Bye Bye Synchro!

MrSix · 7 Nov 2006 at 13:45

Not sure if I posted or not, but I had to have a new gearbox last month because the old one decided to go bang. Crown wheel was riveted on instead of bolted (damn you german 1.6 designers) and after a while the rivets decided they didn't want to play ball any more and sheered off, consiquently leaving me with a £740 bill for a reconned box fitted with the bolt kit.

Anyway, yesterday when I tried to select 5th, as I released the clutch there was a bit of grinding and general foul play. It now seems that 5th has given up the ghost and i'm suspecting a bork ring or 'borked' synchro.

It'll be straight back up there tomorrow so they can replace the box.

MrSix · 7 Nov 2006 at 16:56

[TW]Fox said:
If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen.

Awww...you're a little cutie aren't you

MrSix · 7 Nov 2006 at 19:28

Matt, that would be logical, but mine wasn't thrashed, not by me, nor by the couple that owned it before.

The gearboxes are a time bomb, they will go at some point because the rivets that attatch the crown wheel aren't strong enough. I've heard of people who have 150k miles on the clock and they've never had a problem. I've also heard of cars with 30k miles which have blown.

They are pretty spectacular too, it's common for the rivets to grind bits off inside your box, then blow holes in the bell casing! I was lucky, mine just ground itself to a stop.

My gearbox went at 54k miles and it possibly went earlier because it's an 8v unit, which has more torque than the lesser (

) 16v unit.

Still, the owner of "Clutchmasters" is going to get it with both barrels and i'm also going to take plenty of photos of my car before it goes in this time, so that he doesn't damage it, then deny it like he did last time.

MrSix · 7 Nov 2006 at 19:57

Hehe, thanks.

Wont be so bad in January / February when i've got my bike aswell

MrSix · 8 Nov 2006 at 00:05

Liverpool-Lad said:
On a side note, is the VAG box on the 1.8turbo (180bhp) engines prone to anything similar?

Nope, nice and strong, they use big, full fat bolts to secure the crown wheel.

Dogbreath said:
It might be borked but its called a baulk ring

Hehe, I just spelt it phonetically from what my mate told me.

[TW said:
Fox]It is of course only a matter of time but I don't recall BMW trading on their reliability in the way VW have done

"The Ultimate Driving Machine" - need they say any more?

MrSix · 8 Nov 2006 at 07:37

[TW]Fox said:
Will let you know when I find how that relates to reliability.

kthx.

MrSix · 8 Nov 2006 at 07:51

mk4 Golf 1.6 se in red with some £70 aftermarket alloys and a home made exhaust.

Sounds like a heap when I tell it like that

It's not though....honest!

(I reckon even fox might back me up on that one?)

MrSix · 8 Nov 2006 at 10:50

Tesla said:
I have always commented on how immaculate your car looked at the RR. One of the best looking Golfs on the road.

*blushes*

My car says thankyou, you little cutie!

MrSix · 3 Mar 2007 at 00:08

Guess what guys!

Gearbox has gone AGAIN.

This time the diff has collapsed and I've got a hole in the bell housing to it's leaking tranny fluid, this has run on to the clutch plates and worn out the clutch. It's still driveable, but I don't know for how much longer.

I had the gearbox inspected by an independent specialist and they've said that this gearbox is a complete heap of junk. It's been reconned VERY badly with the cheapest parts and aparently one end is even mashed in!

Needless to say, I'm seeking legal advice at the moment and consolodating the evidence I already have on Clutchmasters' poor quality workmanship and goods not fit for their purpose. They've got a choice to make now - Pay me off so I can get it done elsewhere, or we're going to court and I'm claiming damages.

Either way, he's in breach of the Supply and goods and services act 1987 because the goods aren't fit for their purpose (twice now!) and the work hasn't been carried out to a satisfactory standard.

Man I'm angry at the moment.

MrSix · 5 Sep 2007 at 18:09

Final update!

Had the court date today and the judge ruled in my favour for £1100 (the cost of the replacement gearbox).

Thank the lord that's all over!

MrSix · 5 Sep 2007 at 20:49

[TW]Fox;10038632 said:
It's not over, he's got to actually pay up first

He has 28 days in which to pay up, otherwise it will be filed to the crown court and obviously go on his criminal record.
He also has 21 days to appeal, he had two options - one was to appeal to the circuit judge that we had, which he did and his appeal was flatly rejected. His other option is to write to the district judge and pay for the court fee's etc. he was told that he could get the papers from the court staff outside, but when we left the chamber he just walked out.

willd58 said:
Congrats, what was the opposing argument and did you not get anything for the hassle?

His agrument was very weak - that the goods he supplied weren't faulty (duh, I had photos showing it leaking!) and that I wouldn't have had to mitigate loss as he was willing to do ANOTHER repair (bare in mind the first time he'd damaged my car and lied to me and the second time he'd taken nearly two weeks to do a job that he told me would take three days, plus he was verbally abusive on a number of occaisions), so I politely declined his offer.

I did end up having to pay the court fee, but that's only £120 so i'm a very happy bunny!