Scary how much the replacement was on such a small car. I've just had to replace the clutch on my RX8 and the prices I were quoted ranged from £500 - £590, although got it for £320 in the end due to the poor service I had received previously.
Technical Clutch failure @ 12,000 miles
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Technical Clutch failure @ 12,000 miles
poor service from mazda
I think you mean poor service from a Mazda Dealer, and not Mazda the manufacturer.
I asked cause I have heard lots of poor reports from mazda (and dealer) recently......oh the irony:devil:
Good point, yes the Mazda dealer
Thats shocking, you never get Fiat dealers acting like that
Thats shocking, you never get Fiat dealers acting like that
What, you mean giving you a cheaper price because they have given you poor service in the past?
I got a free 2nd year service for shocking treatment by a Fiat dealer
OP
OP
Just an update for you guys.
He`s still got that 500, the second clutch died quite soon after it was fitted, that was replaced under warranty, now that third one has started riding high, clutch number 4 needed...
A rev sensor also went last week making it display fault codes on the dash (I think he said gearbox fault) & bad running, this happened the afternoon before someones test which then had to be canceled (& she cant get another test till October, meaning he has to give her free refresher lessons between now & then, more money out..).
While it was in for the sensor he mentioned the clutch, the service guy thinks there may be a gearbox/flywheel/crankshaft fault, however that means the gearbox & flywheel will have to be removed & completely dismantled, then examined, measured, photographed & a report sent to Fiat.
This also means the car will be off the road for up to a week, again, causing plenty of agro & loss of earnings.
He cant find anyone renting dual control 500`s, the closest he can get is someone who has a D/C Panda, but its being used at the moment.
He`s now looking for a cheap 500 backup car to keep as a spare.
The starter seems to be going too.
Its now around the 50,000m mark & in case you missed it, it was registered 1/3/09.
He`s still got that 500, the second clutch died quite soon after it was fitted, that was replaced under warranty, now that third one has started riding high, clutch number 4 needed...
A rev sensor also went last week making it display fault codes on the dash (I think he said gearbox fault) & bad running, this happened the afternoon before someones test which then had to be canceled (& she cant get another test till October, meaning he has to give her free refresher lessons between now & then, more money out..).
While it was in for the sensor he mentioned the clutch, the service guy thinks there may be a gearbox/flywheel/crankshaft fault, however that means the gearbox & flywheel will have to be removed & completely dismantled, then examined, measured, photographed & a report sent to Fiat.
This also means the car will be off the road for up to a week, again, causing plenty of agro & loss of earnings.
He cant find anyone renting dual control 500`s, the closest he can get is someone who has a D/C Panda, but its being used at the moment.
He`s now looking for a cheap 500 backup car to keep as a spare.
The starter seems to be going too.
Its now around the 50,000m mark & in case you missed it, it was registered 1/3/09.
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This is becoming a real mystery.
I was going to say that, being a driving school car, and therefore abused, they should have replaced the clutch under warranty and given him the benefit of the doubt. But, as it seems to happen every few miles surely there has to be something else. There are a gazillion 500 school cars now: what of them?
I have known little old ladies who saw clutches as expendable items and had them wear out annually; because they hadn't a clue how to drive.
My clutches have always gone 140 thou +, but who can tell the true life expectancy if there is a faulty one? How are others faring with their 500 clutches - I've not heard of any problems?
Still no satisfactory conclusion here though.
Now that Toyota and the others are giving five year warranties, and Fiat is introducing new technology on a regular basis, with all the anxiety this causes punters; how long before we see a really decent back-up from Fiat?
Oh, and Fiats are NOT cheap, so let's not hear any excuses along those lines.
I was going to say that, being a driving school car, and therefore abused
, they should have replaced the clutch under warranty and given him the benefit of the doubt. But, as it seems to happen every few miles surely there has to be something else. There are a gazillion 500 school cars now: what of them?I have known little old ladies who saw clutches as expendable items and had them wear out annually; because they hadn't a clue how to drive.
My clutches have always gone 140 thou +, but who can tell the true life expectancy if there is a faulty one? How are others faring with their 500 clutches - I've not heard of any problems?
Still no satisfactory conclusion here though.
Now that Toyota and the others are giving five year warranties, and Fiat is introducing new technology on a regular basis, with all the anxiety this causes punters; how long before we see a really decent back-up from Fiat?
Oh, and Fiats are NOT cheap, so let's not hear any excuses along those lines.
I was fed the "ah but it's a cheap car sir, not a Honda Jazz" line yesterday when I complained about Fiat covering nothing under warranty in comparison to our Jazz.
To which I simply said " the 500 is the best part of £11500 in this spec, our Jazz was actually £500 less than that" he went silent.
Well done: they sometimes believe their own propaganda.
OP
OP
If you go back to the begining of this thread you`ll see the original failed at 4 months old & 12,000 miles, & that wasnt repaired under warranty & cost neigh on £700... at 4 months old.... Also the Corsa he had previously did significantly more mileage per clutch, so its not down to the teaching style/pupil abuse.
He pays for his own cars, he doesnt abuse them at all.
Also the original clutch showed no signs of abuse or being burnt out, it seemed to have simply exploded in traffic, leaving chunks of friction material wedged in the edges of the cover.
He pays for his own cars, he doesnt abuse them at all.
Also the original clutch showed no signs of abuse or being burnt out, it seemed to have simply exploded in traffic, leaving chunks of friction material wedged in the edges of the cover.
This is becoming a real mystery.
I was going to say that, being a driving school car, and therefore abused
If you read what I said you would see that I said they SHOULD have replaced the clutch under warranty.
However, all driving school cars do suffer from abuse: they get stalled all the time, and the clutches get ridden by inexpert drivers. Fact!
And then I said that there has to be something else to all this, my intimation being that there are hundreds of school cars out there and we haven't heard of any similar problems. Aaahhhh :bang:.
OP
OP
And as I said way back, the previous Corsa`s clutch lasted 40,000 miles, this 500 is on its 4th at 50,000 miles, the driving instructor has stayed the same, the cross section of pupils will always remain the same, this means Fiats clutches are designed to last 1/3rd of the use of a Corsa`s...
Yes driving school cars suffer more wear & tear than average, but the instructors teaching style varies enormously, this guy was one of the UK`s youngest teachers ever & has a pass rate well above average, he`s even got a fan club on facebook with his ex pupils saying how good he is compared to previous instructors... I`d say his cars take less abuse than is normal for a driving school car...
Its a shame we havent had any word from BSM instructors on here, especially ones who had Corsa`s prior to 500`s...
Assuming no one else has suffered clutch failures on the 500 yet, it does look like a fault in the clutch region, if there is a fault found, will Fiat reimburse him for his previous outlay as well as inconvenience to him & his pupils & loss of earnings? I doubt it..
Yes driving school cars suffer more wear & tear than average, but the instructors teaching style varies enormously, this guy was one of the UK`s youngest teachers ever & has a pass rate well above average, he`s even got a fan club on facebook with his ex pupils saying how good he is compared to previous instructors... I`d say his cars take less abuse than is normal for a driving school car...
Its a shame we havent had any word from BSM instructors on here, especially ones who had Corsa`s prior to 500`s...
Assuming no one else has suffered clutch failures on the 500 yet, it does look like a fault in the clutch region, if there is a fault found, will Fiat reimburse him for his previous outlay as well as inconvenience to him & his pupils & loss of earnings? I doubt it..
OP
OP
No, extrapolating from the dealer itself stating that this was normal `wear & tear` Ulpian.
Tbh no they shouldn't reinmburse him for lost earnings. Warranty covers you for parts and labour only. BUT they should reimburse him for the first clutch and sort the freaking issue out.....
Many driving school cars' clutches last a lot less than 12,000 miles.
Notwithstanding this fact any dealer is going to be wary of a driving school car; I wouldn't buy a second hand one either. Quite probably the dealership didn't look into the problem adequately, but that response when confronted by a school car is understandable.
Nobody is suggesting that there mightn't be a genuine fault somewhere, but to state that Fiat clutches are designed to last a third of the life of a Corsa's, based on the response of a dealer to a specific problem, remains silly.
Notwithstanding this fact any dealer is going to be wary of a driving school car; I wouldn't buy a second hand one either. Quite probably the dealership didn't look into the problem adequately, but that response when confronted by a school car is understandable.
Nobody is suggesting that there mightn't be a genuine fault somewhere, but to state that Fiat clutches are designed to last a third of the life of a Corsa's, based on the response of a dealer to a specific problem, remains silly.
if you use any vehicle for your income then the onus is on you to provide adequate cover......you insure your tools or hands (if a surgeon) etc so why is a car any different.
anyway I agree theres something strange here (are the dual controls [clutch] adjusted correctly?) also the set up is same/similar to 1.2 panda? is it not & no probs there.
p.s. unless fiat extend their warranty they will lose sales big style. If I was to buy a new car now (in theory that is) it would be a 5 or 7 year warranty job (regardless of style) especially in these hard times!
anyway I agree theres something strange here (are the dual controls [clutch] adjusted correctly?) also the set up is same/similar to 1.2 panda? is it not & no probs there.
p.s. unless fiat extend their warranty they will lose sales big style. If I was to buy a new car now (in theory that is) it would be a 5 or 7 year warranty job (regardless of style) especially in these hard times!
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