Car Warranty Question

xbrenx

Hi
We bought a used car on 2 September 2011. 28 December it broke down and the RAC had to be called out. They towed us to our mechanic, someone we've been using for years.
It turned out the clutch had completely broken, forgive me, I really don't remember what he said. Also, the flywheel he described as disintegrated.

When we bought the car, we didn't take out any warranty, trying to keep costs down. The total repair came to just over £1000. What I'd like to know is, should the garage we bought it from have known about this issue, is it something that a general check would've shown up? Also, can we expect the garage to pay any of this bill, simply because we've only had it a few months?

I believe that as we didn't take any warranty, we're liable but I have been told that the car should really be roadworthy for 6 months.

I'll take all answers on the chin, we realise that we should've just had a year warranty and we've learnt from it - just wondering where we stand really.
Thanks for any help.

Foxy-Stoat_3

Whats the car, age and mileage and price?

Seeing as you have had the car repaired without giving the garage time to look at it and repair I doubt you will have any recourse now.

Clutches and flywheels are often excluded on warranties as these are wearable items and not designed to last forever.

xbrenx

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

Clutches and flywheels are often excluded on warranties as these are wearable items and not designed to last forever.

Ah so will stop beating myself up about not taking one out then.

flashg67

It's not possible to check the wear on the clutch and flywheel without distmantling - if the clutch operated fine in September with no slipping, juddering, or rattling noises, then depending on the age/mileage, would be considered wear & tear I'm afraid, and as above, excluded from warranty anyway, sorry

pendulum

If the clutch had broken (rather than the friction plate just worn out, as they do) and flywheel disintegrated, you might have had a claim under the warranty, although I doubt it. It's too late now as you didn't give the seller a chance to rectify the problem.

Jamie1981

xbrenx wrote: »

Ah so will stop beating myself up about not taking one out then.

Thats the best way to think about it as we all learn from our experiences however costly (even though it pains us to do so sometimes).

As mentioned, wear and tear items are often excluded. Since it was not long before the clutch and flywheel gave out from purchase there should have been signs that the clutch was failing. As mentioned, slipping, juddering etc. Did you experience any of this? I have not heard to much about clutches and flywheels just giving up the ghost with no warning.

Just out of interest, you dont have an astra or vectra 150 cdti do you?

gilbert_and_sullivan

At that cost it sounds like a DMF broke up.

Its just one of those things and part of the pleasure? of the ownership of modern cars.

If you were very experienced you might as said above have picked up on rattling noise of juddering coming from the clutch.

The seller might well have sorted it for you, but i doubt any of the aftermarket warranty companies would have paid out.

That was a nice Christmas bonus for you, bad luck.

xbrenx

Jamie1981 wrote: »

Just out of interest, you dont have an astra or vectra 150 cdti do you?

It is a Vectra - not sure of the 150 though. Vectra 1.9 CDTI Life.
Please please please don't tell me we're doomed.

Slipping, juddering, there was one occasion when I couldn't get into gear, any gear, I switched the engine off waited a few minutes then on again and everything was fine so never thought any more of it. That was just a couple of days before it died completely though.