Advice needed

[da04mor]

Hi,

As the topic title suggests, I need some advice.

I purchased my 04 plate newage WRX from Ian Grieve Subaru in Falkirk on 12/11/2010. The car had approx 46500 miles on the clock and came with a 12 month Subaru approved warranty. The garage did the 50000 mile timing belt service and fitted new discs and pads before they released the car to me.

The car is a weekend car for me and I have done approx 3500 miles since purchasing.

I became aware of a beating through the brake pedal when braking from higher speeds a couple of weeks ago, so I booked the car in to get looked at thinking it might be a warped disc.

Last Saturday, before I could get the car to the garage, the outside pad on the front nearside calliper wore completely through to the backing plate and scored the disc.

I returned the car to Ian Grieve, knowing that I had my approved warranty and had only covered 3500 miles, fully expecting them to sort it out and return it to me.

Alas this is not the case, and they say that the warranty company wont cover it because there is corrosion on the calliper and that they are prepared to do no more than fit parts that I supply for a reduced labour rate (no advantage to me as I can fit myself).

I have written to Adam Grieve explaining that I believe that this problem was present in the car when I bought it and it has just taken time for that one pad to wear down (the other pad on the calliper is like new) to show the problem due to the relatively low mileage. He unfortunately is sticking to his guns and will do no more than reduce the labour rate.

My next plan is to go in and have it out with them face to face and/or direct my complaint to the Scottish motor trade assoc.

The advice that I require is do you guys/gals think I am wasting my time and does anybody have any other suggestions that would help.

Thanks in advance

David

[stum450n]

I'm not sure if the same rules apply in Scotland with regards to warranty but any I've looked at in the past have generally excluded parts that are subject to wear and tear - this is not just discs and pads but calipers, pistons within them, hubs, bearings, cv joints - the lot!

What does your warranty say about it?

[da04mor]

I'm not sure if the same rules apply in Scotland with regards to warranty but any I've looked at in the past have generally excluded parts that are subject to wear and tear - this is not just discs and pads but calipers, pistons within them, hubs, bearings, cv joints - the lot!

What does your warranty say about it?

The warranty states that brakes are covered, with the specific exclusions of friction material.

The only time it mentions corrosion is when

"work necessitated in order to pass an MOT test; caused by: corrosion, fire, frost, impact or acident damage"

David

Edited May 28, 2011 by da04mor

[stum450n]

Well if the brakes aren't functioning correctly I would say that that constitutes the need for repair under warranty then. Especially as that makes the vehicle not fit for purpose and that after all is the sole purpose of a warranty - to ensure a vehicle is fit for purpose after sale.

After all, the worn pad (the only friction material thats in question) isn't the problem, it's a symptom of the problem - assuming it's a seized piston or two?

[craigdmcd]

Actually, I think you aren't going to win this one. The problem with backs is that due to lack of use, the rear brake pad 9usually the inside one) corrodes along it's edges, and sticks to the caliper, seizing it bad enough that the piston will struggle to push it close to the disc, and then causing the disc to corrode on it's inner surface. And Ian Grieve's get out clause is that you have had very lttle use of the car, and most probably was the car regularly washed, so promoting the corrosion to seize the pad.