Can somebody please check/advise on my letter of comaplaint?

[pops]

Hi guys

Could you please take a look at the letter below and advise on any additions or ammendments i can make.
Many thanks



I am writing with reference to my Peugeot 307 (Reg: ), which I purchased early in November last year.

I have recently discovered that the clutch has failed, it is slipping when warm. This has been confirmed by your service department. Who road tested the car.
Upon speaking to Peugeot warranty department and logging a complaint, they have advised that the clutch will need to be inspected. Which may possibly result in me being landed with the bill for the labour and part – if the clutch has failed due to wear and tear (the car has only done about 15200 miles!). I have since spoke to Graham on your service department, who through yourself has authorised to strip the gearbox to inspect the clutch with no cost to myself (Thankyou).

My grievance is that, when I purchased the car, and I did so for the benefit of reliablilty, it being covered by manufacturers warranty, and being properly inspected by the dealer. I did not however envisage to be landed for a bill for repair of the clutch in less than 2 months of purchasing the car. May I add that this may be still covered under warranty in which case my worries are unfounded. My worry is that when your service department do strip the gearbox, and if they do find the failure to be down to wear and tear, (in which case the warranty will not cover) what will happen. I am not prepared to pay for the repair.
I purchased the car in good faith in the belief that it is in a working condition.
I have logged a case with the RMIF/NCS and with their advice I am sending this email.
I hope you understand my situation and I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks for your time.

[Hammy1962]

Hi Pops

Here are Hammy's thoughts and don't take any offence from them, they are only what I would say if you were stood in front of me in a Dealership

I've seen clutches wear out, and I mean worn out, not faulty, within 2500 miles. Clutch slipping when warm could be wear and tear in which case it's not going to be covered under any warranty. You just have to live with that. However it can and probably will be a weak presure plate, which will be warranty, get them to keep the parts and show you them. You will see if they are worn.

Why have you already started and logged a complaint with Peugeot warranty, there might not be anything to complain about.

Graham is in the service department, not on it

You havn't got a grievance yet and no-one buys a car for the benefit of reliability. You buy it to go to the shops and cars are intrinsically un-reliable and wear out.

The dealer, probably, would not have closely inspected the clutch before you bought it.

If, and it's a big if, you wore out the clutch why are you not prepared to pay for it?

Good faith is often mis-quoted and it was working when you bought it.

Bit early to involve the RMIF, who are the NCS? National Crime Squad?

So then, now the helpful bit.

Let them strip it down, if it's worn try the weak pressure plate argument, if it's really, really worn, it must of been like that when you bought it and the dealer should pay, flatly refuse to pay, and argue that it was like that when you bought it.

If it was you................stop riding the clutch!!

Please don't take offence at my humour, 30 years in the motor trade has made me like this

Hammy

[pops]

Hi Hammy

Many thanks for your informative reply.

I dont see how i could of worn the clutch, i am a very careful driver. This is my opinion. However from what i understand from your points please could you clarify some things, so i can be 100% sure before i take my car in.

1: How do i differentiate between a relatively newly damaged clutch and one which is really worn which would have been caused before i bought it?

2: Do i trust the delaer to tell me whether the pressure plate is weak or not. Am i right in thinking that a weak pressure plate, in turn causes the clutch to go worn.
If it is a weak pressure plate, will the clutch be covered too as well as the pressure plate?

Many thanks for your time

Pops

[Hammy1962]

Pops

1. Was the clutch biting point right at the top of the pedal travel when you bought it, this might indicate a worn clutch. You might be able to tell from the parts but it won't be easy.

2. The pressure plate clamps the clutch disc to the flywheel, if the clamping action is weak that can cause premature wear on the clutch disc. If this is the case the wear on the pressure plate is consequencial to the weak pressure plate and so it will be covered.

3. You have to gauge the reaction of the dealer as to whether or not you can trust them.

Hammy

[pops]

Hi

I seem to remember when i test drove the car, I mentioned to my missus, that she might find it weird as opposed to our old car as the clutch biting point was very high, could this have been indicative of a worn clutch, if i had the knowledge to know better?

Thanks