1st gear clutch judder

[Odhran]

Evening all, the purpose of this post is to vent / hear other owner's views. Currently have a 12 reg Audi A6 2.0 TDI 177bhp. The car has just turned 40,000 miles and has a full Audi history. At 18 months old / 17k the car had a clutch and flywheel fitted at an eye watering cost thankfully covered by warranty. The owner at the time reported clutch judder in first gear. Now 23k miles later, the same issue is manifesting itself. How can a 4 year old car with 40k and a full history be ready for its third clutch and flywheel?

The car was bought privately 6 months ago but I have noticed it being more pronounced in the past 6k. Especially after a long journey. I have called my local Audi dealer who advise that the flywheel (like the rest of the car) is out of warranty. I told her that I was surprised and saddened that it looks like the same problem has reoccurred. The service adviser suggested that I bring the car in for a diagnostic check which will require a full strip down at a cost of £250. The results will be forwarded to Audi. I asked would there be any likelihood of goodwill, she declined to comment and said it won't be known until it is brought in

Has anyone any similar experience in the field? Has anyone any tips in this regard? Are there any key words to mention?
Although the parts and the actual car is out of warranty, would there be any argument for 'not being fit for purpose?' Obviously 25 months / 23k isn't a reasonable length of time for a clutch and flywheel to last on a premium brand?

Any advice?

Thanks

[Odhran]

rb5er said:

You had my sympathy until this commend about "Premium brand" Really? It's just another VAG car.

Not good a clutch only lasting this small amount of time but then Audi don't know how it's been driven in that time.

Advice : don't expect fancy aesthetics and soft touch plastics to equal reliability. Also diesels are not always the economical choice.

Quite. I omitted the inverted commas there but Audi does try and portray itself as a premium brand so fair comment in my book.

It has been driven very sympathetically during my tenure and I get the impression the guy before me drove it with even more mechanical sympathy.

[Odhran]

Car booked in for diagnostic strip-down. Will update when more is known.

[Odhran]

dandam said:

Good luck and let us know how you get on

As requested, a bit of an update:

When I purchased the car there was a document with it that showed that clutch, flywheel and release bearing were all changed at circa 20k from memory. The price of work was somewhere in the region of £2500.

I booked my car in with Belfast Audi for Wednesday 2nd November. The service advisor instructed that a technician would take my car on a road test. When he drove the car the tech agreed that there was a juddering vibration from the clutch in first gear and delivered his prognosis: that it can only be cured with another new clutch, flywheel and release bearing (current mileage at this stage 42k.)

Fearing the worst we set off back to the dealer. The service advisor asked me what I expected of them as the vehicle was 18 months out of warranty. I explained that the flywheel and clutch should ultimately last the life of the vehicle and I didn't believe it was acceptable that it should fail twice in 4 years / 40k. Having had a word with his manager they offered a proposal: that the dealership would foot the bill for a new clutch, flywheel and release bearing if I agreed to buy either a 1 or 2 year warranty and service plan (major and interim service.) Total cost £745. I thought long and hard about it and when I weighed it up I decided that I would go ahead and authorise the work as while it wasn't ideal, I felt it was a decent gesture on their behalf. Fast forward 24 hours and the service advisor calls to inform me that the work has been carried out, however upon driving the car into the workshop, a whirring noise could be heard from the engine. I agreed that I had noticed a slight whirring noise recently. I authorised a diagnostic check and another £60 and one hour later the tech diagnosed it as a defective idler roller. Total cost including diagnosis £260. HOWEVER another word with the service manager resulted in another offer: that if I committed to the 2 year warranty instead of the 1 year warranty then they would repair.

So in conclusion the total cost to repair was £1045 (as opposed to £2500) and I have a 2 year warranty and my next two services paid for. Overall not ideal really, but probably the best realistic resolution I could have hoped for. Get it back on Monday, I hope I have no more trouble with it, but now I have the piece of mind of a 2 year warranty.

Background info: bought car privately with 32k and Full Audi history (not with this dealer.)

[Odhran]

I believe that I am still in front with the benefit of now having a new warranty and two future services paid for.

[Odhran]

fatboy b said:

What? Are you serious? A clutch is a friction plate, as are brake pads. Service items.

Well my brake pads have outlived 2 clutches so far so you could be right.