How to pursue this clutch problem

[fivade]

Hi guys,
Firstly, just want to say hello. I'm new here, and fairly new to Audi ownership.

Anyway, I bought a used 2012 (61 plate) A4 S-Line from Arnold Clark. 1 previous owner (Audi themselves), 39k on the clock.
Had it a few months now (now 44k miles), and just noticed the clutch is slipping in 5th & 6th.

I gave Arnold Clark a phone this morning and they are basically saying I'd need to authorise the removal, and if it turns out to be a clutch "fault" then they'll repair it, otherwise if it's "driver error" or "wear and tear" I'd be footing the bill. They hinted at somewhere around £1,100 for the clutch inc fitting.

Got some other quotes to have the work done, quoted around £1k for clutch & flywheel.

My thoughts are that if I ask AC to do the work, and it turns out to need clutch+flywheel the bill could be £2k+, and even if (big if) they halfed-in I would still be looking at a bill of £1k.
Whereas I could go elsewhere and go elsewhere and get the whole job done for this price.

Any opinions and advice welcome.. thanks.

David

[rafletcher]

If you want it to be considered under warranty then you've no choice but to use Audi.

[zollaf]

how long have you owned it and are arnold clark a franchised dealer or just a used car sales place.

[rafletcher]

how long have you owned it and are arnold clark a franchised dealer or just a used car sales place.

I did wonder about that (the AC bit) but assumed (perhaps wrongly) that as the only previous owner had been Audi and the mileage wasn't stratospheric they might be an Audi dealer. Googling shows hat AC may well NOT be a Audi dealer so may be they have a deal to buy from Audi high mileage demonstrators. Either way the warranty will be with the seller, and that's where the OP will need to go IF they at to have it looked at as warranty issue.

[zollaf]

Court rejects dealer's right to repair - Car Dealer Magazine

then he should look at this and see what he thinks.

[rafletcher]

That wasn't under warranty though I don't think, and most warranties will stipulate where you go - as they're sold by the dealer. If no warranty then he can try the other route and take his chances in court - as that was a civil case in a magistrates court I'm not sure if any "precedent" has been set in law, despite what the article implies. Also it refers to "returns and repair policy" AC are a well established major retailer and may well have one documented - again, worth checking.

[xtremist]

Bear in mind that a clutch is a consumable, I'm sure they will say it's worn out.

IIRC, Audi have a fixed fee charge for clutches (£749), however, they are likely to say that the DMF will need to be replaced, they charge circa £1k for the part and a few hundred for fitting. Yoi won't get much change out of £2k.

I would go to an indy and get Audi & DMF replaced.

[zollaf]

you could say that it is reasonable for a clutch to last more than 5,000 miles. yes it is a consumable, but to be slipping now it must have been very worn when the car was sold. if this is within 6 months then according to the sales of goods act it would be down to the dealer to prove the fault was not present when the car was sold, not down to the owner to prove it was.
this warranty thing is a bit confusing though. the car has a warranty from the supplying dealer for 6 months, at least for that period they are responsible for what might go wrong with it. the sales of goods act is there or all to use, but not many understand it.

[rafletcher]

I'd also say the SoG act applies to items bought new when talking about the intial 6 month defect period - I don't know as I've never considered it for used items, but I suspect a 2 year old 50,000 mile car would fall outside the scope of the initial 6 months defect period for SoG. But IANAL :-). And as has been said clutches are consumables, and yes it may well have been worn at 50k, if the previous drivers rode the clutch a lot. Should a selling dealer be responsible for a worn clutch - no. And I would doubt very much that after 50k miles anyone could prove a manufacturing defect- so I say, get the clutch replaced by an indy at the best price and put it down to experience.