Bad Day - Engine shake and Clutch went. Rough price

dk1234

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Wow, really bad day today. I was driving in really slow moving traffic. When I felt the engine sort of judder or shake more than usual. I looked for a side road to pull over, opened the bonnet and the engine was shaking harder than usual, the "Emission Control System" warning light was also flashing in the rev counter area. The place I pulled over was a no parking place so I had to move my car somewhere, I asked a bin man if he knew where a garage was and he directed me somewhere not too far from where I was. My phone was also dead as I forgot to charge it so couldn't call anybody or look on here or the web.

The place was closed & it was next to a scrap yard, I asked one of the guys from there if there is anywhere that was open around, he directed me to some place not far but then said there was a mechanic accross the road. There was guy there looking at somebody else's car, this wasn't in a gargae but on a side street. He told me to start the car with the bonnet popped, looked and said that it will be one of the Coil's and that he will test what one it is, he did this by taking them out and using spark plugs and asking me to start the engine whilst he positioned them I guess against the metal of the car. He identified one and said I would need a new one. He suggested going to the scrap yard to check if they had any, they didn't. He fitted the coils back in and left the screws out. His friend said he will come with me to the shop which was about 10-15 minutes away, got there and they never had the part.

On the way back we popped into another garage and asked it they had coils, nope. I had to drop the guy back but didn't want to continue driving my car. On the way back we met with slow moving traffic and we saw another garage, he popped out to ask them if they had any, my engine was just rumbling away and I could see a little bit of steam coming from the engine bay, the traffic wasn't moving so I switched of my engine. After a few minutes the traffic started moving and I started my car put the clutch down and it just went straight down and did not return. The car would start but the clucth wouldn't move. The guys from the garage helped me to push the car into there garage. One of them was saying you will need a new clutch etc. The head guy said they will look at my car on Monday and call me with the prices to do the work or scrap my car (I think he was joking there....so I hope ) One of them was saying it could be about £300 the guy that was with me was saying about £400, I was a bit weary all these places we went the guy was speaking in his language to the people.

Really strange I haven't had my car behave like this, espically the engine shake. The clucth problem also came out of nowhere, I did notice recently that sometimes I could hear a little "air" sort of sound when I fully pressed it.
 
Check to see if the link on the clutch peddle has broken inside the car, theres some posts somewhere in here if you search.
I think dodgy coils also crop up a lot. Where abouts are you maybe somebody local on here would have a look. £300, or even £400 is very cheap for a new clutch!
 
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I had to leave the car with the garage as I couldn't drive it so i had no choice. They said they will look at it on Monday, they had a quick look at the engine area and the head guy sat in the drivers seat but said they will need to have a proper look on Monday as they were soon closing / doing other jobs. I'm in Tottenham, North london, my car is in a garage about a 15 minute drive or 30 -40 minute walk away from me.
 
Make sure those guys fit a good clutch not a cheap one if it is the clutch because they would say clutch without checking, check the links etc.

I live near Tottenham too, i know a place in seven sisters where they do a good job and cheap as well but £300 to £400 is not bad as long as its a decent clutch not a cheap one.
 
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Yeah I know, one of the workers who helped push my car into the garage was just saying the clutch is gone / come up or something like that. I asked can you see it from the engine area and he sort of pointed inside the engine bay but I couldn't make out what he was pointing at. My clutch went on Seven Sisters road, I think I heard a click as I pushed it down, then it just went straight down, I wish I knew about checking if the clutch peddle cable had snapped, it could very well be that as I have not have had any problems with the clutch. If it was the clutch peddle I could imagine that they might still say it's the clutch to make more money.

what garage was it that you were going to suggest? hopefully that's the one I'm in. Theres a few a Seven Sisters is a long road. Also I don't know much about clutches really. how will I know what's a good one? or will it just be based on price i.e. the more expensive the better?

If I'm not happy with there quote can I use breakdown cover to take me to another garage? even if the other garage is close by?
 
Make sure those guys fit a good clutch not a cheap one if it is the clutch because they would say clutch without checking, check the links etc.

I live near Tottenham too, i know a place in seven sisters where they do a good job and cheap as well but £300 to £400 is not bad as long as its a decent clutch not a cheap one.

Really? £400 is what i'd expect to pay in labour alone for a clutch change. Also the "pedal to the floor" symptom sounds like MC rather than clutch.
 
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Yeah I know, one of the workers who helped push my car into the garage was just saying the clutch is gone / come up or something like that. I asked can you see it from the engine area and he sort of pointed inside the engine bay but I couldn't make out what he was pointing at. My clutch went on Seven Sisters road, I think I heard a click as I pushed it down, then it just went straight down, I wish I knew about checking if the clutch peddle cable had snapped, it could very well be that as I have not have had any problems with the clutch. If it was the clutch peddle I could imagine that they might still say it's the clutch to make more money.

what garage was it that you were going to suggest? hopefully that's the one I'm in. Theres a few a Seven Sisters is a long road. Also I don't know much about clutches really. how will I know what's a good one? or will it just be based on price i.e. the more expensive the better?

If I'm not happy with there quote can I use breakdown cover to take me to another garage? even if the other garage is close by?

It's here if you put that on google map 51.58201,-0.066053 blue gates well some clutches can cost for £200 from eurocar parts and plus £200 £250 labour.
I recently changed timing belt and water pump and i was charged £120 for the job and it was done spot on.
 
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I cant wait untill granfather rights get abolished and back street garages are more thoroughly regulated and all the cowboys get pushed out. Chances are they are genuine at that garage, I often helped people out at the weekend when i was working in a garage on my own projects, just trying to do my good deed of the day, but nowadays it would be questioned if i gave a cheap quote on the road side in an attempt to help and send you home worry free, in the same time gaining more work cos maybe its a quiet week.

even so, the price i still say is cheap for a clutch. be carefull!
 
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It's here if you put that on google map 51.58201,-0.066053 blue gates well some clutches can cost for £200 from eurocar parts and plus £200 £250 labour.
I recently changed timing belt and water pump and i was charged £120 for the job and it was done spot on.

I've been past that garage before, I wasn't too far from there when my engine started juddering. I was on broadlane down the bottom of that road and the traffic was really slow yesterday. I went past that road and then my engine started and I pulled into a side road a few roads up just before you get to Tesco. There was heavy traffic going around Tesco which I didn't want to be in with the way my engine was shaking. Quite a few garages close early on Saturday aswell.

Did you get your timing belt and water bottle changed at that garage? Sounds like a good price and I need mine done too.

I just remembered I used to have a peugeot 206 and that clutch thing happened to me once in it and I pulled over somewhere, can't really remember what I did, but I know it was nothing mechanical but it started working again off it's own accord again. I wonder what that was and if this could be similar? I'm just throwing things out there.
 
Really? £400 is what i'd expect to pay in labour alone for a clutch change. Also the "pedal to the floor" symptom sounds like MC rather than clutch.

Sorry what does MC mean I'm guessing

Main Cable
M****** Clutch ?

Also, If my clutch was going should I have had symptons? or can they just go like that?
 
Master cylinder
 
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It looks like Clutches is one of the main things they do at the garage. Just looked at it on Google maps and they have loads of signs saying Clutches done here. I just hope they are honest.
 
How much the different jobs likely to cost? From peddle cable to master cylinder.

Also what would be a good clutch to get if I end up needing a new one?
 
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If you got breakdown cover I believe you can get it towed to home or a garage of your choice, so maybe have a look on your policy?
 
I just gave them a quick call, they said that they have replaced 2 coils so far.  I asked about the clutch and he said that they think it is the bearings but he's not sure of a price until he talks to the suppliers he said it also depends on if they have to remove the gearbox, I asked how much and he said that I will be looking at around £340, then said £300 - £350.

I asked how much for the coils he said that he will contact me in about 30 minutes to give me a price for everything.

I asked if they checked the clutch cable, he said it doesn't have cable it's hydraulic system.

Does what I've been told so far sound about right and is it the right sort of price to change the bearings? I don't think that includes the price for the 2 coils also.

I would appreciate if you guys could let me know asap so I know if I should take it somewhere else to look at the clutch and pay for the work for the coils.  On Saturday he said that they would contact me before doing any work but they done the coils without letting me know.
 
Phoning another garage they said the labour is the same to replace the clutch as the bearings. Do you think it would be better to change the clutch? To future proof.

The guy still ain't got back to me yet.
 
I know you are probably ****ting bricks, but ure car is in a garage, broken. What options do you have? If you trust somewhere else more, get it taken there, otherwise get it fixed.

Nobody is replying because there isn't much we can say I don't think.
 
Can't trust anyone. All you can do now is make sure they show you ALL the replaced parts when you go to pick it and before you pay.
 

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