Wee bit advice needed

[sinner]

Right guys, bought a MH 11 month ago from marquis (Durham)
van is is shop for repair. Just had a call from marquis re engine fault they are hitting me with:

Van need to go to another garage for diagnostic to see what the problem is (could be clutch) but if it comes back ware an tear I need to pay for the diagnostic and the repair, I have had van 11 month I have done 5000miles there is 31000 on the clock.
The cost will be £1500,
Advice needed is this right or do I fight it?

 

[Robmac]

Presuming it is under warranty Alan?

A decent warranty should cover major mechanical components like the clutch. Have you read through yours?

 

[trevskoda]

By law you are only covered for 6 mth ,however if yu can prove the fault was there from purchase you the can take them to small claims for up to 5 years but at your expence,this is to cover repairs /faults that you were not told about at point of sale ie crash repairs or a botched engine/gbox.
I would think that you are on sticky ground but ring trading standards before going mad.

 

[wildman]

I suspect you are stuck with it as you have done 5000 miles so whatever the problem is it would not have been seen by marquis. However a clutch should not cost anything like that. Get an independent check. A diagnostic should not be expencive either. Sounds like Marquis are trying it on.

 

[maingate]

Hi Alan,

Try fighting it but as has been said, you might be on dodgy ground. You could always ask for a second opinion.

I have always used Hoddys Recovery in Gateshead (just a few miles away). for a start, they will give an honest opinion and secondly, will do the job for a lot less than £1500.

Give me a call if you want to go that route and I will pop in and have a word with Hoddys and see what they say.

 

[phillybarbour]

Most warranties don't cover consumable items, this includes clutches unless you can prove the fault was there before you got the van. 5000 miles later that may be difficult to prove. All that said £1500 for a clutch seems mighty high, I feel nearer £750 would seem in the right ball park to me.

Most (not all) clutch faults can be found with a short drive, therefore 30 mins labour for their diagnosis would not be out of order. If they want to take the box out for diagnosis I'd be considering a different garage with a quote to replace before they start.

 

[Robmac]

I may be wrong about the warranty!

Is Clutch Failure Covered by Warranty?

 

[witzend]

Does Marquis have a workshop / repair facility ? Perhaps that is why it needs to go to a garage for diagnostics
as a clutch problem should not need specialist equipment. I expect that after 5000 mls your going to have to pay for repairs if its worn but if the bearing has failed maybe not perhaps Marquis may pay part if you ask them as you've not owned it long. £1500 does seem expensive ask other garages for a estimate for a clutch replacement

 

[sinner]

I am a bit stuck just now as been in Hosp with the kid since Thursday,but seemingly it is a hunt of a job and they need to take the cluch out and check it all before they can say if it's broke (covered) or wear an tear (not covered) I am waiting on a director calling me see if they will come and go with the cost, me paying something and they swollow the rest.

 

[dicus]

Is it the clutch or could it be a flywheel problem, clutches either work or slip and if its not slipping then a strip down is needed.
Good Luck

 

[sinner]

Hi Alan,

Try fighting it but as has been said, you might be on dodgy ground. You could always ask for a second opinion.

I have always used Hoddys Recovery in Gateshead (just a few miles away). for a start, they will give an honest opinion and secondly, will do the job for a lot less than £1500.

Give me a call if you want to go that route and I will pop in and have a word with Hoddys and see what they say.

Cheers bud will be in touch soon

 

[trevskoda]

Clutch should be around £450/650 depending on how hard a job it is and el cheapo or top type like borg & beck etc,get 3 independant prices for job and yes it may have been a release brg or diaphragm breakdown due to last owner having a heavy foot.

 

[Rob H]

Wee bit advice needed.

Right guys, bought a MH 11 month ago from marquis (Durham)
van is is shop for repair. Just had a call from marquis re engine fault they are hitting me with:

Van need to go to another garage for diagnostic to see what the problem is (could be clutch) but if it comes back ware an tear I need to pay for the diagnostic and the repair, I have had van 11 month I have done 5000miles there is 31000 on the clock.
The cost will be £1500,
Advice needed is this right or do I fight it?

Hi Sinner,

Your info is a bit thin, how old the van, what engine, what engine fault symptoms, has it towed anything, you have focused on the clutch, presumably the vehicles original clutch, traditional three piece clutches and newer 4 piece (dual mass flywheel clutches generally give warning before failure, juddering (overheated warped flywheel face, friction plate or diaphragm pressure plate or dual mass flywheel unit or rear engine oil seal failing .. oil contamination, broken engine mounting), slipping (friction plate material worn away, pressure plate failing, release mechanism /cable out of adjustment), won't release cleanly, (diaphragm pressure plate failing or release bearing failing or release mechanism, hydraulic or cable out of adjustment), squealing ( release bearing failing). These can be felt by yourself in your 5000 miles, hill starts, reversing, and don't, to my knowledge show up as an electronic diagnostic fault code. dual mass clutches are more expensive than traditional three piece units as there is a dual mass flywheel unit to factor in. No garage will take a clutch out to 'check it', The labour is a significant amount, they may as well replace it all if they take out, ... see what the diagnostic conclusion is, if it comes back as 'sorry sir you need a new clutch assembly', as previous comments, sounds slightly fishy, you are probably out of warranty, As for written diagnosis, then suggest you take it to a different trusted garage of 'your' choice for second opinion and to do the job.

Rgrds,

Rob H.

 

[sinner]

Hi Sinner,

Your info is a bit thin, how old the van, what engine, what engine fault symptoms, has it towed anything, you have focused on the clutch, presumably the vehicles original clutch, traditional three piece clutches and newer 4 piece (dual mass flywheel clutches generally give warning before failure, juddering (overheated warped flywheel face, friction plate or diaphragm pressure plate or dual mass flywheel unit or rear engine oil seal failing .. oil contamination, broken engine mounting), slipping (friction plate material worn away, pressure plate failing, release mechanism /cable out of adjustment), won't release cleanly, (diaphragm pressure plate failing or release bearing failing or release mechanism, hydraulic or cable out of adjustment), squealing ( release bearing failing). These can be felt by yourself in your 5000 miles, hill starts, reversing, and don't, to my knowledge show up as an electronic diagnostic fault code. dual mass clutches are more expensive than traditional three piece units as there is a dual mass flywheel unit to factor in. No garage will take a clutch out to 'check it', The labour is a significant amount, they may as well replace it all if they take out, ... see what the diagnostic conclusion is, if it comes back as 'sorry sir you need a new clutch assembly', as previous comments, sounds slightly fishy, you are probably out of warranty, As for written diagnosis, then suggest you take it to a different trusted garage of 'your' choice for second opinion and to do the job.

Rgrds,

Rob H.

Hi rob, fiat Ducato 3lt 2008 it has done 30000 miles
I had no hint to the cluch failing but when I was taken van down to marquis I lost powere over 1500 revs I think a pipe broke on the inter cooler (I could smell coolent burning) and if I reeves over 1500 revs with smoke came out from under bonnet, they are saying they won't know what's up till they take the clutch out, which is done by dropping the gearbox etc hence the cost is a lot off labour, the clutch is approx £8/900

 

[sinner]

Also the problem is I am in Edinburgh, van is in marquis Durham and I am also stuck in hospital with the kid so everything is being done ishy pishy :-(

 

[Polar Bear]

Right guys, bought a MH 11 month ago from marquis (Durham)
van is is shop for repair. Just had a call from marquis re engine fault they are hitting me with:

Van need to go to another garage for diagnostic to see what the problem is (could be clutch) but if it comes back ware an tear I need to pay for the diagnostic and the repair, I have had van 11 month I have done 5000miles there is 31000 on the clock.
The cost will be £1500,
Advice needed is this right or do I fight it?

Why do they need to send it to another garage? That in itself would start my WTF radar going full speed.

DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL + CLUTCH KIT LUK FIAT DUCATO 250 3.0 D Multijet | eBay

 

[sak]

The intercooler cools the air before it goes into the engine it has nothing to do with engine coolant, you would loose power if an intercooler pipe split or came off but it is an easy fix you just replace the broken part with a new one, but as to where the clutch comes into this scenario puzzles me.
I have corrected my mistake, thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Deleted member 9849]

I would find a good local independent garage and take it there for honest advice,most mechanical warranties have got wriggle clauses(especially for wear and tear)and will try anything to avoid paying out.If Marquis want to take it to another garage for a diagnostic it suggests to me they are not up to much.A decent local independent will do a good job at a fair price.

 

[Pauljenny]

Sorry to hear that you are up to your neck in it .

You are getting good advice telling you to look elsewhere than Marquis . They are really only there to flog motorhomes and make as much profit from the punters ,after the sale .

It might be worthwhile mentioning to Marquis that you are reporting your problem on this website and that many potential clients and sources of recommendation are following this with interest.

Advise them that this is a chance to show us how good their customer service is .

Print out some of these pages... Let them see how many members are involved .

Good luck .

 

[maingate]

Can I just point out that there is nothing sinister in Marquis sending the vehicle to a Main Dealer. A local Main Dealer (Citroen/Peugeot Truck) used to do a lot of work for the local motorhome Dealers. They did the work on my Burstner 747 when I bought it from Discover Leisure. I think Brownhills (now Marquis) did the same for major mechanical work.

I think the £1500 cost mentioned is about right for a replacement clutch/DMF and diagnostic by a Main Dealer. It is not definite that this is the case. I think it would be fair of Marquis to at least stand the diagnostic cost.

Edit. Just to add that I bought my first van from Brownhills, Durham. Their costs were not cheap but they were a really good set of trained personnel in my opinion. I would guess that most of them transferred over to Marquis. Also, to be fair, they have not hesitated to sort out any other problems that Alan had. Sometimes we just have bad luck and to be honest, I would never buy a Ducato (post 2007) because I don't rate them. They have actually discontinued the 3.0 litre engine now.