Opel Astra 2011 problems!

Fiftyplus

My son's partner bought a 2011 Opel Astra back in March time for 5k. Driving to work Wednesday morning and she came to a halt. Picked up truck arrived and took it to a garage in Naas. Garage came back with a repair quote as follows;

To replace the clutch and crank seal gearbox side €940.—minimum repair required

Possible flywheel and starter motor €1340.—we can investigate fully when the clutch is out.

Clutch pedal €1189--- has a lot of play

Clutch master cylinder €285

Timing chain kit €1400.---oil leak and chain slack

I'm getting this info second-hand but my maths tells me it costs more to repair than the car cost (having also had brakes issues in the last few months).

Google comes up with a history of clutch problems for this model. Anyone had similar? Thanks

Esel

Bring (or transport) the car to your own mechanic. You are under no obligation to proceed with repairs with the garage where the car is.

I can see some or all of those other expensive possibilities being required if you tell them to go ahead. New clutch pedal nearly €1200...

@Hellrazer would have good advice .

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707052#Comment_122707052

Agree with this advice.

Just to add if your regular garage is a main dealer don't take it there.

Look for a local recommendation for an independent mechanic place.

You want to get the car going for as little as possible.

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058373688/opel-astra-2011-problems

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707052#Comment_122707052

Thanks Esel -

OP get that car out of there -Firstly- Is it petrol or diesel.

If its a petrol - you dont change the flywheels - theyre solid.Never changed one in my life on a petrol astra.

Clutch pedal €1200 euros - thats nuts.

The clutch pedals used to give problems and Opels fix was a new pedal box - its literally a 2 euro spring that you can buy and replace from a factors - any decent mechanic would be able to replace it. - But of course theres going to be play in it if the clutch is gone!!!

Clutch from a decent indy shouldnt cost more than 500.00 fitted with the crank seal - Id one lad who could do a clutch on a petrol astra same as yours on his lunch break.

Ok starter might need replacing - €200 max from a factors + labour.

Clutch master cylinder should come with the clutch kit unless its a diesel.

Timing chain kit is about 70 euros from the factors plus no more than 2-3 hours labour. Again if its a DIESEL it could be more but nothing like youve been quoted - The new model astra from 2016 on the timing chain is a whopping 2000 plus to do.

€5154 total from the crowd in Naas - Id say around 1200 - 1500 would be more like it.

All assuming its a petrol not diesel.

But even if its a diesel Id be probably closer to €2000 as you probably would need to do the flywheel.

Fiftyplus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707410#Comment_122707410

Thanks Hellrazer. It's petrol. Plans underway to get the car out!

cml387

It's very difficult to have any faith in main dealers after this story.

Mind you I always felt my local Skoda guys treated me fairly.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707635#Comment_122707635

Who said anything about main dealers?

Oops!

Well the start of the horror story here was the purchase of a 2011 Opel Astra, and to add insult to injury for 5 grand. I hope lessons have been learned.

User1998

Seems expensive alright

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707713#Comment_122707713

Its a 3 grand car if even that.

Oops!

Completely worthless to anybody that has any idea of what they are looking at. As i said i hope lessons have been learned.

Fiftyplus

An update. Took the car to our local mechanic, result being a bill of 950euro - new clutch, tightened timing chain, fitted new sum cap (previous one wasn't on correctly and leaking oil big time). Fingers crossed, car been fine since. The owner was ready to ditch the car on the initial quote!!

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122887328#Comment_122887328

Good result - we werent far off the price.

My only concern is the "tightening" of the timing chain….theres no adjustment on the chains on the astra so Im confused as to what he did.

Fiftyplus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122888906#Comment_122888906

Not actually sure what he did to the timing chain,'tightening' probably the wrong term. Thanks for the advice Hellrazer

Esel

Possibly replaced the timing chain tensioner?

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122890495#Comment_122890495

If youve already gone in that far a chain kit with tensioner and guides is only 70 quid (and less to the trade) why just replace the tensioner?

The guides are know for breaking on them - theyre only a plastic strip so unless he stripped it down and found a guide broken and replaced that and decided the chain looked ok. If it was me and Id stripped it back to the guides Id still throw a new chain on - if youve stripped it to change a guide its literally another 10 minute job to put on a chain and tensioner.

OP - It would be worth asking what he did with the chain.

Esel

Shows how much I know! 😃