Help needed - Stealer Alert!

[ollys]

My stepdad bought a B8 A4 Avant 2.0 tdi quattro in 2011. It’s a beautiful car and loaded to the eyeballs (I helped in spec it from new). He bought a fourth year warranty at time of purchase which is just about to expire.

It's done 41,000 miles - mainly motorway back and forth from Devon to London. He's now having some serious trouble with the dealer in Devon. He took it there when the car developed a shudder when moving off in first, and then in reverse.

Audi have removed the clutch and sent him a video on audi cam. This shows severe scorch marks on the pressure plate and the friction plate completely worn down.

How can this have happened? My stepdad is in his mid sixties and drives very slowly these days. He’s careful not to ride the clutch. He has, bless him, fessed up to some forced late night reversing manoeuvres in devon’s country lanes to let others past (where he might have had to dip the clutch multiple times), but he is still perplexed as to how this can have happened so soon.

Plymouth Audi want £2,880 inc VAT to change out the clutch plus flywheel which they say (but have not explained) has excessive play.

The labour is an eye watering £1,275 (10.2 hours - no idea of the rate - but claimed more hours than usual because it is a quattro) and the parts are £1,127 (pressure plate and friction plate £234, dual mass flywheel £804, and assorted other).

Is there any goodwill to be had here or other way of disputing this bill – as it all seems pretty unlucky / steep?


May thanks

Olly

[RossDagley]

Unfortunately the conversation of clutches under warranty has come up before. I think the general consensus is that a clutch is a serviceable item and should be considered that way for warranty or goodwill claims.

Look at it this way - if the clutch was 2000 miles old and failed, then you'd have great grounds for a replacement under warranty/goodwill contribution. If it had 90,000 miles under it's belt, you'd have none.

The problem comes with a low(ish) mileage, but old, part like this. You said he drives slowly - of course for a clutch on a manual car that's possibly worse than lots of higher speed motorway miles. Town driving will wear a clutch quicker than motorway driving by some margin. A friction plate and DMF can be ruined easily with the 'right' methods in a few hundred miles so it's impossible for anyone to say that clutch should have lasted longer as there's so many variables, and you're at the point now with those miles where it's clearly not a manufacturing issue. So Audi really can only charge you for a new one.

If you've been to the same stealer for servicing throughout the cars life, I'd expect you to be able to knock the labour rate down to at least their warranty cross-charge rate (circa £70/hour) - you can only ask. It's not much, but it's something.

The alternative is to buy the parts yourself through TPS etc and get somewhere like MRC to fit. Hassle, but will save you money.

[geordie jay]

I agree with ross...its a servicible part in my eyes...41k on clock means not a fault so all you can do really is ask for a goodwill discount from the dealer...or if you still not happy ring audi uk up and complain there...i did when my local wouldnt change something under warranty and they sorted it for me..but thats not to say they will sort something out..its all up to how generous your dealer is mate..good luck and keep us informed

[Surrey Sam]

Personally, I think that Start/Stop technology is partially to blame for clutch judder in manual cars. When the car fires back up after stopping and the driver is too quick on the clutch uptake, then you will be engaging the clutch when the engine is not at a smooth idle. My thinking is that this causes uneven wear, which over time manifests into further problems.

[HYFR]

A clutch is a everyday job for many a independent .... Why pay dealer prices, unless they are willing to be competitive

[Ian_C]

Agreed - at the very least, they should only be charging the price listed on audi.co.uk

(plus the DMFW dual mass fly wheel - but ask for a discount on part)

http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/servi ... vices.html