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[w3526602]

 

Hi,

Last week I could drive Barbara's car down the High Street, in first gear, at 20mph, kick the accelerator, and hear a gentle squeal from the front tyres. Doing the same thing on a roundabout got much more "interesting".

Her car is a just-over 3 year old Hyundia iX20 (1600cc) with 9000 miles on the clock from new, full service history by the main dealers.

I do not drive with my foot on the clutch pedal, nor do I slip the clutch when doing a standing start. The front tyres were renewed a few weeks ago, with sub-10,000 miles on the clock, at the same time as the service. No comments were made about the clutch, although they DID comment about a scratch on a rear door .... somebody had left a builders bucket, full of rubble, between my car and the car parked next to me. My rear passenger opened my door. 

We had to call the main dealers to collect the car over the weekend, due to sudden on-set of severe clutch slip, requiring minimum throttle, even in first gear. They have quoted a smidgen under £1,000 to replace the clutch (OK, they are MAIN DEALERS, but even so ......)

Question! In view of my comments above, is it likely that that my "abuse" could have caused such a sudden and severe failure.

The garage reported back, saying it needs a new clutch. I assume they made that diagnosis, without any dismantling ... I had already made the same diagnosis, but the low milage threw some doubt into the my mind.

We have spent some time discussing the matter. Our options seem to be ....

A) Pay to have the clutch replaced, accept the £1,000

B) Trade the car in, as it stands, against a new car of but the same marque, which suggestion seems to concentrate their minds.

C) Trade the car in, as it stands, for a new car of a different marque, which has not yet been mentioned to the Hyundai dealer. My choice would be a DACIA.

D) Go and buy a second-hand, one owner, FSH, VED Exempt, SAAB 900i ..... they do exist, at Lo-bucks. Drive the Hyundai into my secret garden, and wait for the return the "£3,000 TRADE IN on anything".

Answers on a postcard, please, nothing is likely to happen in the next 24 hours.

New cars are available without VAT, for the use of disabled persons .... but they must be extensively adapted .... welding is expected. Such cars may be used by able bodied family members. Barbara has not been out of her bed for about a year .... it would require mechanical handling, plus well muscled carers.

I am thinking of writing to Nick Knowles, presenter of DIY -SOS on Channel 132, weekday mornings at 10.00hrs, and again at 11.00hrs, suggesting that he publishes a book similar to John Seymour's SELF SUFFICIENCY.

DIY SOS ... if you haven't seen it ... records the good deeds (FOC) carried out by dozens of building tradesmen, on houses occupied by severely disabled adults and children. Tears are frequently shed by "hairy A'd" builders. It's not unusual to have a tower crane set up to lift residential caravans over ex-Local Authority houses. Kidney Dialasis machines have been installed in spare bedrooms (I think they are available on the web for £1,000 to £2,000).

It's starting on TV   ... NOW.

602

Unfortunately, I don't think Barbara is bad enough to be exigible

[DogDave]

What’s the warranty on a Hyundai? I thought they were famous for having a long one - 5 yrs or something?

If so I’d try and argue that the clutch on such a low mileage and young vehicle should not have worn out and should be a warranty replacement.

[Mycroft]

You're being taken on a ride imv.

1. Check your warranty. 3 years - you might find you're covered

2. Look at online/mobile mechanic quotes eg ClickMechanic, whose online quotation system reckons £286

3. Don't buy a new replacement car. By far the biggest cost of ownership - even topping dodgy clutch quotes - is depreciation

Worth half an hour of your time checking warranty and online I suspect

[Wittsend]

We now use Formula 1 Auto Centres to service our cars. Had very good service and good value 

There's a branch in most towns and there's one near you at MK1 1JQ.

Worth an ask and a quotation - can't be anywhere near £1000. I doubt the actual part costs that much and at £100 ish per hour, how long does changing the clutch take

Then, there places that just specialise in changing clutches - Mr Clutch

I would say your driving style is not the best on the clutch, but only 9,000 miles 

New tyres at 9,000 miles 
What sort of tyres do you have fitted ?
Are you related to Lewis Hamilton ?
On my car I've done 25,000 miles and there's still plenty of tread left.



 

[Craig T]

9000 miles and 3 years is nothing on a clutch, it won't be worn out.

Having a quick Google of the problems suggest oil seals at the input shaft to the gearbox can fail filling the clutch with oil.

I would refuse to pay until they take it apart, get the clutch out and show you in person that it is worn and needs replacing. If it is oil soaked and slipping from oil contamination then they should replace it all including the oil seal under warranty.

Craig.

[diffwhine]

I'd agree with Craig. You've been in the business since God was a boy, so will undoubtedly know if you or anybody else has been slipping a clutch. You also have to be going some to trash any clutch that quickly (unless your are an American Tourist driving a "stick shift" rental car on holiday over here for the first time.

Putting my JLR warranty auditor's hat back on for a few minutes... If, as Craig suggests, its a cascade fault (caused by another component failure) then warranty should cover it. If the clutch (and cover assembly) are proven to be worn out due to normal driving and there is no other fault, I'd be asking some serious questions. My own experience of Hyundai having had three Ioniq rental vehicles has been extremely good. You will struggle to find a more reliable brand at the moment.

If you are an RAC or AA member, it could be worth getting an inspector's second opinion if the dealer starts to play games. I bet some spotty faced youf has done a quick diagnosis test, seen it's owned by pensioners and made incorrect assumptions.

[autorover1]

My local Fiat dealer wanted me to fund £1000  to dismantle the clutch to confirm the dual mass flywheel needed replacement as I was experiencing a slight judder and then another £800 or more if it needed changing? Local independent agreed it was the flywheel but was not really bad enough to need changing as he could only just detect it , perhaps I am too finicky  .
Hasn't Hyundai a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty ? I had an i10 and they paid out on all sorts small warranty issues including a cracked stop light lens

[w3526602]

Hi,

Thanks for the kind words. I think Hyundai and Kia (sisters) both have 7 year warrantees, I think parts and labour.

I do not ride the pedal.

The car will give an audible "snick" of rubber of if I "kick down" at 20mph on a flat road, in first gear, or 2nd gear on roundabouts, or from stationary with a bit of welly .... but its the tyres that are squealing, not the clutch that is slipping. Probably a second childhood thingy. I usually run it up to 40mph in first gear.

One speeding ticket in 60 odd years....

"We have followed you for one mile. Your minimum speed was 70 mph. You maximum speed was 80mph. ... Your Minivan is restricted to 40mph. ... Miranda!"

This was before the National 70mph Speed Limit, on the A1, at 01.30 hours.

I attended court (60 miles away ... which seemed to impress Their Worships), pleaded NOT GUILTY, as I had paid Purchase Tax when I fitted rear seats. But, apparently you needed BOTH windows AND seats. Fined £2, and an apology from the Beaks for the endorsement.

What puzzles me was the almost instant change from a working clutch, to virtually no clutch.

Whatever, Barbara has decreed that she will pay for a new clutch, and then think about a new car .... but not a Hyundai, so someone has scored an own goal. The question is, should she buy another petrol, a hybrid, a full electric, or wait. (Remember that she is unable to get out of bed ... at all ... and has been for almost exactly 12 months).

We are sort of considering a WAV, but where could she go? She says even only to garden centres would be acceptable. The Legislation seems to say that she is entitled to VAT exemption on a brand new car, with me entitled to drive it, but it must be substantially modified for her disabilities (and most likely to have required welding, which would wipe out the VAT saving). Hmmm!

I expect the Main Dealer will claim the slipping clutch is my fault, or not covered under warrantee. Is my only hope to find the clutch friction plate is covered in oil, rather than worn.

Should we have been given a courtesy car?

602

[The Shed]

Yes I think you should be offered a Courtesy car. Friction plate will not be covered by warranty unless damaged caused by mechanical fault.
It is a gamble, go elsewhere and pay considerably less for your clutch, but discover it a manufacturing fault that caused the failure. 
There are many suppliers of ex-motability cars, many of them ready converted for wheelchairs. You may not be able to claim back the VaT but the car will be considerably cheaper.
And pretty sure you can use your DLA/Motability Allowance for the purchase.
All Together Now is a newspaper local to me dedicated to people with disabilities and features ad's from converted vehicle suppliers.
May-be worth an online search ?

[w3526602]

Hi Shed,

Thanks for comments and advice.

Barbara's car has not yet been returned/ No feedback, no courtesy car. Barbara has been 100% bed-bound for about a year now ... she relies on me being mobile.

Read the rules about MOTABILITY ... if you haven't got it before you turn 65, you have NO entitlement. The same applies to most other benefits. Over 65s are ONLY entitled to ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE, which used to be £80 per week full time, and £40 part time. I assume it has risen since I last saw the rules. AA is tax exempt.

Barbara gets the full entitlement, I only get half, which is not to be sneezed at. My Carers insist I should be getting the full amount, so I am preparing for a fire fight ... what have I got to lose?

I suppose I could demand a pair of new knees on the NHS, at $15,000 (?) EACH, which might concentrate their minds, as I assume that I would still need AA for a period afterwards.

Some time ago, I complained to my GP (whoever he is) that my pulse rate was too high. They gave me a very thorough (and expensive) medical, told me I was stupidly healthy, and asked why I was worried about 80BPM (aparently normal). I explained that it used to be 60BPM (but a long time ago). He seemed quite impressed.

Maybe I should ask if my medical records include Tuberculosis, which lost me a one year RAF tour to Hickham Field (which is where the two American fighter pilots "sortied" during the raid on Pearl Harbour ... mentioned during the film).  I was discharged, cured, after three weeks in bed at RAF Hospital Wroughton. No matter, I met and married Barbara. gave her two years living on Penang Island, 50 yards from the beach.  I think the RAF liked me. We flew our Malaysian mongrel to UK, in a QANTAS 707... £700 ... 9 months salary at that time, for a married corporal, living out, in UK.

I bet my GP doesn't know about my consultation with the Head Shrink in South Wales,  either. IQ = 130, and MQ = 140. "What does that mean?" I asked.

"Most of us have to get by with a Memory Quotient of 60!"

Whatever, he recommended my Medical Retirement from DVLA, almost 40 years ago.

Hmmm! Rising 16.00hrs. and still no news about the car. I couldn't take Wilkie to my daughter's at lunchtime, for his daily walk by by grandson. I hope somebody is going to deliver it on their way home. Doh! I made a note of the milage, before it was collected ... I wonder where I put it? We were pondering on trading it in for something new with batteries. I will enjoy telling the boss. 

602

[w3526602]

Hi,

Somebody mentioned clutch plates not being WARRANTABLE (or whatever the word is). My own understanding all that means is that they will not pay for a replacement without a fight.

The car was serviced only a few weeks ago, and has been serviced by a manufacturer's main dealer every year, since new. I have never touched it, other than looking at the dip stick every few months. No oil used between services.

A pair of the original tyres were replaced, by the main dealer, at the three year service, again a few months ago. I suppose only three years, and circa 10,000miles, on those tyres, could be claimed to be an indication of aggressive driving?

This is Barbara's third BRAND NEW Korean car (3 x KIAs plus 2 x HYUNDAIS), in a row, and the first hint of any problem.

Me? I'm happy to pay £1000 for a new clutch, take the car elsewhere (DACIA?) and trade it in.
Personally, I'd be happy to trade it for a battery powered car, even Korean, but not with that dealer .... but of course, I will tell him, afterwards.

I have asked for the old clutch parts, but he probably has a skip ful, and he has little to lose by showing me parts from another car. I have no reason to suspect his honesty.

Hmmm! Oil on clutch? Possible I suppose, but I have not been aware of any sudden drop in the sump level.

It's the suddenness that puzzles me. Only a few days ago, I was trying to provoke wheelspin by kicking the loud pedal at 20mph in first gear, hoping to hear a screech of rubber, but without success, but almost. The same test on a roundabout, was much more "interesting".

The clutch was gripping well, only a few days ago ..... and then it became difficult to NOT slip, even in first gear.

16.30, and still no news from the dealer. I feel a shirty letter coming over me. One crippled customer, plus one bed-bound customer, both with urgent needs for the former to visit the shops.

Watch this space!

602

[w3526602]

PS,

Google says ....

"Fastest 2015 Hyundai ix20 0-60 acceleration: 10.8 s to 60 mph"

How long did a Mini Cooper S take?

602

[w3526602]

Hi,

The original Mini Cooper S 1275cc of the late 1960s accelerated 0 - 60 in a very similar time.

I'll get my coat.

602

[Alan Drover]

A 1275 proper Mini Cooper S took about the same time but it is 50 years older and using what is basically a crude engine design with siamesed ports because when the original concept was copied as a mirror image of another design the camshaft was retained on the left hand side and to accommodate the pushrods the ports had to be siamesed and of course there was no electronic junk on them. The Downton tined ones were considerably quicker.

[Phil2014]

A modern Mini Cooper s does 0-60 in 6 something seconds.