Mk2 Focus 1.8 Tdci Clutch Issues

[Pitmonster]

Did that also include the clutch slave cylinder (which also incorporates the clutch release bearing)?

Did it also include VAT?

If so, that's sounds like a decent price from an independent garage.

Ford have just quoted me £1030 all inclusive.

[Aldoo]

its certainly VAT and fitting. i asked for clutch and DMF, i thought slave cylinder would be a part of doing the clutch though? Ill have to check i guess

but isnt 1030 good? 200ish extra for the fact its a proper ford garage seems alright?

[matts1185]

hi all just joined for this very topic, i went for the single mass in my opinion it was cheap 400 fitted but now its like a 1 litre. theres no torque at all it gets there eventually but you carnt feel any boost from the turbo. not sure if this is the flywheels fault or the garage that fitted it, thats why i came on here to see if other people with single flywheels had the same problem. from my experiance so far id stay with the DMF, gonna go do some more searching see if anyone else has had the same prob or if i have to look for what the garage cocked up, matt

[Pitmonster]

but isnt 1030 good? 200ish extra for the fact its a proper ford garage seems alright?

It certainly does seem good (especially as they reduced it from £1290) so I will be going for this

[talksy]

It certainly does seem good (especially as they reduced it from £1290) so I will be going for this

£1030 from a main dealer sounds quite reasonable, maybe you could haggle them down further to £1000 make it a nice round number lol. - Out of interest, which dealer was it, for future reference.

I wonder if you will get any warranty on the part if you get it from a proper dealer. Also, whilst talking about warranties, for people who don't yet have the symptoms, is it worth taking out a warranty plan for your car? I never have so I don't know if things like this would be covered or not.

[Pitmonster]

Work done at a main dealer has a 12 month warranty, on both the parts and the workmanship.

Dealer is Polar Ford in Warrington, who have been extremely helpful and friendly. I have a Smart Plus service plan with them, which may account for the low price, although a service manager did say they were willing to price match

[Pitmonster]

Regarding 3rd party warranties, would they declare that a DMF is a 'wear and tear' thing and therefore not be covered?

Might be worth investigating before committing.

[talksy]

Well that was my concern with these 3rd party warranties. I have read a few online horror stories from some people who took out deluxe warranties which were supposed to cover almost everything - some of these policies costing almost £800, only to find certain things were not covered, and more often than not, the parts not covered were most costly to fix. Chances are quite high they will attribute a DMF to being normal wear and tear therefore not covered. But might be worth further investigation.

Thanks for the details on the garage - unfortunately it is nowhere near to me, however if I ever experience this problem, it is good to know of garages who charge reasonable sums and have a good track record. What is the Ford Smart Plus service plan you describe? Is it some sort of annual servicing plan where you pay up front? I am assuming it is not a warranty?

When I got my focus, I took out the Ford Platinum Warranty. I got 3 years worth, however you are limited to only 12k per year - not very much at all for a diesel car tbh! If I go over 12k, then it rolls into the next year lol.

[Pitmonster]

The smart plus service plan is, as you say, an annual service plan where you pay up front. In fact you pay monthly, interest free.

There are two levels : normal and plus.

Both give you the next 4 services (parts and labour) plus MOTs for the life of the plan. They also collect and return the car, give it a clean, and you get free puncture repairs, free safety checks, and a 10% discount on parts for non-service jobs. (This may have been a factor in my reduced quote for the DMF)

The plus package includes a valet at each service (rather than a basic wash & vac), and Ford Assistance breakdown cover - which is carried out by the AA (by the AA patrols, in AA vans) and includes home start and Europe. That alone is worth over £100 a year

I pay about £22 a month for 3 years, which comes to £792.

To put that into context:

2 x minor service at £99 = £198

2 x major service at £200 = £400

4 x MOT at £40 = £160

4 yrs AA cover at £100 = 400

4 x mini-valet at £20 = £80

Total of all the above = £1238

A saving of over £400

Of course all parts are genuine Ford. In particular the engine oil is the correct Ford spec, which is crucial to the health of your turbo if you have a TDCi engine.

A good independent garage will of course also use the correct oil, but unfortunately this may not always be true.

And of course the Ford service stamps in your book could add a little to the value of the car when you come to sell

* note that the service prices I've used are for a main dealer, not an independent garage which could be cheaper

If you go to a ford dealer there will be signs up about the plans, and also details on the dealers website

[Aldoo]

isnt a warranty standard everywhere? ..the quotes iv got have a 12 month from an independent garage. (will that be work and part or one or the other? ..not really sure)

cheers

[talksy]

The smart plus service plan is, as you say, an annual service plan where you pay up front. In fact you pay monthly, interest free.

There are two levels : normal and plus.

Both give you the next 4 services (parts and labour) plus MOTs for the life of the plan. They also collect and return the car, give it a clean, and you get free puncture repairs, free safety checks, and a 10% discount on parts for non-service jobs. (This may have been a factor in my reduced quote for the DMF)

The plus package includes a valet at each service (rather than a basic wash & vac), and Ford Assistance breakdown cover - which is carried out by the AA (by the AA patrols, in AA vans) and includes home start and Europe. That alone is worth over £100 a year

I pay about £22 a month for 3 years, which comes to £792.

To put that into context:

2 x minor service at £99 = £198

2 x major service at £200 = £400

4 x MOT at £40 = £160

4 yrs AA cover at £100 = 400

4 x mini-valet at £20 = £80

Total of all the above = £1238

A saving of over £400

Of course all parts are genuine Ford. In particular the engine oil is the correct Ford spec, which is crucial to the health of your turbo if you have a TDCi engine.

A good independent garage will of course also use the correct oil, but unfortunately this may not always be true.

And of course the Ford service stamps in your book could add a little to the value of the car when you come to sell

* note that the service prices I've used are for a main dealer, not an independent garage which could be cheaper

If you go to a ford dealer there will be signs up about the plans, and also details on the dealers website

Wow, sounds like quite a good deal. I get RAC cover with my 3 year warranty, but obviously I have to pay for services etc. I might ask about this next time I am in.

:)

[Pitmonster]

Do the maths before you commit, and be sure it's right before you decide.

While it was the right deal for me, it may not be right for you - especially if you have a good local garage who you trust. That may ultimately be a cheaper option, or cost-neutral.

Also, if you already have breakdown cover elsewhere (eg with a credit card) then that reduces the potential savings you may make with the Ford plan.

I was already paying £100 a year for AA (and not getting home start) so that was an immediate saving for me, but there's no guarantee that this will apply to you.

Lastly, ring Ford and get a quote from them. Your annual mileage (and therefore how often your cars needs servicing) can affect the price they give you, as can the age/mileage/model of car.

Be sure it's right for you before you decide.

[talksy]

Do the maths before you commit, and be sure it's right before you decide.

While it was the right deal for me, it may not be right for you - especially if you have a good local garage who you trust. That may ultimately be a cheaper option, or cost-neutral.

Also, if you already have breakdown cover elsewhere (eg with a credit card) then that reduces the potential savings you may make with the Ford plan.

I was already paying £100 a year for AA (and not getting home start) so that was an immediate saving for me, but there's no guarantee that this will apply to you.

Lastly, ring Ford and get a quote from them. Your annual mileage (and therefore how often your cars needs servicing) can affect the price they give you, as can the age/mileage/model of car.

Be sure it's right for you before you decide.

Hi, thanks again. Maybe they could tailor a package for me. My service is not due until almost 12 months, so I have a while to work out the costs etc.

Thanks again :) very useful info.

[flying clutchman]

The 12 month warranty should be normal whoever does the job. The issue of Ford genuine parts is also a red herring. Ford do not make the clutches and flywheels. They are made by LUK, or sometimes Sachs or Valeo. (I think it depends where the car is built) Any garage should be able to source the parts through a trade wholesaler at a large discount, helping to keep the price down. Obviously the price of the DMF itself pushes up the price considerably, but only adds 15-30 mins to the fitting. On the issue of solid conversion kits, the performance should not be reduced. I suspect a turbo pipe's not been reconnected or something.

[Stoney871]

Very true on the parts.

Ford buy from the same place as other garages, the only difference is they glue a ford label to them and add 40% to their cost.