Bogus car "guarantee"

Tommybarry

I bought a brand new car for 22k that came with a "3 year guarantee" but after a year the clutch went.

I thought I was covered for things like this under the "guarantee" but when I brought it back to the garage they wanted the guts of 1000euro to fix the clutch.

I couldn't believe it they said the "guarantee" would not cover the clutch going because it had been "abused" which is completely untrue.

Does anyone know what my rights are in this situation ?

The "3 year guarantee" that came with the car seems to mean nothing at all.

This is a well known car dealership who are acting like gangsters.

coylemj

It's hard to see how a clutch would fail unless it was abused, ditto brake pads and tyres. Wear and tear items are not covered by any guarantee. It's hard to see why the dealer would refuse the warranty claim unless they genuinely feel it has no merit because they get reimbursed by the Irish distributor for warranty repairs.

But for a new car, you could bypass the dealer and go direct go the distributor, see what they say.

Tommybarry

coylemj wrote: »

It's hard to see how a clutch would fail unless it was abused, ditto brake pads and tyres. Wear and tear items are not covered by any guarantee.

How would one abuse the clutch ? I'm not a boy racer.

Also the car only has less than 10 thousand km on the clock.

coylemj

By any chance did the manufacturer's warranty expire after a year so you are now into an extension of that warranty which is provided by the dealer? If so and he refuses to deal with you, you will have to think about getting legal advice.

clfy39tzve8njq

No warranty is going to cover a clutch after a year. It's possible to burn a clutch in a week

mickdw

Tommybarry wrote: »

How would one abuse the clutch ? I'm not a boy racer.

Also the car only has less than 10 thousand km on the clock.

Primarily by being a bad driver, riding the pedal when driving, slipping the clutch to a large degree when taking off. I know a chap who will travel a half mile up the road with engine screaming in first gear but he still hasnt fully got off the clutch.
Little old ladies for example go through far more clutches than boy racers ever did.

kirving

The clutch can be burnt out in an hour easily enough if you wanted to do it.

Do you take the car out of gear at lights, it leave your foot resting on it? Is there a footrest in the footwell, or do you tend to leave your food on it? City or motorway driving a mostly? Do you drive it in low revs or higher? Diesel or petrol?

It's not like the car is a week old, it's been driven for a year. Clutch wouldn't be covered unless there was a fault with it.

Tommybarry

coylemj wrote: »

By any chance did the manufacturer's warranty expire after a year so you are now into an extension of that warranty which is provided by the dealer? If so and he refuses to deal with you, you will have to think about getting legal advice.

I'll have to read the small print.

It is the garage who are claiming the clutch was "abused".

But I don't believe anything they say their customer service has been very poor to say the least its like they couldn't give a f**k about me.

hullaballoo

The other thing is if you are a high mileage driver, you could kill a clutch even if you are careful with it inside a year through wear.

Tommybarry

Nash Moldy Stool wrote: »

No warranty is going to cover a clutch after a year. It's possible to burn a clutch in a week

Any car I driven before I have got atleast 4 years out of a clutch.

enricoh

A mate repairs car rental yokes, often a brand new car will need a new clutch after an hour of a yank driving a car thinking that it's an automatic!

jimmycrackcorm

coylemj wrote: »

It's hard to see how a clutch would fail unless it was abused, ditto brake pads and tyres. Wear and tear items are not covered by any guarantee. It's hard to see why the dealer would refuse the warranty claim unless they genuinely feel it has no merit because they get reimbursed by the Irish distributor for warranty repairs.

But for a new car, you could bypass the dealer and go direct go the distributor, see what they say.

I disagree with the first part. It would be simply astonishing that a clutch could go after a year and only 22k from new due to the driver.

What does the guarantee say though, as I'd be very surprised that there would be anything specific that would tie in consumables and wear and tear to this.

I had a new Mondeo where the alternator failed after ten months, parts fail. I'd advise the op to get on to a solicitor to write to the dealer and say not only will they end up replacing the clutch but also have to pay expenses for car hire or other expenses.

BTW what type of car is it, I'd want to avoid such a model that the clutch can't last 22k no matter what ( even if I was a woman driver).

Tommybarry

Kevin Irving wrote: »

The clutch can be burnt out in an hour easily enough if you wanted to do it.

Do you take the car out of gear at lights, it leave your foot resting on it? Is there a footrest in the footwell, or do you tend to leave your food on it? City or motorway driving a mostly? Do you drive it in low revs or higher? Diesel or petrol?

It's not like the car is a week old, it's been driven for a year. Clutch wouldn't be covered unless there was a fault with it.

Yeah I always take the car out of gear when I'm stopped. It's a petrol car. I do half city driving and half motorway driving.

elperello

Tommybarry wrote: »

Any car I driven before I have got atleast 4 years out of a clutch.

10,000 km is very little to have a clutch go with normal driving.
Are you sure you are driving normally?
Are you the only driver?
What is the make/model?

Tommybarry

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I disagree with the first part. It would be simply astonishing that a clutch could go after a year and only 22k from new due to the driver.

What does the guarantee say though, as I'd be very surprised that there would be anything specific that would tie in consumables and wear and tear to this.

I had a new Mondeo where the alternator failed after ten months, parts fail. I'd advise the op to get on to a solicitor to write to the dealer and say not only will they end up replacing the clutch but also have to pay expenses for car hire or other expenses.

BTW what type of car is it, I'd want to avoid such a model that the clutch can't last 22k no matter what ( even if I was a woman driver).

It's a VW golf with less than 10.000km on the clock.

selectamatic

What car is it?

Both Kia and Hyundai have had problems with premature clutch issues over the last 5 years. Initially everything was covered under "goodwill" as quite a few of their diesel cars around the 2012 mark suffered the problem.

Recently there have been rumblings of issues with various Kia's again but nothing as widespread as the last time.

Also clutches fall under the guise of "consumables" therefore the warranty or guarantee generally doesn't cover them, you're reliant on the dealers/manufacturers goodwill.

Edit: just seen the golf post above.

Worth trying to pressure the dealer/vw Ireland over getting it covered under goodwill as they're currently paying out left right and centre over dieselgate so what's another thousand to them.

clfy39tzve8njq

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

I disagree with the first part. It would be simply astonishing that a clutch could go after a year and only 22k from new due to the driver.

It wouldn't you know

rock22

Tommybarry wrote: »

Any car I driven before I have got atleast 4 years out of a clutch.

To be honest, 4 years out of a clutch is very little. I have gotten over 12 years on cars, two of them VW, with no indication of clutch problems.

You need an engineer to discuss with the garage what evidence they have that the fault is due to misuse. It is impossible for us to guess what they might have found. Have you actually asked what they are basing their refusal on?

Del2005

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I disagree with the first part. It would be simply astonishing that a clutch could go after a year and only 22k from new due to the driver.

If I wanted I could blow the clutch in a brand new car before it leaves the garage. The clutch on a vehicle is the easiest item for a new owner to abuse, I got a loan of a friend's car a few weeks back and since I've driven auto for the last few years it took me a while to get used to the 3rd pedal and stop slipping the clutch. After a few km I was OK again but the OP burns through clutches, they usually get 4 years from them!, so it's a safe guess that it's user induced.


OP does the car have a footrest beside the clutch and do you use it? Do you get a unique smell when pulling off or driving? Once you smell a burnt clutch you'll never forget the smell.

The good, or bad thing, about a clutch is that once removed its easy to see if it's operator induced failure or premature. So maybe offer a compromise to the garage. They replace the clutch and if it's operator you pay if premature they pay.

C3PO

I have never heard of a car warranty that will cover for a worn clutch ... It is classed under "wear and tear"!

clfy39tzve8njq

C3PO wrote:

I have never heard of a car warranty that will cover for a worn clutch ... It is classed under "wear and tear"!

Same as that

rex-x

If they disassembled and found an oil leak or broken pressure plate etc then it would be covered under warranty but if they found the friction plate worn out then it wont be covered as only incorrect/poor driving can do that (assuming clutch is releasing correctly)

seagull

I've seen a clutch completely burnt out in about 200m. There was a car dealer at the bottom of the hill near the university I was at. I was waiting to cross the road and there was a horrible noise and a really unpleasant smell as the car came up the road, and it died at the lights where I was waiting to cross.