In short, i lost 1st and 2nd gear last week and took it straight to the garage, they have now looked at and says it needs reconditioning and is going to cost £650 plus labour and then they said the flywheel has an inch and a half of play and has destroyed my 8000 mile old clutch! Can't quite believe what i'm hearing to be honest. £1500 all in, i simply can't afford that! There's no noise coming from the flywheel what so ever so what do you think i should do??

 

Oh and if anyone has a used gearbox for a 2003 vrs, pm me please!!

 

Thanks in advance

Changing a clutch and not the DMF at the same time is a false economy, especially on a 2003 car.

 

£650 sounds about right if a failed DMF has taken out the gearbox.

Well i think they are totally unrelated things, Including labour it £1050 to remove, recondition and put back the gearbox. they only notice there was a bit of play in the DMF when they removed gearbox.

What have you had done before?

you say that the clutch is only 8000 miles old, so I guess this has all been apart recently already?

 

I think same is saying that normally as you were paying someone labour to take it all apart already to change the clutch it would make sense to change the DMF as well.

I'm guessing that a knackered flywheel which you didn't change, but disrupted/disturbed, has now failed damaging the gearbox and new clutch?

 

So now you've got to pay someone to take the whole lot apart again and replace the whole lot?

Well to make it clear, the slight play in the DMF has nothing to do with gearbox, i just lost the 1st and 2nd selector. But when i replaced the clutch about a year ago, i did want to replace the DMF too but the garage were adamant that it was fine and would be pointless top change it :/

Right ok so you think they should only need to recondition the gearbox to fix the 1st/2nd selector problem?

However they say that you also need to replace a (recently replaced) clutch and a (previously declared fine) DMF?

 

so they want £1050 to just sort the problem you have

or £1700 to do that and fix a couple of other problems which have recently been replaced or declared not necessary?

 

Second opinion a possibility?

Yep your first paragraph is correct but they want 1050 in total to recondition the box and (if i want) a new clutch and DMF for 400 extra

Have you talked to Unit18? They may be able to offer a better alternative.

Personally, I think a second hand box might be a good idea. Ship to garage and have it looked over. Then it's more a case of out with old, in with new, with no immediate faffing around in the mean time. Plus you'd either get a discount or a fixed 6 speed box to sell.

I'd do that too ^ buy a second hand box and get it swapped over. Should only be the price of a clutch and dmf change then as they have to take the box out and then they're just putting a different box back in. Will make no odds to them

Yeah could do that i suppose, but i wouldn't get a guarantee with a recon, well not most of them!

is the code for post 2004 gearbox's 'FSM'??

Your gearbox code will be on a label under the boot carpet along with the engine code, paint code and interior trim code.

I paid £300 for a second hand gearbox from devonutopia and drove 2 hours to unit 18 for Ali to fit it, charged me £125 if I remember correctly. Also told me that my clutch and dmf was fine. Top guys up there.

Why not just ask the garage to illustrate the play in the flywheel for you. Either by showing you the play first hand or using images? You are then able to make a informed decision. As a rule of thumb I would always look to replace a dmf when replacing a clutch because they are a week link. Also 650 for a recon box is about the right ball park. I use ace gearboxes through work (lease company) and have them them very reliable. They would also offer any advice etc.

Thanks

Dave

Being a mechanic and dealing with customers if me or a colleague have any doubt about somthing we tell the customer and let them decide!

They are telling you a part has failed or will soon, chances are they won't charge any extra labour (I don't for things like this) as the job is pretty much done anyway.

It's like the whole timing belt thing....

Do you want a timing belt? Timing belt kit? Or belt kit and water pump? Labour is the same, just Price of parts.

Thanks for the advice chaps, I've gone with what most have said and bought a used gearbox off ebay with a warranty and a lot less miles for a good price!  

 

Also going to get them to do the DMF and clutch while their at it saves me 450 off the original price. Still a massive kick in the wallet though! 

Thanks again