Before you all jump in, yes I will be getting a Honda Civic or TGoyota as my next car!
But in the mean time, the clutch has gone on my Golf, as has the center bracket for the exhaust, 6 months after I bought it from VW on their approved used scheme. They have offered to replace the clutch (apparantly it was 'weak' as opposed to 'worn') but still want me to pay £118 towards a new cover or something. They are also refusing to fix the exhaust bracket under warrenty. They're quoting £200 for this but I'll prob get a local garage to weld it for £50 or so if I have to pay myself.
Am I lucky that they're doing anything at all for me, or should I try and get them to sort the whole lot out? Considering I paid about 1.5k over used price to get dealer 'peace of mind', it doesn't appear to have been worthwhile so far...
Any advice please... (apart from 'told you so'!!)
|
You don't give year or mileage.
I guess the dealer is saying that clutch and exhaust are 'wear and tear' items and therefore excluded from the warranty. Looks like they are meeting the labour for the clutch and you are paying for the parts.
The £200 is presumably the cost of a full exhaust section.
|
|
Ah. Looking at the link above its another of these 'sudden mechanical failure' type warranties. Something has to go 'bang' and the car stops moving - otherwise its not a failure...
|
Thanks for your help so far...
The car is 3.5 years old & 40k miles. Looking at the policy, it states "Damage to a part whether covered or not, will be paid for if caused by a covered part." - so is there any reason why they expect me to pay for some of the clutch work?
And in your experience, should I just cough up on this or will I be trying to get blood out of a stone & wasting my time getting VW to pay?
|
No part has actually 'failed' (as in broken - gone 'bang') has it? The clutch pressure plate and centre plate are presumably worn so would not be covered.
I imagine this is a 'mechanical breakdown insurance' type of a policy supplied by an insurance company, probably just branded as VW's.
My opinion of these policies is that you are better off keeping your money in the Building Society.
|
|
Aprilla, do you think I should bother pursuing this? What would u do in my position - am I lucky they're paying for any of it at all?
|
>>What would u do in my position - am I lucky they're paying for any of it at all?
As the warranty is worded as it is,I think you have to bite the bullet.But it may be a warning to others *ie* be carefull of secondhand car warranties,they are not always as they seem.and can be misread easily
--
Steve
|
|
I think you'll have to pay up. Like many customers, you thought it was a 'comprehensive warranty' - in fact it is more like a mechanical breakdown insurance. i.e. some part has to fail and the car literally has to stop in its tracks (requiring recovery).
|
"Damage to a part whether covered or not, will be paid for if caused by a covered part."
Does this mean the engine is covered if the timing belt lets go then? Or can they still worm their way out of that one too?
Second hand car warranties. Don't go there.
|
|
I'd bet damage caused by CB failure is something they don't pay out on.Surely a broken bracket is not wear and tear?
|
Tell me about it, they wanted £200 for the exhaust - they are literally banking on people's ignorance. If it had happened to my parents they would just pay out to get 'the job done properly' - I poped into the local garage across the road from my office & paid them £10 to weld it back on. As regards the clutch, I guess it will always go at some point so better that it only costs me £120 for a whole new one now than £600 in 6 months time.
I've learned my lesson though - I'd have been better off paying £1500 less for one out of Autotrader & paying for all the work myself...
Funny thing is, when car was new the air-mass meter went giving flat-spots in acceleration, and they replaced that under warranty - surely that's massively a wear part - and they replaced a whole rattling seat frame too for nothing!
|
|
Airflow meter on these is essentially a 'solid state' device - there are no moving parts. Most airflow meters should last the life of the vehicle (10+ years).
|
|
