Intermittent clutch issues on used Corsa - return or repair?

BuyersRemorse

We bought a used Corsa a few weeks ago. Everything was great, except that we soon noticed an occasional issue with the clutch sticking down and not being able to put the car into gear (or get it out of the gear it’s in). The dealer who sold it to us had it assessed by a specialist garage and they replaced the clutch and slave cylinder, but the issue kept occurring, so we returned it to the garage again. They have now taken it for a few test drives but didn’t observe the issue, so they’re saying there’s nothing they can do. Having spoken to someone knowledgeable about it, it seems most likely it’s the master cylinder which is the problem, but they seem reluctant to replace it without having observed the issue for themselves.  

The seller has already said that if it isn’t resolved we can return it for a full refund, even though the 30 day period has just passed, which seems very decent. However, we do like the car and are not keen to have to start from scratch looking for another one. Is it worth trying to get a different garage to look at it, possibly at our own expense? Or is this the moment to just walk away with our money and try our luck with another car? 

fatbelly

If the dealer can't resolve it, and is offering a full refund then I would take it.

There are plenty of used cars out there with functioning clutches.

Goudy

I know some model Corsas (D and E) have torsion spring on the clutch pedal that helps return the pedal back up.
They are prone to breaking or slipping off.

It's a common issue and the Corsa forums are full of posts about it.

You can buy an uprated, carbon steel springs for a few quid that clips under the pedal and does away with the other, broken spring that seems to sort the problem out. 

Vauxhall Opel Corsa D and E improved Design Clutch Assist Spring 2006-2019
(watch the video)

The only other fix is to remove and replace the pedal box and that can be expensive and you still have the weak spring.

BuyersRemorse

Goudy said:

I know some model Corsas (D and E) have torsion spring on the clutch pedal that helps return the pedal back up.
They are prone to breaking or slipping off.

It's a common issue and the Corsa forums are full of posts about it.

You can buy an uprated, carbon steel springs for a few quid that clips under the pedal and does away with the other, broken spring that seems to sort the problem out. 

The only other fix is to remove and replace the pedal box and that can be expensive and you still have the weak spring.

Thanks for this - yes, I’ve read about the spring and suggested they investigate this but they seemed reluctant as opening up the pedal box would be a lot of work and it’s not clear who would pay for it if it’s not guaranteed to solve the problem. The X8R spring looks like a good alternative solution so thanks for that!