Clutch replacement (1 Viewer)

[busby]

What would you do here if quoted too much

Well if i was in UK it would be no problem because first i can speak the language which really helps plus my local garage would come and recover me very very cheaply and repair it for me again very cheaply but i doubt i could entice him down into the middle of Europe. Being as the motorhome in question had to be towed to wherever the repair was to be carried out it didn't give him much of an option.Towing is very very expensive anywhere...BUSBY.

 

[sdc77]

I'm pretty confident we would be helped by Adac. But at that price getting a main dealer to do it would have been cheaper.

 

[MR. FUSION]

If you can get an extended warranty on a vehicle it is usually worth it. I paid £450 a year for my LR discovery warranty, thats just over 2 hours labour at a land rover dealership.......

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[Cavs]

We broke down near Bordeaux with a failed air suspension bag. The garage to which we were 'recovered' (I actually drove there) quoted €3,100 to effect the repair. Because the parts would take 4 weeks to get from AlKo, I declined their offer, made a temporary repair and drove it home to England.
Once home, I bought the parts for £250 and the job took me a little over an hour.
I suspect the original quote of €3,100 was based on an Englishman being stranded and having limited options.

 

[MR. FUSION]

We broke down near Bordeaux with a failed air suspension bag. The garage to which we were 'recovered' (I actually drove there) quoted €3,100 to effect the repair. Because the parts would take 4 weeks to get from AlKo, I declined their offer, made a temporary repair and drove it home to England.
Once home, I bought the parts for £250 and the job took me a little over an hour.
I suspect the original quote of €3,100 was based on an Englishman being stranded and having limited options.

€2000 is TAT (Trafalgar added tax)

 

[busby]

If you can get an extended warranty on a vehicle it is usually worth it. I paid £450 a year for my LR discovery warranty, thats just over 2 hours labour at a land rover dealership.......

I didn't pay £450 for my car,,,,BUSBY

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[Techno]

I used to lay in the gutter with a high kerb and change my Vauxhall Viva clutch for about £50

 

[stcyr]

What if the quote is too much in your opinion? Where do you go from there?

You would know in advance the proposed cost and could ask for a breakdown (nope, not a pun) of the price - it's better to argue about it before the job is done.

 

[busby]

You would know in advance the proposed cost and could ask for a breakdown (nope, not a pun) of the price - it's better to argue about it before the job is done.

So if quote is too expensive you get on the phone and book another breakdown (in your fluent French) and ask him to tow you er WHERE??? Of course as someone else posted you will have done your homework and have a list of all the low price reliable garages anywhere you are broken down. Sorry i am afraid the only practical solution is pay up and put it down to bad luck,,,BUSBY..

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[stcyr]

That can allow a 'ransom' situation. By asking for a devis, which is legally binding, and normal procedure, you come over as someone who knows the score - and the agreement is in black & white, on record, and will be available for official checking which is regular procedure here for businesses.

 

[MitchandJenny]

I used to lay in the gutter with a high kerb and change my Vauxhall Viva clutch for about £50

Yes, but that had the sliding shaft system so the G/Box stayed in.
A great system and one I thought should have been adapted by ALL makes !!
Mitch.

 

[Techno]

No sliding shaft on viva HC
Had to drop the shaft off the diff and pull it out the box then drop the box

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[Steve]

I think that the op did the best at the time, hindsight is a wonderful thing. Maybe we could all ask ourselves to give this situation some thought.

Steve

 

[pappajohn]

I didn't pay £450 for my car,,,,BUSBY

In my youth that would buy me nine cars.
6 to 12 months use, depending on mot length, then scrap and buy another.....god, I've driven some sheds.

 

[pappajohn]

No sliding shaft on viva HC
Had to drop the shaft off the diff and pull it out the box then drop the box

Agreed, sliding shaft only came in with the front wheel drive Astra.
a good system it certainly was.

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[Techno]

Agreed, sliding shaft only came in with the front wheel drive Astra.
a good system it certainly was.

If did so many viva clutches I could do it blindfold dropped gear box onto chest and knees and rolled over

 

[Boringfrog]

I used to lay in the gutter with a high kerb and change my Vauxhall Viva clutch for about £50

I did the same with a Mk1 Escort, when I loosened the bell housing a load of asbestos dust fell out! Nowt left on clutch plate. Circa 1979.

 

[pappajohn]

If did so many viva clutches I could do it blindfold dropped gear box onto chest and knees and rolled over

Yep....so easy to work on.

Propshaft, gear lever, speedo cable, bell housing bolts and cross member....box out.
No sensors, no wires...just bolts.
And of course, you could get em going roadside with a ball of string and a pointed stick.

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[Techno]

I did the same with a Mk1 Escort, when I loosened the bell housing a load of asbestos dust fell out! Nowt left on clutch plate. Circa 1979.

I was doing one when the heavens opened and before I could get out hundreds of gallons of freezing rainwater came up my overall legs and out my collar

 

[Larby]

If did so many viva clutches I could do it blindfold dropped gear box onto chest and knees and rolled over

Then get heavy friend to stand on back of engine so it tilted down thus allowing spigot shaft to line up for re-assembly

 

[injebreck99]

No sliding shaft on viva HC
Had to drop the shaft off the diff and pull it out the box then drop the box

It was the Mk1 Astra that had the rectractable mainshaft, fastest clutch change I did was in in 20 minutes , on a ramp mind you.
You would not have changed a HA Viva clutch beside the road, rear suspension had to be dismantled.

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[Peter Sansom]

We're heading to Perpignan in July, via the Vendee. What is the name of the garage that did your recovery/repair? Just so I can avoid him if necessary! I've taken out insurance with Red Flag anyway so if anything does happen they do the sorting, though I'm sure that won't cover a garage bill.
At least you're mobile again...you are mobile?

 

[busby]

Yes, but that had the sliding shaft system so the G/Box stayed in.
A great system and one I thought should have been adapted by ALL makes !!
Mitch.

Yes, but that had the sliding shaft system so the G/Box stayed in.
A great system and one I thought should have been adapted by ALL makes !!
Mitch.

Thought it was Cavalier that had that system. BUSBY.

 

[busby]

We're heading to Perpignan in July, via the Vendee. What is the name of the garage that did your recovery/repair? Just so I can avoid him if necessary! I've taken out insurance with Red Flag anyway so if anything does happen they do the sorting, though I'm sure that won't cover a garage bill.
At least you're mobile again...you are mobile?

Now that would be some policy. I do not think your breakdown insurer has any input into where the recovery company recover you to They all i think use an agent in whichever region you are in so YOU could land up in the same GARAGE if you break down. BUSBY.

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[martin2603]

Haynes of Maidstone quote price of £1200 Ducato 3 litre, Iveco Ducato main Dealer

 

[injebreck99]

Thought it was Cavalier that had that system. BUSBY.

Astra's and 1.3 Mk2 Cavaliers had it, but then the went to recessed flywheels, so then the box had to come out, we could not understand the dropping such an effective system.

 

[jongood]

Sorry for the Op sounds like he was well and truly shafted, but in these situations you are a bit of a hostage.

We think ourselves very lucky that our recent waterpump failure in Morocco was fixed promptly and for only £265 plus an old shirt. An honest man indeed.

Jon

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[tonyidle]

Thought it was Cavalier that had that system. BUSBY.

It did. It wasn't unique to the Astra.

 

[GAVLAD]

Were you not suspicious about the guy wearing a black mask ?

No, he was gassed at the time

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Yes, but that had the sliding shaft system so the G/Box stayed in.
A great system and one I thought should have been adapted by ALL makes !!
Mitch.

That was the Cavalier wasn't it. My friend worked for a workshop where they serviced and repaired the company cars and he reckoned that they could do one in 25 minutes if everything was to hand, Front wheel off, slide out the shaft depress clutch clips on and remove bolts clutch out, check flywheel, plate in clips off shaft in and wheel back ,done.

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