Used Car Problems

blondi82

We went to pick up our new car on 3rd August.
We noticed when driving at motorway speeds and applying the breaks there’s a vibration through the steering wheel. And a noise when using the clutch.

We called the garage, they said its just one of those things, it sounds like the thrust bearing and wheel balancing and there’s nothing they can do about it.
We took it to an independent garage, who agreed it was the thrust bearing but said he thought the problem was worn brake disks.
We the took it to Kwik fit for a brake test who said the brakes are in fine and there opinion this problem with the vibration is not brakes or balancing.
So we now have a car needing a new thrust bearing most garages say they only replace the whole clutch not just the bearing, and we have a vibration that we do not know what it is. The Garage we brought it from says its drivable so there’s not a problem, but the warranty company says you must not drive it when there is a problem this could void the warranty.

I have read the laws, on 6 months if there’s a fault etc but do the problems we have with our car fall under these or would they be classed as wear and tear?

The garage is awful there very rude, we brought an extended warranty, we were told had to be done, the day we picked up car, We paid they then said it couldn’t be done today but would be on Monday and we would receive confirmation on Tuesday.
Nothing came, asked them Wednesday said it had been done and we would receive it next day, nothing came double checked with company warranty was with, They advised no warranty had been set up so they had to called garage Thursday and got them to set it up it was then emailed to us by warranty company.

It was the wrong cover, and wrong Purchase date and Mot date. We called the garage Friday to tell them, they said they had amended the cover but not the purchase date and mot date didn’t need to be amended, we worried that this would void the warranty but they just kept repeating them self’s that it didn’t need to be changed, he then assured confirmation would arrive in the post on Saturday, nothing came, nor Monday contacted warranty company again who called the garage again only to find out they never amended any of it.
We have only been in such a rush to get the correct warranty due there being problems with the car.
We just cant understand it all they keep telling us to claim off the warranty but wont actually set it up correctly, so we have a car sat on our drive not knowing to drive it or not as it could void the warranty when correctly set up.

Sorry for such a long post but I am really at a loss of what to do any suggestions would be most appreciated

Thanks for your time all

Strider590

blondi82 wrote: »

but the warranty company says you must not drive it when there is a problem this could void the warranty.

I wouldn't bother about that, the warranty probably won't cover anything that ever likely to fail..... Or covers "everything except" and then lists 98% of the parts within the car.


As for the problems, thrust bearing is a wear and tear part.... The vibrations could be the DMF (if it's a Diesel), or could just as easily be down to cheap/nasty tyres, which are just impossible to balance correctly.

There's actually not a lot it could be, a decent independent with proper mechanics (not a monkey with a tyre iron) would be able to figure it out straight away.

I'm curious as to why Crapfit turned you away though, but then I guess they don't like messing with real faults in case you come back wanting a refund for the £1000 worth of unnecessary work they fleeced you for.

forgotmyname

A thrust bearing can last a long time before it fails. But they can fail quite suddenly with no noise also. Wear and tear so probably not covered under the warranty.

Whether the dealer should replace it is a tricky one. Its just a bit noisy so not failed.
If they do replace it they wont replace the clutch and other parts. So they may need replacing sooner rather than later also.
If paying for the job yourself it makes sense to do the entire clutch and DMF is it has one.

You need to take the car to a proper garage not kwik fit.

If your not happy with the car then reject it.

What car is it? How old? Mileage?

blondi82

Thanks for your reply’s, when you said about kwik fit I reallydid not know what you meant. I checked out there reviews and they’re really bad. Anyway took the Car else where for a brake test, and yes the brake disks were badly warped got them changed and the Steering wheel vibration has nowgone.



So it was of course the brakes as other mechanics had said.The garage we purchased the car from still says it was a balancing issue, even thou balancing did not fix the issue but the new brake disks did.

Strider590

blondi82 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply’s, when you said about kwik fit I reallydid not know what you meant. I checked out there reviews and they’re really bad. Anyway took the Car else where for a brake test, and yes the brake disks were badly warped got them changed and the Steering wheel vibration has nowgone.



So it was of course the brakes as other mechanics had said.The garage we purchased the car from still says it was a balancing issue, even thou balancing did not fix the issue but the new brake disks did.

Brake disc warping is an urban myth, as such impossible to see with the naked eye. The effect is actually caused by the pad material building up an uneven layer on the disc, usually because someone fitted cheap brake pads or has been driving like a lunatic.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/-warped-brake-disc-and-other-myths

But if it's fixed, it's fixed.

Take it easy on those new disc until the pads have deposited a nice even layer of material.

forgotmyname

I have had brake discs warp before. Big heavy V8 rovers though. The results of xx speed and very very late and heavy braking.

Being an auto didnt help, Virtually no engine braking.

arcon5

Surprised even KwikFit couldn't spot it tbh - takes nothing more than a simple DTI device.