geoff-r Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Hi guys, I know this may seem like it's in the wrong section of the forum but I am in need of some advice regarding warranty work. I booked my car to go into the local Nissan dealer (Wessex Nissan). I booked it in complaining of a whine from the gearbox, specifically in 1st and 2nd. I just probably couldn't notice it in the higher gears due to the noise of car. Anyway I have explained this problem in detail in this thread: http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=29478. Like I say, the car was booked in and because I was in work I got the old man to drop it down for me. He gave them a list of things I wanted sorted/looked at, some things were small and not of a huge concern. My main concern being the noise from the thrust bearing or the dual mass flywheel. I'm not sure which it is, but there is something definitely wrong with the gearbox. Now the local dealer rang my old man earlier as I told them to speak to him as it isn't always easy for me to take calls in work. He told me that the dealer went to Nissan with the intention of replacing the gearbox. This tells me they must know something is wrong, right? Anyways, I was prepared for the reply, that they instructed the dealership to remove the gearbox, inspect it, and if there is anything wrong they will do the work under the warranty agreement. If they take the gearbox apart and find nothing wrong then they will charge me for the labour. Straight away the old man told them it was unacceptable, that we wouldn't be willing to do this, at the end of the day the car is a late 07 reg with 16,000 miles on it. The dealer to some extent agrees with this, why else would they go to Nissan without speaking to us to recommend a new gearbox be fitted? They must know something is wrong. So now the ball is in our court. We're really in no rush to take the car back and there is plenty of time left on the warranty to carry on battling the case. I would really appreciate it if anyone else has been in this situation and been either successful or unsuccessful in getting Nissan to carry out the work they should be carrying out. Cheers guys, and again if this is in the wrong section please let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 If a "stalemate" has been reached then just give Nissan Customer Services a ring and discuss the issues with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Well to be honest that's not something I had considered. Do you think there is more of a chance of it getting resolved that way? I'm still in the honeymoon period with my zed, it shouldn't really be sitting in a dealership due to a stalemate between me and Nissan but I'm determined not to get worked up about it and try resolve it in a quick and speedy manner. Oh and thanks for moving it, I wasn't totally sure if it was in the right section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Max just had a similar issue with the local dealer although his car wasnt under warranty. The mechanic sat in the car, started the engine and said it needed a new gearbox. One thing that has become very apparent to me recently is that the sign over the garage is no reason to assume they have any knowledge of the car. Without getting into the specifics of this problem I would suggest contacting Nissan Custome Services. I have found that whilst they may not react very quickly they will ensure that the dealer is playing the game. Its difficult to get them to use e-mail rather than phone calls but I prefer to have things in writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 If the dealer acknowledges there is a problem that can only be resolved by taking the box out and checking the internals and given your car is under warranty then that work should be down to Nissan, or the dealer if it turns out their diagnosis is wrong. This seems a case that the dealer is either not assertive enough with Nissan about the issue or they are not sure if their diagnosis is right and are covering their backs. I would get a statement in writing from the dealer about what he considers is necessary. If he backs away from that then take the car to another dealer that has the expertise. Not sure who are your local dealers but a check on the thread that lists good and bad dealers (I'll try to locate it after posting) might be your better option. EDIT: dealers - good and bad viewtopic.php?f=64&t=6668&hilit=dealers&start=75 BTW - have moved the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Thanks for moving the thread Colin. I appreciate the replies guys. So next course of action is to contact Nissan Customer Services? I agree with you Martin, I too prefer things in writing. They always seem to stand up a bit better, than "oh so and so told me this". Rather than going through all this trouble of contacting Nissan Customer Service I have had another idea, which I did use some years ago when I had an MG ZR (excuse the bad language), the pistons were shot on an engine with 22k on it, the dealer tried to fob me off by telling me it was all fixed, as soon as I hoped in the car I knew it was exactly the same, they hadn't touched it. Unimpressed I went off and had it assessed by an independent technician who advised work be carried out, and the garage had no choice but to carry out the work, and they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Thanks for moving the thread Colin. I appreciate the replies guys. So next course of action is to contact Nissan Customer Services? I agree with you Martin, I too prefer things in writing. They always seem to stand up a bit better, than "oh so and so told me this". Rather than going through all this trouble of contacting Nissan Customer Service I have had another idea, which I did use some years ago when I had an MG ZR (excuse the bad language), the pistons were shot on an engine with 22k on it, the dealer tried to fob me off by telling me it was all fixed, as soon as I hoped in the car I knew it was exactly the same, they hadn't touched it. Unimpressed I went off and had it assessed by an independent technician who advised work be carried out, and the garage had no choice but to carry out the work, and they did. Yes, I was thinking that, but before ou put your hand in your pocket I would push the dealer more. It just occured to me that one of the local Taffys might know of a good dealer - see this thread and possibly pm those who might be near to you; viewtopic.php?f=90&t=22080&p=436779#p436779 Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Yeah it's still early days. Tomorrow I'll get on the phone to Nissan Customer Service, see where that gets me, if it gets me nowhere I will get an independent report as I know a guy who does the reports quite well. Again thanks for the replies, it's much appreciated, if anyone else has anything to add please post, and I will get back to you tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Have you seen this thread and the outcome - just a thought......... viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Have you seen this thread and the outcome - just a thought......... viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29101 Thanks Colin, I appreciate you digging up that thread for me, I'll have a read through it after grabbing a beer, great day in work haha. Anyways earlier I rang the Nissan dealership. To be fair the guy was very helpful and I asked him straight away what he thought it may be. They've tested my car and as I suspected but hadn't witnessed first hand was that the whining noise is in every gear. He stated it could be the bearing, but then again it could be one of the shafts? But he seems to think there is definitely something wrong. I told him that I'd spoken to and seen other 350's that were fine and that I'd been advised to ring Nissan Customer Services, to which he agreed that would be a good option. I just got off the phone with a guy from customer services. He was helpful but limiting. He advised that I go ahead and get the gearbox inspected (the dealer quoted me around £200 for this, as a warranty rate?) as if the technicians are correct and they do find something wrong then it will be a simple case of open and closed case. Here is my concern, that whatever they find wrong they will try to back out of. I'm willing to gamble the £200 but I'm not willing to gamble on a can of worms being opened and me being left peniless. Only thing I can be sure of is that since I've owned the car I've certainly not being dumping the clutch and straining the gearbox to get the rear end out, so I know what is wrong with the car is none of my fault. I'm just skeptical that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Maybe it's worth mentioning the fact that the guy I was on the phone to at the dealership actually mentioned this sort of work had been carried out on a 350z they'd had in recently as in new gearbox and that is why he advised to Nissan a new gearbox be requested. Although I didn't really ask any specific questions as I was pressed for time at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Quote "But he seems to think there is definitely something wrong" Get that in writing from the dealer - armed with that information I would hope Nissan would not get difficult about paying the £200 labour charge, irrespective of the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 I've had a look through that thread. I wish the fix was that easy! Mine is definitely gearbox related, first indication being the noise disappears when the clutch is depressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I would advise you against authorizing Nissan to remove the gearbox as you are basically giving them an open cheque book. The £200.00 quoted will only be for pulling the box and a possibly a partial gearbox strip. If they do not find a failure that is covered by the warranty you will have 3 options. (1) Fight them on it (2) Tell them to rebuild it and put the car back to its original condition. (3) Pay them to fix it. If you chose option (2) then the rebuild and refitting the gearbox will be chargable over and above the originall £200.00 so be carefull as the additional charge will not just be another £200.00. Fact: Your car is under manufacturer's warranty. Being more assertive with either the Dealer or Nissan Customer Services should get you a result. I am very friendly with the warranty clerk in my local Nissan dealership and he tells me that Nissan are really pulling in the reins on paying out on potential warranty claims and are bullying the customers in the same way that they appear to be treating you. I thought there stance a few years ago on warranty claims was out of order but it appears to have got much tougher now bordering on scandelous. A switched on confident and experienced 350 Z technician should be capable of diagnosing your issues with out removing and stripping the transmission. It is hardly rocket science. Also remember that Nissan do not usually carry out the gearbox strips in house. The normal procedure is that they will remove the transmission and send to a transmission specialist for strip and rebuild. I different Nissan dealer in your area may be a bit more understanding and sympathetic. Good luck. Alex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 All begs the question, what does a warranty mean these days? My hesitation as to what I should do is down to the fact that whether or not at this stage what is wrong is covered under warranty or not. If I tell them to go ahead regardless all I can think is that it's like giving them an open cheque book. I personally don't think there should be such a problem on an 07 car with just over 16,000 miles on it, it's quite disgraceful and if Nissan are too tight to look into the problem on one of their more expensive cars then I've lost respect for them. Being in work makes it incredibly hard to speak to the local dealer as they all seem to be on lunch the same time I go on so I've sent my old man down to have a chat with the techy there to get something in writing. What it comes down to is getting them to inspect this gearbox without the chance of them making me foot the bill for even the inspection because I don't agree with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Well for the first time since my car has been with Nissan I'm starting to lose my patience. In fairness the dealership have been great. They're not beating about the bush and are sure it's a bearing or something along those lines. It just seems Nissan UK are a bunch of tight bastards that won't admit they're not great at making gearboxes. Like you said Alex, diagnosing a gearbox is hardly rocket science so I'm going down the route of an independent report, it worked for me last time I had a problem with a car that needed to be done under warranty. It's a shame I have to go down the independent report route though. So now I'm hoping with what the dealership have said and what the independent report will say Nissan UK will have no choice but to act. At the end of the day what this comes down to is I am not willing to even entertain the idea of possibly forking out to inspect a gearbox. I could do that for free ffs, but I can't under warranty really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impressed Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 I am in exactly the same position. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=28980 I think that if a Nissan dealer is telling me that my gearbox needs to be removed for inspection / repairs, then because the car is under warranty it should be at no financial risk to me. This however seems not to be the case. What is to stop a dealer thinking business is a bit quiet, lets worry a customer into having his gearbox stripped find nothing and have him foot the bill?. This sould not be the case on a 1 and a bit year old £30K car under warrantee in my opinion. In my case if you read my thread to will see one dealer is saying it needs fixing and another of the same company is saying it is perfectly normal WTF. PS can Nissan not make reliable bearings, had a rear wheel bearing replaced at 13K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted November 28, 2009 Author Share Posted November 28, 2009 You not having any luck with Nissan mate? I'm thinking an independent review is the only way forward. It's outside of Nissan and should expose the problem. I should have that carried out this week so we'll see the outcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 I know this is going to sound a bit out there but does anyone think this could be a belt? I got my car back on tuesday and every now and then, sometimes it's quite strong, but I'm getting a smell of burning rubber in the cabin. It's not nice. I'm just wondering if the burning smell is linked to the whine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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