Faulty car

Soarfree

thanks everyone for the feedback. My daughter was working the last two nights just home now. Turns out the second issue is with the clutch not the gearbox. Something to do with a ‘high bite’ We have yet to see the mechanic.
Ive not been great at car maintenance myself and didn’t pass on to my daughter to check oil, tyres etc

While I understand it’s something to regularly check the AA guy said the oil shouldn’t have needed to be topped up on my daughters car until the next service. Though another mechanic said this particular engine might need topped up monthly.
She works 10 mins away but uses the car a fair bit aside from work. I haven’t checked how many miles she has done.

With regard to car maintenance is there somewhere (Halfords?) that we can pay to go over all the checks to do on a car to keep it running safely?

Should we book it into a corsa garage to do a general health check?

My other daughter has also just bought a Kia ceed 2018. Her friends dad who’s into cars helped her a lot in finding a good car.

Both my daughters obviously wanted reliable cars. They are making the repayments and paying insurance themselves. And can just afford that on their wages. They were/are relying on them being relatively trouble free. I can help a bit financially but not much. (My own car is being sold for scrap this week- Nissan pulsar- spent a lot on repairs this last year) )

ps Daveyjp no idea what kind of engine it is. I hope it’s not pure junk.

She bought the car as soon as she could afford it. I had little say and I don’t know about cars anyway. My siblings would be very knowledgable but all live in Ireland. And over WhatsApp is not the same. She had mechanic friends her age advising her at the time that’s all.

Ayr_Rage

Oil level should always be a monthly check, irrespective of vehicle type or service interval, as should coolant and tyre pressures.

As for the clutch, it may well be due for replacement at 80,000 miles if it still the original.

Soarfree

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135676#Comment_82135676

yes thanks I heard that too- and I don’t know about the service history. I assume it has been changed once already. Will see if my daughter knows. She is just off a weekend of night shifts and is sleeping as she is working at 2 again today. She said yesterday she filled in a complaint form with cinch and since then her log in details haven’t worked.

I’ve not seen any of her correspondence with cinch.

I picked up the car with her in April. Everything seemed fine then

Soarfree

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135658#Comment_82135658

thanks Sheenas-just heard from her that it’s the clutch not the gearbox. Seems to have a high bite. The mechanic said the car should last for another year or so. She will be paying it off for four years. Will check in with the mechanic working on it when we pick it up. Looking like it won’t be ready until tomorrow now

Soarfree

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135699#Comment_82135699

ok that’s helpful to know thanks. Just spoke to her and she will look for service history from Cinch. They sent her a copy of the MOT from last December. Will check it out.

QrizB

With regard to car maintenance is there somewhere (Halfords?) that we can pay to go over all the checks to do on a car to keep it running safely?

I'm sure you could find a local independent garage (or even a chain like Halfords or Kwik fit) that would do your monthly vehicle checks for you.

Something like (EDIT) the Halfords "10 point car check":

https://www.halfords.com/car-repairs/car-checks/full-car-check-315006.html

Not terribly expensive at £15, so you're looking at £135 for 11 monthly checks through the year (the 12th month is your annual service). Do note that some of the checks include top-ups (eg. screen wash) but others don't (eg. oil), so you'll be charged extra if they need attention.

Or you (and your daughters) can save £135 a year (each) by learning how to check your tyres, fluids, wipers, lights etc. yourself (themselves).

LightFlare

I would say “buyer beware” with some of the well known “garages”

Do a forum or google search and you may see why

A good local indy would be my suggestion

Soarfree

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135762#Comment_82135762

thank you for that I did just look it up and Halfords offer a free 10 point check when you sign up to their free membership. And thank you- a monthly check at £15 a time sounds good to me. I reckon that’s their Christmas presents sorted :)

Soarfree

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135787#Comment_82135787

oh…thank you I will do a google search before buying their Christmas gift monthly services then!!

TELLIT01

A tyre which was legal in April won't necessarily be legal in September. She may have hit a pothole and affected the wheel alignment at some stage, so I don't think you will get anywhere complaining about that.

I suspect most people don't do weekly checks on their oil etc, as generally it isn't necessary on modern cars. However there are some which are notorious for using oil, so occasional checks are still a good idea.