Need some advice from you guys here: yesterday (yep, Friday 13th) the clutch apparently was burnt out in my Golf. I lost all transmission and the clutch peddle stayed depressed until the engine was switched off, which was also the only way to change gear.
Called VW roadside assistance and they took me off to get a hire car and had the car transported to a small local VW garage, which have become the most utterly obtrusive people I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Basically, the clutch burn out did not fall under any of the warranties and they said if I wanted to sort that out, I'd have to get my home garage to contact them and so I ended up being a go between for the whole day. To add insult to injury, I've got to pay the lot and they've scheduled the job so late into next week that I'll no longer have the 48 hour use of the VW hire care, and they, despite the normal policy, have refused to pay for any increase in the rental time for this nor will they lend me a lease hire of their own.
So, what to do and where to go next??
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I forgot to mention that I've had the car 3 months and done 3000 miles in it since purchase. They are trying to suggest that it's my driving style (although they never saw it and I assure, you it's clean)...in such a short time?
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You can easily burn out an original clutch by that age so they have no reason to take sympathy on you as teh car could have been abused by previous owner. Clutches are consumables and some drivers consume them faster than others. Do you know who owned the car before you and how it was driven?
I knew an elderly man who for four straight years had his car in for a new clutch because he always rode it slightly while driving and gave it serious revs when he pulled away ( truely painful to watch!).
How many miles in total has the car done?
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two points here.
Yes its possible to burn out a clutch in 2.5 years with a rubbish driving style,and if thats the case then its tough luck really
however
The clutch pedal stayed depressed? You mean the pedal stuck down? this is not clutch burn out, This is a problem with the clutch release mechanism or pedal. Should be a warranty job if this is the case.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Him,
I agree with TVM if the pedal actaully got stuck . I had a Polo pedal seize up near to the floor and it was fixed by the RAC man with a big hammer and a bit of swearing....
VW replaced a bit under warranty and ran onto 90k on the original clutch......
Regarda
Barry
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I started a post suggesting the cable or hydraulics (cable I think) had given way or something had got detached, but thought better of it. Now everyone's doing it.
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I am impressed by how badly the dealers are treating car43 too.
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Yes, the pedal got stuck up. It only released when I turned the engine off and you could push it in and out as normal. When the engine was back on, it was stuck rigid up into the floor.
They told me later that it was the clutch, but only on a call from my home garage did they say that they had been told that "it had burnt out". A further suggestion came from the guy turned up as a roadside assister who was VW direct (and posted over from Germany): he said he'd seen it often and that it was just split and stuck on the mechanism.
How would you argue a warranty job as they basically have said, ha ha ha
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No sympathy required! Just thought it was strange that in all my years of owning a car, it's suddenly happened after 3 months! Total milage is 31470. And you're right: that noise when someone's riding the clutch is like fingernails on the blackboard.
Aparently it was a male driver who traded it in for the new mark V. That's all I was told.
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Given the symptoms I would say that the clutch is definitely not 'burnt out' - it is much more likely that the pressure plate diaphragm has fractured.
Given the likely cost of repair (it will need a new full clutch plus there is possible damage to the release mechanism) I would insist on a warranty repair - a failure of this nature is not down to driving style, it is more likely a flaw in the pressure plate casting or its assembly.
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Whatever happens, make sure you get the old parts, if it is deemed to have failed under the terms of the warranty and not "burned up" as the garage stated, then you should make a claim for a reimbursment from the warranty underwriter.
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Glad you can see the full scope. I insisted all Friday but basically the local garage said it needed a new clutch and weren't budging on it being a warrenty job and the home dealership were only going on the limited info from the local guarage. It definately wasn't like a normal clutch job, else I would be lying down and taking it.
Unfortunately, they argued all day with me to pay it. And have quoted me £486.86 for the job.
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Previously a learner driver car maybe? Some Golfs have dual mass flywheels that can get damaged too, which model is it
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Is the car at a vw dealer or a vw specialist?
is the car subject to a genuine vw waranty or a 2nd hand car warranty?
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it was from a VW dealer (which is why I paid more to go through one of them, thinking I would be better covered)
it was the all the frills waranty that VW offer with all their approved used cars.
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I think you will find the VW own warranty will only exclude "wear" on the clutch pressure plate, friction plate and bearing. As it seems yours has collapsed/failed this is not wear and you should be covered.
I'd get the actual document you were given and read it through.
If I'm right face them with that and say you will be willing to stand the cost if it can be shown to be pure wear. But if it has collapsed then they must bear the cost.
Make sure you meet them on the day it is taken off and take a digicam! Stand your ground.
David
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Where is the car now? Another vw dealer? I think the problem may be that the garage with the car may not be able to claim the warranty back from vw and want to get the work from you?
Stand your ground, after reading paperwork thouroughly, it does sound like a broken part, not a worn item. Some warranties in such cases may want a contribution from you towards the cost of new clutch if needed depending on how worn the old 1 is too.
Not a great fan of warranties. way too many get out clauses. certainly never worth paying for imo
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If you have only had the car 3 months did you buy it from a dealer. If so the revised sale of foods act asumes that any fault which develops within 6 months was present when you bought the car and the selling dealer is responsible.
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I did buy it from an approved VW dealer. Any link for the sale of foods act and its application to cars?
Thanks
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'F' being next to 'G' it's the Sale of Goods Act... I doubt that anyone is suggesting that you eat your Golf.
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cheers mate, it would be one heck of a dinner
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sorry was on night shift definitely sale of goods act. The selling dealer is responsible for repairs.
Mark
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Hey no probs Mark
But I went back to the seller this am and he said it doesn't count for wear and tear items so they stung me again...
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Did you not see Aprilia's post....
<<<...I would insist on a warranty repair - a failure of this nature is not down to driving style, it is more likely a flaw in the pressure plate casting or its assembly.>>>
And mine...
<<<... the VW own warranty will only exclude "wear" on the clutch pressure plate, friction plate and bearing. As it seems yours has collapsed/failed this is not wear and you should be covered. I'd get the actual document you were given and read it through. If I'm right face them with that and say you will be willing to stand the cost if it can be shown to be pure wear. But if it has collapsed then they must bear the cost. Make sure you meet them on the day it is taken off and take a digicam! Stand your ground.>>>
If the nature of the problem is as you described at the start it is so likely you will be able to prove it is something that has failed not a problem with the wearing faces of the clutch which is all they are excluding.
Don't argue any more... take a chance based on our advice and get it taken apart.
David
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cheers David,
But my current prob is that I'm still having both garages (home/seller dealership and the repairing dealership) telling me I've got to go to the other one and that it's both not their problems about finding out whether it is or it isn't wear and tear. Anyway of getting straight into VW and by passing the pair of them?
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The wear and tear the garage is claiming is irrerlivant as, by law , the fault is deemed present when you bought the car, (if it develops within the 1st 6 months) the selling dealer is responsible for repairing it or you are entiltled to reject the car.
I suggest you get in touch with trading standards.
Mark
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If you bought the car from a trader within the past six months then that is the party responsible for sorting it out. Don't do their running around for them. Sounds like they are trying to mess you around so I'd say it's time to send them a carefully worded, concise letter explaining that the car they sold you has a fault and quoting the relevant part of the Sale of Goods Act. Get some advice on how to do this from your nearest Citizen's Advice Bureau. Good luck and let us know how you get on!
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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