumbers wrote: »

if the leak was brake clutch fluid from under the middle of the engine bay, most likely issue is the hydraulic release bearing failing. If this is the case will need replacing along with the clutch at that millage. Also as others have said nothing to suggest you've been cheated in anyway. Timing chains stretching on that car is very common and would be quite expensive paying dealer rates for it.

Sounds right that that is the issue

Anyone any idea what the cost would be?

Thanks for all the advice btw

enumbers

Would be around 500 here from memory , clutch kit with the hydraulic bearing is more expensive than a standard mechanical setup. Not 100 percent on that price but think its close enough

skytl

enumbers wrote: »

Would be around 500 here from memory , clutch kit with the hydraulic bearing is more expensive than a standard mechanical setup. Not 100 percent on that price but think its close enough

And final question...what kind of timeframe?

Could it be done in a day?

Stheno

enumbers wrote: »

Would be around 500 here from memory , clutch kit with the hydraulic bearing is more expensive than a standard mechanical setup. Not 100 percent on that price but think its close enough

That's cheap if you are including Labour is it not?

skytl

Stheno wrote: »

That's cheap if you are including Labour is it not?

Let's hope it's not much more expensive!

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Let's hope it's not much more expensive!

Let's oh got a clutch replaced on a Citroen a couple of years ago think it cost 750


Do you know a decent Indy? If not where are you based?

skytl

Stheno wrote: »

Let's oh got a clutch replaced on a Citroen a couple of years ago think it cost 750


Do you know a decent Indy? If not where are you based?

Well it's going to have to be done regardless of the cost as the car is pretty much stuck where it is.

Yeah I'm getting it brought to a mechanic in the morning

Hopefully not too expensive and hopefully a one day job

Thanks for the replies/help btw

Stheno

skytl wrote: »

Well it's going to have to be done regardless of the cost as the car is pretty much stuck where it is.

Yeah I'm getting it brought to a mechanic in the morning

Hopefully not too expensive and hopefully a one day job

Thanks for the replies/help btw

Best of luck
it might take a couple of days to get sorted what with needing parts etc

enumbers

Stheno wrote: »

That's cheap if you are including Labour is it not?

including labour, could be of by 30-40 euro but definitely not more, any decent garage will probably not have a slot available immediately , more likely 2-3 days,

enumbers

just to add not 2-3 days work, just be 2-3 days before slot available

The Muppet

skytl wrote: »

I'm presuming brake/clutch fluid was leaking as the clutch is now not working however when I examine the brake fluid levels no leak there.....therefore I presume leak is coming from the clutch fluid but I can't find where that is in the car

Feel cheated is probalby what I should have said!

You can't have clutch fluid leak if the levels are normal . The clutch takes its fluid from the brake fluid reservoir.

You need to get a good independent mechanic to tell you what is wrong with you car . Perhaps if you posted your location someone here might help with recommendations in you area

Hachiko

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

What did you leave it into the dealer for in the first place?

I know nothing about opels but timing chains aren't usually changed unless there's a specific problem with them, or stretched and rattling. Was yours?

no point taking a 2004 Astra into a main dealer in the first place, unless you have a car that is circa 4/5 years old (or a premium marque) a main dealer is pointless. I had full main dealer stamps on my car when I bought it, did I take it to a main dealer to get it serviced? in my nelly I did.

enumbers

The Muppet wrote: »

You can't have clutch fluid leak if the levels are normal . The clutch takes its fluid from the brake fluid reservoir.

You need to get a good independent mechanic to tell you what is wrong with you car . Perhaps if you posted your location someone here might help with recommendations in you area

clutch will only take the very top level of the reservoir to protect the braking system from been drained by a clutch issue