Can anyone advise please

worried123

Hi thereI registered with and posted on two separate motoring sites but nobody replied to my message so thought I would come here because you are a helpful bunch of chaps and I think I have more chance of being helped.I know this isnt really an appropriate problem for Martin`s site but thought you might be able to help. Many thanks to anybody who could advise me please. Perhaps there might be some mechanics using this site - or just any chaps who really know about cars.Its about my car. I do not know anything in the world about cars and I am a damsal in distress!!I have a vauxhall corsa sxi 1.2 and I have had it from new five years ago. It has done 47,000 miles.I have had no problems with my car whatsoever up until about 4 months ago when the gear selector kept getting stuck - couldnt get it in gear and I left it until I could not get it in reverse. The chap who always does my car (small independent mechanic on his own) replaced the gear selector and this was great afterwards - however, because I had left the problem for so long it had affected my clutch and two weeks ago I had it replaced. The guty who usually looks after my car (and does a really good job) quoted me a really high price around £500 to up to £650 if the `bearing` (i think!) also needed replacing. I simply could not afford this and so I rang around and used a local place who replaced my clutch for £230 with a 2 year guarantee.....They only fit clutches and gear boxes.Initially I was pleased with it because I could now drive up hills and the over revving had stopped.......BUT - my car does not feel right now....it is uncomfortable to drive and almost feels like an `old car` - before I had the gearstick and consequent clutch problem my car was always smooth and very quiet and was always perfectly still (when stationary at lights for example) now it sounds noisy and there is a `roughness` to the car - not exactly a grating but a kind of roughness and I am very aware of the noise of the car.....I might just be being neurotic but I can now really hear the engine and also the car slightly vibrates - the gear stick will vibrate slightly whereas before my car was perfectly still.........I have tried to tell myself that perhaps it just needs a good service (I have not had a service for quite a long time because of finances). Also when I stop the car and put the hand brake on - if I am on a slight incline it will make a loud creaking noise and roll back slightly..............My car simply does not feel right.I do have a distrust of mechanics (being a single lady who knows nothing about cars - I do however trust the guy who usually looks after my car - but I dont feel able to go to him now because when he quoted such a high price for the clutch I told him that I would have to find somebody else to fit the clutch).Also - although I know nothing about cars - the problem does not feel like the clutch - it feels like the basic engine/running of the car has altered since the new clutch was put in.My dilemma is : I know absolutely nothing about cars and cannot at this moment in time afford to spend any more money on it. Also my car is a necessity for work - I travel widely with my work and without it I cannot work.Do you think the changes in my car - these symptoms - are due to the new clutch being fitted at all. (I also think they use re-conditioned clutches). I also worry that I might contact them and be told that I now need a new bearing or gear box etc......and could not afford it etc. Also because they only deal in clutches and gear boxes they might think me a bit odd to tell them about all the other strange things happening with the car since the clutch replacement............Could anybody help please - could fitting a new clutch make these horrible sensations and alterations in my car.Many thanks to anybody at all who could tell me what they think.Apologies for long post.Best wishes

worried123

Is there a mechanic or car buff in the house please.

finished

worried123 wrote: »

Hi thereI registered with and posted on two separate motoring sites but nobody replied to my message so thought I would come here because you are a helpful bunch of chaps and I think I have more chance of being helped.I know this isnt really an appropriate problem for Martin`s site but thought you might be able to help. Many thanks to anybody who could advise me please. Perhaps there might be some mechanics using this site - or just any chaps who really know about cars.Its about my car. I do not know anything in the world about cars and I am a damsal in distress!!I have a vauxhall corsa sxi 1.2 and I have had it from new five years ago. It has done 47,000 miles.I have had no problems with my car whatsoever up until about 4 months ago when the gear selector kept getting stuck - couldnt get it in gear and I left it until I could not get it in reverse. The chap who always does my car (small independent mechanic on his own) replaced the gear selector and this was great afterwards - however, because I had left the problem for so long it had affected my clutch and two weeks ago I had it replaced. The guty who usually looks after my car (and does a really good job) quoted me a really high price around £500 to up to £650 if the `bearing` (i think!) also needed replacing. I simply could not afford this and so I rang around and used a local place who replaced my clutch for £230 with a 2 year guarantee.....They only fit clutches and gear boxes.Initially I was pleased with it because I could now drive up hills and the over revving had stopped.......BUT - my car does not feel right now....it is uncomfortable to drive and almost feels like an `old car` - before I had the gearstick and consequent clutch problem my car was always smooth and very quiet and was always perfectly still (when stationary at lights for example) now it sounds noisy and there is a `roughness` to the car - not exactly a grating but a kind of roughness and I am very aware of the noise of the car.....I might just be being neurotic but I can now really hear the engine and also the car slightly vibrates - the gear stick will vibrate slightly whereas before my car was perfectly still.........I have tried to tell myself that perhaps it just needs a good service (I have not had a service for quite a long time because of finances). Also when I stop the car and put the hand brake on - if I am on a slight incline it will make a loud creaking noise and roll back slightly..............My car simply does not feel right.I do have a distrust of mechanics (being a single lady who knows nothing about cars - I do however trust the guy who usually looks after my car - but I dont feel able to go to him now because when he quoted such a high price for the clutch I told him that I would have to find somebody else to fit the clutch).Also - although I know nothing about cars - the problem does not feel like the clutch - it feels like the basic engine/running of the car has altered since the new clutch was put in.My dilemma is : I know absolutely nothing about cars and cannot at this moment in time afford to spend any more money on it. Also my car is a necessity for work - I travel widely with my work and without it I cannot work.Do you think the changes in my car - these symptoms - are due to the new clutch being fitted at all. (I also think they use re-conditioned clutches). I also worry that I might contact them and be told that I now need a new bearing or gear box etc......and could not afford it etc. Also because they only deal in clutches and gear boxes they might think me a bit odd to tell them about all the other strange things happening with the car since the clutch replacement............Could anybody help please - could fitting a new clutch make these horrible sensations and alterations in my car.Many thanks to anybody at all who could tell me what they think.Apologies for long post.Best wishes

they must have replaced the clutch ,its why you can drive up hills without overrevving.what bearing did they mention needed replaced?clutch bearing?its cheap and should have been replaced with the clutch plate.as for the vibration in gear stick doubt if its the gear box causing it with clutch replaced but gearbox mountings may have been worn before and if they were just put back they may be at fault if so not expensive to repair.

worried123

Very many thanks for your reply......I know they did replace the clutch and they did not mention bearings at all....but just wondered whether by doing so it could have altered the whole feel of the car etc........I think that I shall contact them.Thank you.
PS I have written down what you have explained - thank youIf it actually is the gearbox mountings would they be causing the noisiness of the car at all....and do you know roughly how much to repair. Thank you

Inactive

Your " trusted " repair man probably quoted you for quality parts and a proper job, the cheapo alternative repairer probably used inferior parts and skimped the job.

Sadly the old saying, you get what you pay for, in this case sounds like it has come true.

worried123

Many thanks for your reply. I do agree that had my usual guy replaced the clutch he would have done a perfect job...but what he quoted was very high and when I rang around for other quotes what i paid was around the average price. I will ring chap who fitted it on monday though

gilbert_and_sullivan

I'd be inclined to pop back to the clutch place that did the job, it may be something very simple like the exhaust is not routed correctly or something else engine/gearbox wise is touching the body work where it wasn't before.

If you didn't fall out with your trusted indy, you could always get him to service the thing and have a good poke nose whilst he's in there, which any good mechanic will do anyway.

You arn't saving money by skimping on servicing by the way, small wear and tear items left neglected can cause expensive further damage.

worried123

Thank you very much for your help All the best