Been away 3 months but car drama continues.
On the day I picked up my Alto I could hear a strange whirring noise when you depressed the clutch and overall the gearbox was quite vocal, especially when warmed through so I complained immediately and salesman left a note for workshop manager who called me the next day.
Booked it in, workshop foreman came out in car with me, heard noise, said thats not right and suspected clutch release bearing. They had the car a couple of days, changed bearing and clutch - had to wait 5 weeks because the clutch doesnt come as a kit and one part was on backorder - anyway it turned out that the release bearing sort of clips in place in a cage of sorts which slots into place - part of that cage was broken, problem solved we thought.
They also changed both front wheel bearings as they detected excessive wear, thanks for that guys!
Picked up car, got it warmed up and noise was still there so I complained again. Foreman came out with me again, agreed noise was still there and they had it in again, this time for over a week ( Wagon R saga repeats I thought ) and I gave permission to drive it about as it was hard to pinpoint - eventually after a workout in heavy traffic the foreman slotted it into second gear and the noise went up a notch, he said it was shockingly loud and took him by suprise, plus the noise from the 'box at idle was terrible.
This time they stripped the gearbox down. What they found made me glad I am a complainer - the differential bearings were almost completely shot, he reckoned they didnt have long to go before big mess and a few others were iffy. They changed every single gearbox bearing and not only is the gear change smooth as silk ( previously very notchy ) but it is noise free.
The theory is that a transit oil was put in the 'box at the factory and this wasnt changed at the PDI so the bearings went 48k without adequate lubrication.
I also had the air con stop working but a simple re-gas solved that, all free of course.
My car was built in Dec 2008 which makes it an extremely early car ( didnt start delivering until 2009 ) so all problems I get will be new to the car, I am part of the developmental team it seems!
Credit to the main dealer though who bent over backwards to help and didnt give up on a noise that many would have ignored - lucky they didnt really. I cannot imagine the cost of the repairs but I suspect it was pushing economic viability on a £3.8k car, but Suzuki UK pays so dealer just ploughs on.
Put these problems together with the engine mount before I bought the car and it is a long list for 2.5k of running but hopefully, touch wood, the car is running perfectly now.
I like the car in some ways, but the drivers seat gives me a dead leg if I dont use a cushion and steering is strangely heavy at parking speeds - it was the best car at the time but it is not a 'love in', more a practical arrangement until I can afford something I really like - like a Yaris SR 6 speed diesel mmm.
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Gearbox & rear diff oil is usually never changed and it should be as it also can absorb moisture through breathers and seals.
Well done getting a new box built.
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Well it lest it sounds like you have a decent dealer to help sort things.
I do wonder why such problems on a relatively young car though?
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I can only assume the workshop foreman was right and it didnt have the proper gearbox oil in leading to premature wear.
Dealer is one of the best I have ever dealt with - Co-op Kettering, a credit to car dealers on how it should be done.
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An update on more general car news: My wife sold her Sirion and is now using the Matrix as a daily driver and my sister fresh home from Australia has bought... a Ssanyong Rodius - in the end it was the only car that could do what she needed and the looks sort of grow on you - get past the looks and they are massive value and very capable cars, nice Merc diesel engine too.
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>> An update on more general car news: My wife sold her Sirion and is now
>> using the Matrix as a daily driver and my sister fresh home from Australia has
>> bought... a Ssanyong Rodius - in the end it was the only car that could
>> do what she needed and the looks sort of grow on you - get past
>> the looks and they are massive value and very capable cars, nice Merc diesel engine
>> too.
These are becoming quite a common sight on the roads around Heathrow and Gatwick airports as private hire vehicles. When you sit alongside one at lights, you realise how absolutely vast they are, which suggests they are a pretty much perfect tool for the job. Huge, absolutely dirt cheap and Mercedes diesel powered. I suspect they are better built and more reliable than a Grand Scenic or Espace too.
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>>These are becoming quite a common sight on the roads around Heathrow and Gatwick airports as private hire vehicles. When you sit alongside one at lights, you realise how absolutely vast they are, which suggests they are a pretty much perfect tool for the job. Huge, absolutely dirt cheap and Mercedes diesel powered. I suspect they are better built and more reliable than a Grand Scenic or Espace too.<<
There is an ongoing joke about airport taxis. It is indeed vast ( spare a thought for the poor sod who has to valet it... ) but that was exactly why my sister bought it - she wanted two individual seats that she could strap child seats in without having to remove them to access the rear bench, plus a boot big enough for a buggy and some other junk - you would think in todays era of well designed family cars that would be simple but not at all - only a Kia Sedona came close but the Rodius was MILES ahead in space terms. Even a Grand Voyager couldnt cut it. The rear bench slides so you can shift it about depending on if you carry rear seat passengers or remove it totally.
Then there was price - a main dealer prepared, fully serviced, 1 year manufacturer backed warranty on a 2008 car with 39k - £6.5k. Nothing could touch it at that price.
It is a funny car, lots of little touches that are distinctly far eastern, like the centre console box sprouts an extending handle and wheels so you can take it for a walk - quite why you would want to wheel your CD collection down the street escapes my sister, but the option is there.
There are also air vents in the roof with a separate control for them in the back.
The 5 cyl Merc diesel is a lovely motor, my BIL was very impressed how quiet it is and my sister commented how easily it shifts a 2100kg car.
Their plan is essentially to run it till it falls apart, which could be a long time judging by how reliable they seem - the main reason is that it would be horrid to try and sell - I warned them before they bought it - so it was bought on the assumption that they would get every penny out if it and sell it for small change with a starship mileage. The taxi version came with a 250k warranty so could be a long wait.
They love it though and I must admit, I think the press give it a raw deal, it is a far better family car that it gets credit for, even if it is a bit ugly - tip, get one with tinted windows ina dark colour like my sis did and it hides the shape/styling quite well although its ability to block out the sun not so much.
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>>
>> It is a funny car, lots of little touches that are distinctly far eastern, like
>> the centre console box sprouts an extending handle and wheels so you can take it
>> for a walk - quite why you would want to wheel your CD collection down
>> the street escapes my sister, but the option is there.
>>
It's probably one of those little micro scooters.
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>>I do wonder why such problems on a relatively young car though?
= = = > "my Indian built Suzuki".
(*_*)
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>>Been away 3 months
Was that 6 months and 50% off for good behaviour?
Only joking.
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>>Was that 6 months and 50% off for good behaviour?<<
I couldnt possibly say :-)
Actually had alot going on that needed my time and coming here is a reasonably useless way to spend my time.
On the up side, GB might get the chance to vote for me, I wonder if he will :-)
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>> On the up side, GB might get the chance to vote for me, I wonder
>> if he will :-)
If as i suspect you're going to be a candidate for whom i hope then yes, and the best of British.
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>>If as i suspect you're going to be a candidate for whom i hope then yes, and the best of British.<<
I think you are hoping correctly. My wife may well be on the ticket if there is a by-election, she joined up too and could be bringing her own brand of straight talking to the council, poor luvs :-)
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Another little thing needs doing apparently - a recall on a heater fan motor resistor.
They are also doing a quick hook up with their laptop to check the PAS resistance is within normal limits as it feels a bit too heavy at parking speeds, hoping that doesnt turn into more big repairs although better now than when warranty runs out.
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And you've the cheek to slag off my buying of a Renault. Tut tut.
;-)
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I wouldnt recommend buying an Alto to anyone, but I am hoping the car will have ironed out all its issues by the time warranty runs out.
All it has proven to me is that my instincts to buy japanese/korean built cars is the right one - our Matrix may be nothing special but it is reliable.
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>> I wouldnt recommend buying an Alto to anyone, but I am hoping the car will
>> have ironed out all its issues by the time warranty runs out.
>>
Its issues include its parentage...which includes b'staaard in it...
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Car drama update - Bigtee
