Used Car Just Over 1 Year - Gearbox Fault!

bigjl

To be honest it sounds more like a clutch issue than a gearbox issue.

bigjl

Marktheshark wrote: »

Is it going in gear without the engine running OK.
It could be a hydraulic clutch air leak.

This.

Had the clutch fluid been changed?

Does gear selection get easier if you pump the clutch.

Slave or master cylinder problems are not unusual on cars with hydraulic clutches.

Our old Clio DCi (56 plate so same shape as OP) would occasionally be difficult to get out of gear, the clutch also occasionally started to stick down and have to be freed with your foot.

Car had more miles than the space shuttle and had given six hard years of almost faultess service. I was not interested in spending any money on a far with that many miles, so bye bye.

bigjl

Coeus wrote: »

Hi Silver-Surfer.

Thanks for the response - my understanding from discussion with the mechanic is that as a new gearbox is required this would usually not be attributable to wear and tear until near the end of a lifetime of the car.

Should it be inherent then - what do you think would be reasonable to request from Lookers?


Thanks,


Coeus,

Your mechanic if full of it.

It is extremely rare to have to replace a gearbox.

And even then the usual problem is noisy or worn bearings.

Not a difficulty in getting gears.

The most likely cause of not being able to get gears or have difficulty in gettin gears is damage caused by the driver, or the clutch not releasing properly.

s_b

let me be clear here
you are arguing car faulty and not fit for purpose
you are allowing selling dealer to strip
what if they find cause is operator error in their opinion?the car is on their ramp the hourly charge is racking up and what do you want them to do?
clio gearboxes do not just stop working but fair enough lets give it the benefit of the doubt
now whats the lottery numbers tonight please

bigjl

Coeus wrote: »

Hi Silver-Surfer.

The mechanic has only said that there is a fault in the gear selector, and that rather then replacing just this the more economical option would be to replace the entire gearbox.

Doesn't strictly say whether 'wear and tear' or 'inherent'.

In the former case I assume not a leg to stand on.

In the latter case would we have a good position to bargain with?


Thanks,


Coeus.

Sounds like your Mechanic is not capable of stripping the gearbox.

How could spending a few thousand on a brand new gearbox be the most economical solution?

It is easier for a Mechanic that doesn't know what they are talking about.

Has he even looked at the car or driver it?

Has he bled the clutch?

Changed the fluid?

Checked for leaks? Examined the clutch?

arcon5

Most mechanics wouldn't be capable of fixing a gearbox, it's a specialist job!


Love the way the cars been physically seen by a mechanic yet some arm chair mechanics around here are criticising him and/or disagreeing with the diagnostic despite never even having seen the vehicle.

societys_child

arcon5 wrote: »

Most mechanics wouldn't be capable of fixing a gearbox, it's a specialist job!

Hey thanks, as a DIYer and having stripped and repaired a few in my time, I must be a specialist! Who'd have thought

Love the way the cars been physically seen by a mechanic yet some arm chair mechanics around here are criticising him and/or disagreeing with the diagnostic despite never even having seen the vehicle.

But is he a mechanic (few and far between these days) or is he a parts fitter?

bigjl

arcon5 wrote: »

Most mechanics wouldn't be capable of fixing a gearbox, it's a specialist job!


Love the way the cars been physically seen by a mechanic yet some arm chair mechanics around here are criticising him and/or disagreeing with the diagnostic despite never even having seen the vehicle.

Because some of us used to diagnose the problems and tell the Mechanic what to fix.

If you push the clutch down and the car is difficult to get out of gear then the clutch is at fault, if the OP gives it a blip of revs and it comes out easier again it's a clutch problem.

If the OP pumps the clutch a few times and it becomes easier to get out of gear (or into gear) then it's the clutch.

You can drive a car with no clutch to compare. Simply drive along and try and pull the car out of gear (after lifting off) sometimes it is difficult to get out, give it a blip of throttle and it slips out nice and easy.

I drove my Renault 5 round the A406 for several miles when the clutch cable snapped.

bigjl

societys_child wrote: »

Hey thanks, as a DIYer and having stripped and repaired a few in my time, I must be a specialist! Who'd have thought


But is he a mechanic (few and far between these days) or is he a parts fitter?

Agreed, stripping a manual gearbox is not that difficult, time consuming and having a workshop manual to hand is a good idea.

I had a Mechanic back when I ran a garage that could strip down and rebuild a Renault gearbox in a day, he would swap bits from other boxes to make a good one, I don't fancy getting stuck into one now but if a Mechanic says it is better to put in a new gearbox instead of strip and repair as required then he is not much of a Mechanic.

And since the Mechanic would likely advise doing the clutch and slave cylinder and do a fluid change he would know that the likely cause would be sorted.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Mechanic had no intention of swapping the box, maybe give it a parts washer overall and some silver paint, instant recon box for some less scrupulous Mechanics.

As Injave already mentioned, my Clio had a similar issue, after well over 100k of often hard stop start town miles, my wife is not overly sympathetic with either a clutc or gearbox.

And just to clarify I can't see what this issue has to do with the selling dealer on a 5 year old car that has been trouble free for over a year.

Richard53

Lookers have offered to diagnose and contribute to the costs? Bite their hand off! After this length of time and mileage, you haven't a hope of claiming anything off them, except through goodwill. You seem to have some of that - don't waste it.