OK guys, need your help and advice again. (Mr Moderator, if this is the wrong forum please feel free to move to Drivetrain - just thought I might get a quicker response here)

Just had the news from my dealer that IM won’t consider changing the juddering clutch/flywheel on my MY98. I appreciate that the car’s done 40,000 miles, so some wear and tear is expected, but my feelings are that this is a known fault with these cars and they’re just using the mileage as a convenient excuse.

FYI, I got the car secondhand at 30,000 miles and thought that the occasionally fierce clutch was a ‘feature’ of my first true performance car. It’s only recently, through Scoobynet, that I’ve become aware of the fact that judder is caused by a design fault.

The info my dealer passed on from IM that affected their decision was:

1. The mileage of the car – they say clutches only last between 30,000 and 60,000 miles on average.

2. The fact the car is still on its first clutch (if it had been changed, there would be a case due to the youth of the second clutch).

3. The fact that I bought it secondhand, so they can’t guarantee how the first owner treated it. This annoys me as it was a UK supplied car, has always been serviced by the supplying dealer, and I bought it under their Subaru Assured scheme so they should know it’s a good 'un or why was it on their approved scheme?!

I’m thinking of contacting IM's warranty dept. direct and explaining my reasons for frustration to them, but I was wondering if any of you knew of dealers in the Midlands/South East that may be more sympathetic to my cause before I do this?

I tend to flit between Worcester and Newbury so the area around or between those would be favourite.

I was thinking of contacting the following, after hearing good things on Scoobynet:

Simpsons in Swindon (handy for work until the end of the month)

Listers in Worcester (handy for home)

Mill Lane in Basingstoke (handy for girlfriend!!)

Any others? Supplying dealer was in Reading area.

What do you reckon? Any advice/success stories appreciated.

Cheers,
Steve

 

Firstly I'm no expert but trying to look at it objectively I think they are just using the mileage as a convenient excuse. It's an approved car so should be in good order. As I see it the faulty clutch does not require replacement due to wear/milage and surely wear and tear would reduce the amount of grip and judder?

However, how regular is the incidence of judder have you just become concerned because the issue has been debated here?
I drive a 98 that does it OCCASIONALLY, and 00 which performs in a similar manner. i.e.The frequency issue affects the validity of your complaint as this is a known "feature".

How long had you owned the car before you complained, the longer the period the more they will argue that your driving contributed to the problem. Could you contact the previous owner and get him to confirm the problem existed when he got rid?
Driving style obviously affects clutch wear but in normal driving I would be horrified if my clutch needed replacing at 30,000, now Stephs' might be a different matter

But the fact the car is still on its first clutch is not the issue if it isn't worn out. If it is the car shouldn't qualify for approved status. The cars "approved" BECAUSE you bought it secondhand and in doing so you should have a reasonable expectation that known faults are remedied.

Ownership is not an issue, if it been new how would they know how you treated it.

Based on other threads I would contact IM's warranty dept, you have already raised the matter through the normal channels.

In terms a more sympathetic response, with due deference to slander libel etc., may I suggest you are guided by Mr Lewis's experience?


I have to get my a/c repaired, maybe that's only good for 30k , or was influenced by the previous owners driving style!

60 to 0 degrees is 5 secs.
Cheers

 

Cheers for the thoughts Banshi.

I like the one about contacting the former owner - I'll 192 him tonight and hope he's not ex-directory - could always write to him though.

I got the car in November last year. Winter isn't exactly the time for hooliganing around in a car though so I certainly haven't thrashed it - in fact, as it's way faster than anything I've had before, I've been gently exploring its capabilities (which greatly exceed mine! )

With regard to the frequency, it's not just an early-morning-when-cold thing like some guys have reported, it does it in first and reverse too.

One of the things that bugs me is that it's not the clutch, per se, that's at fault - it's the flywheel. The way it was explained to me is that the flywheel has highspots that the clutch 'skips' over until it bites, hence the judder.

Think it's time for a phone call direct.

Failing that, I might ask Pete Lewis to draft my letter!

Cheers,
Steve

 

If its the flywheel thats at fault then its case closed IMHO

1st owner 2nd owner or 10th owner it has no limit in the warranty book

The clutch is a wear and tear item - but 30,000 miles??? what tosh!!

At 40,000miles the clutch should not need replacement - if it does (and if you can prove that it hasnt been used for track work) then it was clearly 'unfit for purpose' your gripe is really with the supplying dealer (as that is who you have the contract with) its them, really, who should replace and then chase IM for re-imbursement.

The flywheel is NOT a wear and tear item, so there is no arguement there - it WILL get replaced under warranty.

Hope this helps?

E-mail me if you want any other assistance or a draft letter, with the relevant legal words included!

Good luck

Pete

Edited to say, I am willing to look after your girlfriend in basingstoke while you travel to Simpsons in Swindon

[This message has been edited by pslewis (edited 03 May 2001).]

 

Aha - the famous Mr Lewis!

Thanks for the pointers Pete - agree with you re the flywheel, etc. Considering the number of folk who've had remedial work done in this area, I think it's more than a bit off to try and hide behind 'normal usage' clauses. It's obviously a fault or they wouldn't fix anyone's clutch that had done a few miles.

I'm going to try to contact the previous owner tonight and get any info about the car from him. I doubt, from the condition when I got it, that it's had a hard time at all - certainly no track work. There was only one stone chip on it (there's a few more now)!!

Incidentally, my girlfriend thinks you must be a man of taste and breeding as she can't stand gold wheels either! Think I'd better not let on where in the Berks/Hants area she lives as I'm only a six-stone weakling!

Cheers,
Steve