Seems strange but I guess if the previous owner had driven with the foot resting on the clutch it may have been “ abused”
Just took my daughters 71 plate corsa for a service and was informed the clutch pedal was right at the top of its travel - must admit I hadn’t noticed it
She bought it maybe 5 months ago from cazoo with 11500 on the clock
Vauxhall are suggesting £750 to disassemble- if it’s fault then it’s warranted but if it’s abuse they say around £1500
Apparently there is also air intake hose missing which I’ll need to source
According to the service history pdi on13/01/22 - serviced on 11/2/23 at 8700 miles and today at 13400
Caffyns said it had been serviced to spec
Thoughts for the collective
Last edited by lewie; 28th February 2024 at 17:14.
Seems strange but I guess if the previous owner had driven with the foot resting on the clutch it may have been “ abused”
It's low mileage, your daughter's done under 2000 miles, it's been serviced to spec. Unless your daughter's a hooligan she won't have worn it out, but I wonder how you prove that unless there's a really obvious broken part. It could have been worn to death by the previous person and your daughter's been left holding the baby, so it's worn out and there's no real way to say when the wear occurred, just that then clutch is worn out. I'd certainly ask Vauxhall how they'd make the determination before I spent £750 to have it taken apart.
I'd go back and push Cazoo very hard indeed, maybe even look to return the car.
Other option - get a local garage to swap the clutch (which may well not cost even the £750 disassembly fee). That would leave a bad taste in my mouth, but at least then I'd know that I had a brand-new clutch.
Previous owner might have been 'elderly'. Used to see a lot of worn out clutches back in the day when elderly drivers slipped the clutch. Remember replacing the clutch in a 2.0 litre MK4 Cortina under warranty, only to watch the owner pull away slipping the clutch at a valve bending Rpm.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
If the local garage is reputable you could still pursue a claim with Vauxhall once the clutch is removed as will have the parts ? The AA used to provide a service where they gave their opinion on worn parts - maybe a video of its removal and a mark put on it would prevent an objection have swapped the parts.
I think I would be going independent on this as clutches are considered "wear" items so can see it being more likely blamed as wear than faulty so I would look to get the most economical clutch replacement but be ready to collect evidence to support a claim if something strange is found inside.
My daughters is a good driver and doesn’t ride the couch but yeh probably the original owner
She’s going to contact cazoo but I don’t hold out hope
It seemed to drive fine to me - although I’m now driving an auto myself
I have a mate who owns a garage - hes moting my other daughters car Friday so I’ll sound him out on cost
If it were me I’d probably drive it it and if it goes or gets worse get an indi to replace it
I had an elderly customer that could kill a clutch in 500 miles! I suggested he should move to an auto but costs were against it, I did out in the car with him to check it wasn’t a part failure problem, came back white with fear, killing clutches was the least of his driving problems.
My cousin always rides the clutch at junctions rather than neutral and handbrake, a clutch every 3 years seems normal to her even at low ish mileage.
Warranties on clutches are difficult to manage unless it is an obvious breakage as ‘wear and tear’ are easy to inflict and hard to diagnose without dismantling the parts, good luck with redress to the seller.
Christ, my car did about 90,000 + on the original clutch and was only changed as a precaution. It was still working perfectly
Must have been a really naff driver who previously owned it
Isn't Cazoo going bust or under administration?
I think you should focus on the missing air intake hose and take it up with Cazoo
These things don’t just fall off so there is something odd there - almost fishy when you add it to a knackered clutch at such low mileage.
I watched a Corsa being reversed into a driveway by an elderly driver the other day and they did it by feathering the clutch at c3krpm about 25x. I'm guessing doing that a couple of times a day would wear it out pretty quickly.
As an aside my other half sits with the clutch fully depressed at traffic lights etc whereas I do neutral/handbrake. I'm convinced it must cause additional wear but the web suggests otherwise.
I am with you. And I have my doubts when it comes to road safety: an easy way to hit the back of another car waiting for the lights when your foot slips off the pedal.As an aside my other half sits with the clutch fully depressed at traffic lights etc whereas I do neutral/handbrake. I'm convinced it must cause additional wear but the web suggests otherwise.
And the interesting part is, that when you take these Hondas apart, you'll notice that the materials they've used are not 5, 6, 7x better than other brands. Honda engineers are capable of making ordinary parts work better.500.000 km (yes, that's half a milion), Honda Civic 1.5 Lsi, 1993
Last edited by thieuster; 29th February 2024 at 09:24.
I guess it is down to driving style. I've never needed a new clutch in all the time I have been driving - 50 years!
Cheers,
Neil.
I was taught that the reason for not sitting in gear/clutch disengaged at traffic lights was in case you got rear-ended; you would be much more likely to end up in the middle of the junction than if you were in neutral/handbrake engaged. Sort of the reverse of your scenario.
When my Vauxhall Cavalier CDi was stolen in Belfast in the 1980s, the joyriders who stole it burnt the clutch out within hours (and the police who found it - with the engine still running - wouldn't go near it in case it had been booby trapped, just told me where it was). One of only two clutches that I've had to change in many years of driving.
You could be describing my late Dad there
He was on first name terms with the clutch fitter at the garage Sent from my SM-A736B using TZ-UK mobile app
My Corsa van 1.3d has just turned over 94k on an 18 plate. It does get driven quite hard but that’s still on the original clutch. I was a little worried about reliability when the van first arrived but it’s been brilliant over the years.
My daughter bought a car from Cazoo,
a copy of what I put on Linkedin just after she got it-
"Anyone used Cazoo for buying a used car? “A better way to buy a used car” is their line along with “every vehicle going through a 330-point inspection”. If you haven’t used them and thinking of, please do yourself a favour and don’t.
My daughter bought from them, opting for the pickup option. Very slick, cover on the car in a showroom, big reveal, ta da!
Next 30 mins spent fending off do you want extended warranty, paintwork protection, service plan etc etc. Finally, she got out as they were locking up.
3 miles down the road the engine light comes on- red, engine fault stop. Obviously, she pulled up and rang them. 35 minutes later they answered. Asked her to restart the car and the light had gone to amber. They told her to drive home and ring back the next day.
She actually drove to her Dad’s, me. The engine light was on, the tyre pressure warning was malfunctioning, the climate control wasn’t working, the air con compressor was houling like a banshee and no number plate lights working. The service book was stamped by them the day before along with the alleged 330-point inspection.
They can’t get it in a garage to be looked at for over a week, which takes her past the 7-day return cover they give. Try to ring the customer service, never waited less than 30 mins for them to answer. However, ring the sales line, answered almost straight away.
Insult to injury their approved garage just rang to cancel the appointment that was made for them to fix the car as the mechanic has broken his arm and they don’t know when he’ll be back. Who is this one man band they are using.
Currently on 28 mins waiting for the shysters at Cazoo to answer my call.
It’s never the problem that loses customers but the reaction to the problem. The car obviously hadn’t been serviced or inspected, Cazoo should fess up, apologise and get my daughters car picked up, leaving her a courtesy car, sort it out and re start the 7-day money back period.
Rant over, just don’t want anyone else to be taken in with their smoke and mirrors set up."
The car has to be fit for purpose (for at least 6 months after purchase) and your daughters car clearly isn't if the clutch is gone.
^^^^^^One for 'ze list": then.
Sorry to hear it's been a $hit show for her...
Why didn't she just ask for a refund, reject the car, they have already stater hat they are too busy to fix it, therefore you have already given them their opportunity
Cazoo is in administration now, if it’s any consolation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjq55333xg9o
Most of the 'car warehouse' places are long on adverts and prices and short on problem solving/maintenance.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
These places are stack 'em and sell 'em outfits. Does anyone really believe the cars they're punting out are checked over by a team of expert mechanics, overseen by a kindly management who want the best for the customer?
If so I have a bridge in London and the skull of Oliver Cromwell when he was a boy you can buy.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I wonder if the Corsa was an ex hire car, ie. several uncareful drivers abusing the clutch and one who nicked a hose from under the bonnet. Hope it's gets sorted without too much fuss or expense.
Possibly
I’ve replaced the hose (eBay £35) tbh she hadn’t noticed it- I have a friend with a garage who would replace it should the worst happen
As has been said they’re about to collapse and Vauxhall weren’t really helpful - I could have paid £800 to have it torn apart and if defective it would ‘possibly’ have been covered
Probably clocked.
It’s only 350 quid to get a blocked in a car. I know a lot of people who get a car a prestige car on lease with the lowest mileage possible to save money and get the blocker dog.
The next poor dog is buying a car thinking it’s done 20k miles when it’s done 70k.
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