Half way to work and...... Jolt!

**jdavis** · Sunday 26th January 2014, 23:01

Originally Posted by AndysR

Well if the flywheel was new then you'd have a guarantee so you may not need to enter into an argument with those that fitted it, if it's a second hand item and all appeared well when fitted then I doubt you'll have much comeback. If the flywheel has failed and it's knocking the engine management may just be interpreting the knock as misfire/det and retarding the timing which may explain your temperature issue

What that guy says ^^^
Gutted for you though James

**JamesT5** · Sunday 26th January 2014, 23:34

Originally Posted by stephenevans99

It Never Rains James.....like we said at the Two Henry's meet, sometimes it feels like 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I feel your pain mate.

I honestly can't understand why a clutch failure would effect the engine cooling.....BUT it is a P2

To be honest though Steve, I'm really excited now because I'll have another hire car to clay and polish......

**graemewelch** · Sunday 26th January 2014, 23:36

Originally Posted by JamesT5

To be honest though Steve, I'm really excited now because I'll have another hire car to clay and polish......

you can come and clay bar my car if it excites you that much. silly question i know but what are you planning to do with the car. as yout looking at a £600 bill for it to be repaired

**JamesT5** · Sunday 26th January 2014, 23:38

Originally Posted by graemewelch

you can come and clay bar my car if it excites you that much. silly question i know but what are you planning to do with the car. as yout looking at a £600 bill for it to be repaired

Keeping it for sure, it's just the clutch/flywheel that's the issue and part of the bill will be covered under my AA policy.

**Kingsford G** · Monday 27th January 2014, 07:59

I fit 2nd hand bits at the owners risk and no come back to me.I don`t think u can say anything to the garage really but to suppliers of dmf if it was covered say for 3 or 3 months warranty as some do.

**Harvey** · Monday 27th January 2014, 08:44

Most of the warranty firms won't. Cover any car that is over. 10 years old or over 120000 miles.
But the AA do you have a link for the info please might be worth a look.

**V70 Graham** · Monday 27th January 2014, 08:52

Originally Posted by Harvey

Most of the warranty firms won't. Cover any car that is over. 10 years old or over 120000 miles.
But the AA do you have a link for the info please might be worth a look.

Most also state you need to have had the car serviced as per manufacturers recommendation at a suitable garage.

**Harvey** · Monday 27th January 2014, 09:01

Originally Posted by V70 Graham

Most also state you need to have had the car serviced as per manufacturers recommendation at a suitable garage.

I do at the main dealers so that's ok with me.( I do wonder if Volvo main dealer are classed as suitable garage)

**V70 Graham** · Monday 27th January 2014, 09:03

Found this.....

http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover...pair-cover.jsp

**JamesT5** · Monday 27th January 2014, 09:25

I just phoned GRN but because they're not a VAT registered garage the AA won't deal with them.

**V70 Graham** · Monday 27th January 2014, 09:31

Originally Posted by JamesT5

I just phoned GRN but because they're not a VAT registered garage the AA won't deal with them.

Bloomin 'eck, not even 0930 and you've already had your first

**JamesT5** · Monday 27th January 2014, 09:37

Originally Posted by V70 Graham

Bloomin 'eck, not even 0930 and you've already had your first

GRN are my first choice and I said this to Benny on the phone but if the AA are too stubborn to deal with a reputable Specialist then there isn't much I can do.

I'm working on another plan as we speak but not saying a word..... yet.

**Redbrick** · Monday 27th January 2014, 18:10

I bet they class a failed DMF as 'worn out friction surface' and they won't pay up. I don't trust any 'warranty/insurance' company as far as I can throw them.

http://www.theaa.com/resources/Docum...cy-current.pdf

**JamesT5** · Monday 27th January 2014, 21:42

They've given me a 1.2 Vauxhall Corsa from Enterprise but only until Thursday. It's like driving a bloody milk float, I had to blow the guts out of it just to get any power out of it at all and I really appreciate the power of my T5 which I'm missing already.

As for repairs, I'm no further forward with getting the car fixed, either way I'm looking at a loan or something to pay for the repairs, AA garage cover withstanding or not.

What a mess!

**AAnickmac** · Monday 27th January 2014, 23:48

Normally the AA won't deal direct with any garage not on their recommended listings. But I know for a fact that the garage doesn't have to be vat registered. I had a member use a mobile mechanic before Christmas for repairs and after I double checked with the B R C line, they explained what would happen here is, you pay for Bill and the AA will pay you. Servicing wise, it just has to have been serviced in accordance with service schedule. Not necessarily dealer! Hope you get it sorted soon.

**V70 Graham** · Tuesday 28th January 2014, 08:24

Maybe better news James, keep us informed.

**JamesT5** · Tuesday 28th January 2014, 08:54

Originally Posted by AAnickmac

Normally the AA won't deal direct with any garage not on their recommended listings. But I know for a fact that the garage doesn't have to be vat registered. I had a member use a mobile mechanic before Christmas for repairs and after I double checked with the B R C line, they explained what would happen here is, you pay for Bill and the AA will pay you. Servicing wise, it just has to have been serviced in accordance with service schedule. Not necessarily dealer! Hope you get it sorted soon.

Interesting! The lady I spoke to at the call centre yesterday confirmed the garage must be VAT registered because I asked her directly. I could just get it trailered to GRN, get the damn thing fixed and then sweat over how to pay the bill but that really isn't a good idea.

**V70 Graham** · Tuesday 28th January 2014, 15:50

Originally Posted by JamesT5

.....then sweat over how to pay the bill but that really isn't a good idea.

Probably not, have you seen the size of Chad lol

**LeeT5** · Tuesday 28th January 2014, 20:01

Originally Posted by JamesT5

Interesting! The lady I spoke to at the call centre yesterday confirmed the garage must be VAT registered because I asked her directly. I could just get it trailered to GRN, get the damn thing fixed and then sweat over how to pay the bill but that really isn't a good idea.

Read the small print in your BRC booklet you would have been supplied with when you took out BRC with the AA.

It clearly says that the garage must be VAT registered. They will not deal with them if they are not. You must also be able to prove, if requested by the AA, that your vehicle has been serviced according to the vehicles maintenance schedule. I'll be honest with you, they rarely ask for proof.
One thing I will add mate is do not hold out on your claim being successful. It's down to the garage to investigate the cause of breakdown and then inform the AA BRC dept' of it's findings. Its then ultimately down to the AA to decide if the part that failed is covered. Wear and tear items will normally be refused (obviously) and your sailing on thin ice with this one because you knowingly fitted secondhand parts and you also, didn't have a new DMF when your clutch failed the last time. (correct me if I'm wrong)
If your claim is successful and they agree to pay out, then you'll get £465 max, because YOU will have to pay the excess (£35).

This story rings a big bell with a job I attended only last week!
.......Went out to a 57 plate BMW 520d with high miles. Member complaining that the engine was vibrating and didn't seem like it was firing correctly (as he put it). Anyway, I did all the normal checks, oil, coolant and visual inspection. There was No engine management light on either. I revved the engine and listened and within 30 seconds I knew what the fault was. I never actually told him what I thought but when I got out the vehicle and asked him if it had had any recent work done to it, he told me that it went to BMW dealer only two weeks ago for a new clutch. Being a 'lease' car, I then asked him...."Did they also replace the Dual Mass Flywheel"? Thinking the bloke wouldn't know what I meant, I was surprised when he replied...."No. The lease company told them not to replace it if it wasn't broken and would not pay for it if they fitted one". So the dealer ONLY replaced the Clutch and slave cylinder.
I then went on to explain that the fault was the DMF and that he would need to take it back to BMW. He wasn't happy!
Amazingly, I happen to bump into the guy at the Dealer only yesterday (I was with another BMW customer) and he said hello, thanked me and said to me..."You were absolutely spot on. It was the DMF and I'm here to pick it up now they've replaced, not only the DMF but also, the clutch and slave again, as BMW wouldn't warranty the clutch unless it was all replaced because the worn DMF may have prematurely aged/damaged the new clutch they fitted two weeks ago.
I agreed with him that it was the right thing to do and here's the clincher........Total cost to the lease company was £3800!!!!. That's, Two clutches, two slave cylinders, one DMF and two lots of labour and VAT.

A horrendously expensive lesson that the lease company probably won't learn BUT a very big lesson for anyone reading this and finds themselves about to have a clutch done on their car.

Fit a new DMF if your car has one, when replacing the clutch!!!

Can you imagine how sick you would be IF it were your own car and can you imagine how gutted the bloke would have been if it was his own? Nearly £4000 spent on a job that should have cost no more than £2000.

**JamesT5** · Tuesday 28th January 2014, 22:07

Originally Posted by LeeT5

Read the small print in your BRC booklet you would have been supplied with when you took out BRC with the AA.

It clearly says that the garage must be VAT registered. They will not deal with them if they are not. You must also be able to prove, if requested by the AA, that your vehicle has been serviced according to the vehicles maintenance schedule. I'll be honest with you, they rarely ask for proof.
One thing I will add mate is do not hold out on your claim being successful. It's down to the garage to investigate the cause of breakdown and then inform the AA BRC dept' of it's findings. Its then ultimately down to the AA to decide if the part that failed is covered. Wear and tear items will normally be refused (obviously) and your sailing on thin ice with this one because you knowingly fitted secondhand parts and you also, didn't have a new DMF when your clutch failed the last time. (correct me if I'm wrong)
If your claim is successful and they agree to pay out, then you'll get £465 max, because YOU will have to pay the excess (£35).

This story rings a big bell with a job I attended only last week!
.......Went out to a 57 plate BMW 520d with high miles. Member complaining that the engine was vibrating and didn't seem like it was firing correctly (as he put it). Anyway, I did all the normal checks, oil, coolant and visual inspection. There was No engine management light on either. I revved the engine and listened and within 30 seconds I knew what the fault was. I never actually told him what I thought but when I got out the vehicle and asked him if it had had any recent work done to it, he told me that it went to BMW dealer only two weeks ago for a new clutch. Being a 'lease' car, I then asked him...."Did they also replace the Dual Mass Flywheel"? Thinking the bloke wouldn't know what I meant, I was surprised when he replied...."No. The lease company told them not to replace it if it wasn't broken and would not pay for it if they fitted one". So the dealer ONLY replaced the Clutch and slave cylinder.
I then went on to explain that the fault was the DMF and that he would need to take it back to BMW. He wasn't happy!
Amazingly, I happen to bump into the guy at the Dealer only yesterday (I was with another BMW customer) and he said hello, thanked me and said to me..."You were absolutely spot on. It was the DMF and I'm here to pick it up now they've replaced, not only the DMF but also, the clutch and slave again, as BMW wouldn't warranty the clutch unless it was all replaced because the worn DMF may have prematurely aged/damaged the new clutch they fitted two weeks ago.
I agreed with him that it was the right thing to do and here's the clincher........Total cost to the lease company was £3800!!!!. That's, Two clutches, two slave cylinders, one DMF and two lots of labour and VAT.

A horrendously expensive lesson that the lease company probably won't learn BUT a very big lesson for anyone reading this and finds themselves about to have a clutch done on their car.

Fit a new DMF if your car has one, when replacing the clutch!!!

Can you imagine how sick you would be IF it were your own car and can you imagine how gutted the bloke would have been if it was his own? Nearly £4000 spent on a job that should have cost no more than £2000.

Lee, as 'direct' as your advice is I won't argue with you because I know you're right. I've previously explained why I didn't replace the DMF when I had the clutch done, it wasn't through ignorance but purely because I had no other financial choice at the time.

I took a gamble, I've lost it, hands up to that. I will end up paying more for the job now as you say but this is life and unfortunately it's all gone off on the same week I'm decorating and moving house.

I am prepared for the fact that the AA may refuse my claim which is why I'm looking at other financial options to cover the bill. But either way this isn't going to be easy and I may have to rent a car for a week or two until it's fixed which is just going to add to the financial burden.

I made my bed, I'll sleep in it - I can't be more humble than that can I.........