The saga continues Land Rover Discovery Clutch

You don't agree with me then.

problems.

:-))

Is this because I analyse a situation and come to logical and sensible conclusions based on what is written and you don't like it? Or is it just, in your opinion, that the consumer must always be right no matter what?

Indeed it is.

While we are at it, I do not recall accusing anyone of inflating garage prices either. Some have higher prices than others and this is a business decision based on many things including overheads and service expectations as well as profit margins [linked to all kinds of things], such as I have described previously in this thread. I do not know whether the initial repairer comes under either category or something in-between, but I suspect neither do you, so get off your high horse! We only have one man's word for it. For all I know either he or the initial repairer might be crooks. Or neither might be. I take very little that is contentious at face value as there are two or more sides to every arguement.

Have I upset you in some way? There there didums, I didn't mean to.

Huw

Reply to
Huw
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Okay Huw,

Now I shall share with you the whole sorry story,

I go to a company further south than me, I book it in as they offer a full parts and labour warranty for a gearbox (reconditioned) and a brand new three part clutch from Land Rover. The warranty is for 15 months. However, on their extensive website and on all documentation there is no implication of Return to Base. It says warranty.

I part with several hundred pounds.

Anyway the Land Rover is notchy on gear changes from the moment I pick it up. However, I think, not being an expert (unlike you) that maybe it needs to run in. So for 2112 miles I soldier on, sometimes unable to get gears and having to double declutch. then finally four weeks ago the clutch ceases to work.

So I am towed home by a nice man in a big truck.

I telephone the comany to discuss the problem with the clutch and that it is not working. I found the conversation difficult as I was being told they did not believe it was the clutch. However, according to the Land Rover Dealer, Steve Parkers and the local Billingham Land Rover Transmissions, there is a known problem with the clutch punching through the fork on the Land Rover Discovery 200TDI's. It seems there is a modification that is recommended when a new gearbox or clutch is fitted with a stronger clutch fork. The cost from Land Rover is £25. This has been known for some 9 years. I assured them that it was not a hydraulic problem as the slave cylinder has been changed and the master cylinder checked.

I was then in the situation that the gearbox has to be removed to get to the clutch and the modified clutch fork has to be fitted. I was not able to tow it to them or get a low loader for such a distance. The cost would be somewhat prohibitive. somewhere around the £100, just for the low loader never mind somewhere to stay and other travelling.

I did not appreciate the way my call was handled, being told when I telephoned, "That I can have a go at claiming under the warranty (Somewhat bullish)."

I am then told that I will be telephoned on either the 8th or at the latest by the 9th (no call happened), not even a courtesy call to say that they would try and get back to me. Customer after care is a little poor.

I had spent a week of my time and money trying to sort my Land Rover Discovery out.

I am very amicable with the company and asked them to make a gesture towards my repair costs. Basically the tell me to bog off. I should have been suspicouis when the mechanic who did my gearbox couldn't tell me what was wrong with the old one.

I have yesterday spoken to the County Court Officer and a Solicitor and it seems that I have a claim. I can even (because of my profession) insist that the hearing is where I live. I await developments - I wonder Huw if you work for this company?

Anyway the saga will continue. If I win court action I will name and shame them on here.

A

Reply to
Andrew Renshaw

No Hirsty is clever - you are the obviously something else.

A

Reply to
Andrew Renshaw

Don't be daft, no offence taken, only having a bit of fun

;-))

Reply to
Hirsty's

ITMA

I don't think .... I know ;-)

Now, who's getting techy ? It's only a game.

Insults and the replies to them are a useful tool in the measurement of ones intellect .... don't you think ?

Remember we are all fans and fans are happy people.

'Till the next time

Reply to
Hirsty's

In court you will have to prove that the garage failed to carry out the work with "reasonable skill and care". If they fitted a new, genuine part and did not make any howling error in the fitment, I think you may struggle. Of course, if they did not then things will look rather different.

If the Land Rover part is not fit for purpose then either they (Land Rover) or the garage who sold you the part are likely to be obliged to supply you with a new one. Who cops for the consequential loss in terms of fitting costs etc will be an interesting (or maybe not) argument. Regardless, it will cost you a fortune in independent assessments to prove that there is an intrinsic design fault in the component (even though we all know there is). And your opponent in that case will not be a small garage, it will be a large multinational car company fighting a claim which could open the floodgates for thousands of other claims of a similar nature.

My considerable experience with lawyers leads me to believe that your lawyer will win, as will the garage's lawyer. Their respective clients, however, will both lose in a big way.

All IMHO. Good luck.

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

Would it not be seen as simpler to replace and cut their losses, after all there is no dispute that the part has failed well before it's expected lifetime ??

Reply to
Hirsty's

A general repair may well be warranted but unless it is an insurance warranty then it will only be valid at the issuers business. If it was an insurance warranty, which I doubt, then it would only be valid at repairers approved and subscribing to the insurer. It's a steep learning curve.

It does seem that the gearbox was not properly repaired. This is a common problem with any complex repair and, if it occurs and is reported within a reasonable time frame, should be repaired at no cost

*regardless* of any formal warranty.

according

Not only has it been reported, it is unlikely that anything other than the latest type would be fitted to any vehicle over the last five years or longer. That is assuming that genuine parts were fitted.

I assured them

Breakdowns are never convenient and seldom cheap to fix even if the actual job is done 'free'.

I would have at least had a go.

Or their memory or system is poor. It amounts to the same thing to the customer, I grant you.

Certainly not. I am not apologising for them at all. Look at me as the Devils Advocate if you like. You will certainly be challenged in Court if they can afford it and you are not on Legal Aid.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Something else again ;-)

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Oh yes I know it is and I never get techy on Usenet. Not a pleasant game but a very common one on Usenet. It is called Trolling, as you must know.

It sometimes is indeed.

Bye.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Good points? Bugger, why didn't anyone mention that before?

C'mon then, name a few... ;-)

Reply to
Mother

It all depends who you are fighting! There are some sane and reasonable people out there who will do the right thing by the customer and see it as the least cost route to a happy outcome.

Then again, there are some who will just enjoy their day in court. A large company with tens of thousands of similar parts sold may also wish to defend the case in order to avoid settling with all of those claimants as well...

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

After the teething problems comes infantile disharmony, followed by juvenile indiscretion and stroppy adolescence, surely? :-)

You'd get on very well with Charlotte. Actually, don't spose you'd care to go shopping with me would you? ;-)

Reply to
Mother

On or around Thu, 27 May 2004 21:46:01 +0100, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

Oh yeah...?

I ran the 110 with a 4-speed ZF autoº, and that died of clutch failure, though admittedly, I could still get reverse. There are about 6 clutches in the ZF auto, or is it 7, I forget.

The replacement one seems OK, but I'm not gonna find out how long that'll last. Current vehicle has a clutch and also has output shaft spline wear from the sound of it... it'll probably be a toss-up which fails first. Hopefully none of 'em, in the short term.

º I did only pay 100 quid for the box though, and it did about 20K miles.
Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Thu, 27 May 2004 17:51:42 +0100, "Andrew Renshaw" enlightened us thusly:

In that case, he deserves to pay for it in order to learn from his own stupidity. in 15 months, you could exceed the normal life expectancy of a clutch, if you tried hard.

gearbox is another matter. I've yet to hear of a clutch being guaranteed on those terms, except for component failure - which in fact is what seems to have happened to yours.

However, you need to examine the fine print very carefully to see what exactly is covered. I once made the mistake of paying 150 quid extra for a

12 month "guarantee" on a second-hand car, and quite honestly, I reckon I wasted my money. The number of things excluded from the "guarantee" was such that it was worthless, the things covered were unlikely to go wrong. I can't remember now if it had a labour included or not.

Even if your guarantee does cover labour, I bet it's limited in some fashion.

none of this may be much help, of course.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Thu, 27 May 2004 22:20:50 +0100, "Andrew Renshaw" enlightened us thusly:

Well, in general I'd agree with you that the people fitting the gearbox are arses. HOWEVER, it really does depend on the terms of the guarantee that was offered, and the exact details of same.

Since the legal types reckon you have a case, I assume the guarantee does imply that they'll cover repairs.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Thu, 27 May 2004 23:06:52 +0100, Tim Hobbs enlightened us thusly:

a nice, and accurate, summation. Personally, I suspect that the OP is on a hiding to nothing trying to get much out of these people - they'll probably rely on the fact that you're unlikely to be able to afford to take it to court. Even if you do take it to (e.g.) small claims court (which is much cheaper) they can default on paying or stall or delay and leave you facing more costs and time to pursue it. If of course you get a decision against 'em, in the end, they (may) get to pay all the costs. However, if you don't, you end up much more out of pocket.

but like Tim, I wish you good luck.

It may be that the threat of litigation and/or publicity will make 'em cough up.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Why wait?

Reply to
GbH

On or around Fri, 28 May 2004 08:00:33 +0100, Mother enlightened us thusly:

you forgot teenage rebellion.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

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