Advice required please :(

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Mon 20 Oct 2003 15:43
Advice required please :( - vwclipper88
Hi all

I have just had delivery of my car from a "clutch specialist", where they have just replaced my clutch. And i have some questions if possible can someone please advise??

1. My car has come back with my rear bumper out of line. On closer inspection the paint has flaked where it seems it has been in an impact of some kind. I got on my hands and knees and found that a splitter that had been bonded on had started to come away (3cm distance between bumper and splitter) There is no other paint on it, so i can only come to the conclusion that because the car is lowered on eibach springs, the "specialist" had tried to reverse the car on his ramps due to the front being very low. The bumper mounting on the arches has also come away (bumper has come away from the arch). What can i do? shall i speak direct to my insurance company?

p.s. I had spent 3 hours yesterday cleaning my car and it was not like that yesterday. I also have to reverse my car out of the garage in mornings so i would have noticed any damage this morning also.

When he dropped it off at my work i was unable to test drive it or inspect it hence i noticed it later on.

2. When he dropped the car off he told me that there was a slight squeal when the car is "fired up". He said that this is due to the clutch...he said intime it shall disappear. He also said take it "easy" with the clutch, it needs to be "bedded" in like brakes. Is there any truth in this??


Thanx in advance, awaiting in anticipation

Prax
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 15:53
Advice required please :( - vwclipper88
shall i ring the "clutch specialist"?
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 16:39
Advice required please :( - M.M
Oh dear. Your new clutch should feel just that....new. No noise, no judder...no excuses.

As to the damage...

There is a clutch specialist in town near us...the workshop is small and the place looks as if a bomb has been thrown in. Bits of various cars laying all over the floor...dreadful.

I gather they don't even fit known branded units.

Good luck sorting them out.

M.M
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 17:31
Advice required please :( - vwclipper88
M.M Thank you very much for your reply. Much appreciated.

UPDATE:
**********

I have contacted the "specialist" he has tried in vain to assure me that he has not had a bump in my car. I told him that it was not in that same state i left it in. And at some point whilst in his care it has had an impact. I also mentioned to him that i had contacted my insurance company to seek advice and they recommended me to ring you first. In the end he asked me to come to his garage in the morning for him to have a look.

Is there anything i should also mention to him in the morning???
I wouldn't want him (if he agrees to pay up) to repair it himself or get the bumper sprayed up by his "specialist mates". I would rather him cough up before i get the work done elsewhere once i have produced a quoteation to him. Is this possible? What is my next step??

Thanx in advance

Prax
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 19:55
Advice required please :( - Altea Ego
let his mates do it? NO. Tell him you will be claiming off his third party liability insurance. Get two quotes.
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 21:14
Advice required please :( - HisHonour {P}
...... and don't forget to tell him what is thought of the screaming clutch that needs 'bedding in'.
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Mon 20 Oct 2003 21:18
Advice required please :( - Ian D
Ask them what make the replacement clutch was and report back here, you should get some useful feedback about the quality of the product....
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Tue 21 Oct 2003 09:05
Advice required please :( - vwclipper88
Firstly, I would just like to thank everybody for their help and advice.

I'm not sure if its the clutch that is screaming or the starter motor. It only happens when i start the car up. He was talking about removing the starter moter to access the bell housing when i first dropped the car off. Which makes me think that the fault lies in starter moter?? Incorrectly re-wired? or damaged whilst he was removing it? Am i on the correct tracks?
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Tue 21 Oct 2003 11:48
Advice required please :( Update - vwclipper88
Update
********

The "specialist" said it is not the clutch screaming its the 'brass screw/bolt for the starter moter, where it attaches to the bellhousing' Which should dissapear in a week, if not he will replace that scre/bolt.

He still denies all knowledge of the damage, but in the end he agreed to accept 2 quotes and choose the cheapest of the two. Which i think hopefully is a result.

I have contacted my insurance company and told them the outcome of my visit. And passed on all the "specialists" details to them, as a precautionary measure.

I'd like to thank all who helped

Prax
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