ah mate, that sucks! I'm sure 2.5k is better spent on your new born but at least you know your car will be future proof for the next 4 years!

Good luck and let us know if you're happy with the garage you're using at the moment.

-Oli

Cheers guys, Obviously not a particularly happy bunny but over the last 10 years I've averaged less than 1K a year in depreciation whilst doing 30K a year. This just puts me up to 6K for the A8 so it means its got to last me at least 4 years if not longer with not much more expense( I don't count servicing costs as that comes no matter what I drive)

I just can't wait to get her back now, I'm currently in a cheapo hire car with a 55bhp 3 cylinder engine :(

So you got a new box from them a year go with a year's warranty?

Reported the fault to them within the year and they claimed it was something different.

You had it checked by someone else who has pointed out that they (the oringial fitter) has screwed up the fitting and the box has lunched itself?

Sounds like you have a claim on them to me.

Was thinking that myself. Sounds like a Small Claim's Court jobby to me.

thanks guys, you got me thinking about it so i am going to call the first garage tomorrow and ask them what they will do about it. The warranty was parts only so i am going to suggest that i will get the gearbox to them for full repair or replacement and get the second garage to fit it. If they wont play ball i'll speak to trading standards and see what options i have.

latest update

Rang them at 10am when they open,

"He's not in till 12 today"

"OK I'll call back"

Rang at 12:30

"He's on teh other line, give me your number I'll get him to call when he finishes"

Waits patiently.........

I rang again at 4pm

"I spoke to you a couple of weeks ago about my gearbox, mint green A8. YOu said it was definately the flex plate and nothing in the gearbox couold make teh noise I sent you"

"yep"

"Well, I 've taken it to someone to get it done but when he's got the gearbox out the pumps machined itself into the torque convertor and the box is full of swarf."

"Ah, the flexplate caused that, thats not covered under warranty"

"According to the garage who have the car the flexplate looks fine"

"So someones been in the gearbox, I'm not warranty'ing anything on that now. Good bye...."

..........

more info from talking to the garage that have taken it out

Apparantly the box had never been recon'd. The bottom of it had been cleaned up but the top of it was still dirty. It had a recon TC on it and inside the box it had been re-assembled using HMP Grease which you aren't supposed to use apparantly.


Anyway, I'm going over tomorrow to the car and going to take a load of pictures and have a chat with Trading Standards to see if I can at least get back the cost of the parts needed to fix it. if they think its worth it I'll start the path to Small claims by sending him a recorded delivery letter detailing what I want.

so teh saga continues...


I JUST WANT MY CAR BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely trading standards and maybe a wee email to watchdog :)

Whilst sometimes things just simply 'go wrong' on a car, companies (or individuals) who aren't interested drive me nuts.