Why me....

[Captain Jack]

OK, just picked up my new used Accord on a 54 plate with 87k miles and already having problems with it. First is the clutch, which seems to be slipping in 4th and 5th if I stomp on the gas doing 60mph+. The rev counter goes up but speed doesn't change. Within 2-3 seconds it drops down and there's a slight jolt as the clutch reengages.

Second problem I think is related to either the wheel bearing or the tyres. There's a constant pulsing noise which changes with speed but can be heard most when doing low (< 20mph) speeds and gets louder when steering left or right.

Phoned the dealer and he's gonna take a look at it and sort it (I hope) as I've had it for less than 2 hours and already having problems

I certainly hope that this is a teething issue and not a sign of things to come.

[mypugscool]

sorry to hear that i bought a celica last year which was a dog so i kinda know how you feel

pulsing noise can be cv joint too

[mbell666]

Sorry to hear that!

I find driving the new (to me) car round more stressful than buying one! always hear noises and panic i've bought a lemon and its going to cost me a fortune!

don't dealers have to give 3 months warranty with car sales now. so dealer will have to sort clutch and noise if they can find something wrong. I think its done through some kind of insurance so the dealer may not have to pay for it! which might make it easier to get done.

[Captain Jack]

Yeah there's a 3 month warranty on there. Already spoken to the guy and he's gonna get the mechanic to give me a ring to arrange a test drive and sort it. I just don't have time to run around the garages... Off to Atlanta for a few weeks a week Sunday and then God knows where else after that.

[Blue406]

Tis the soul of your 406 exacting revenge for dumping it.

[neildavies]

My cousin recently had a sort of "thudding" noise at low speed which seemed to turn to a sort of whine at higher speeds. It turned out to be a tyre on the back. Just a thought.

Hope that'll be the end of your woes though.

[Welly]

The Astra I just bought for her indoors does a kind of whine/rumble - it's the el' cheapo tyres on the back.

It also developed a ticking noise which I spoke to 2 local 'Master fit' Vauxhall centres who both confirmed it to be a blowing exhaust manifold gasket (£150.00) but when I took it back to the dealer he said "can't find anything - it's just injector noise".

To be fair I'd already had the Cambelt, a back box, a tyre and some cosmetics out of them so I think they ran out of funds on my car. It's not a big deal anyway so I'll sort it out whenever I feel like it (probably never).

I'm sure they will sort it for you Cap'n.

Like the others said - you go on a kind of 'amber alert' for a few days. I panicked that they hadn't really changed my cambelt on the 406 and then the 3 months would run out etc. ........that was 2.5 years ago now

[steve_earwig]

It also developed a ticking noise which I spoke to 2 local 'Master fit' Vauxhall centres who both confirmed it to be a blowing exhaust manifold gasket (£150.00) but when I took it back to the dealer he said "can't find anything - it's just injector noise".

Try bunging up the exhaust and seeing if the noise gets any worse (before it stalls)

Yep, I too was on amber alert when I started driving the D9. Then I came on here and now it's red alert all the way

[Captain Jack]

Well just drove 40-odd miles to work and the clutch is definitely slipping. When accelerating in 4th or 5th mainly, the rev counter goes up momentarily and comes back down with no change in speed. So I'll moan to the dealer until it gets sorted. The noise is also definitely there, and does turn into a whine at higher speeds. I had exactly the same noise on my '6 before and it was the tyres that caused. I'll move some wheels around over the weekend and see if the noise changes/disappears. But once that's sorted, it'll be a cracking car. The engine has a similar poke as my 2.1 in the '6 but it delivers power much more smoothly and doesn't run out of puff at 3k rpm.

And, of course, I have to upgrade the sound system

[STALLED]

Do you over in the UK have to sell the car with a Roadworthy Certificate - Inspection done at the time of sale?

Also - do you have a mandatory 3 month warranty on cars under 8 years old and 100,000 miles? Its condition of sale if you buy through a licensed motor trader here that they offer such a warranty for free! Kinda gets rid of the dodgier cars through auction and not on the main forecourts!

Congrats on the purchase!

Parents almost bought one of them when they came out - 2.4 Auto with 141kw...Too small for our needs at that time and ended up with a Holden (Do'h )

[Captain Jack]

Do you over in the UK have to sell the car with a Roadworthy Certificate - Inspection done at the time of sale?

Yes, it's called an MOT which has been issued in January - the car has done 6k miles since. It only checks for roadworthyness, not things like clutches and blown head gaskets. It would have picked up a problem with CV joints/wheel bearings but they didn't so maybe it really is the tyres.

Also - do you have a mandatory 3 month warranty on cars under 8 years old and 100,000 miles? Its condition of sale if you buy through a licensed motor trader here that they offer such a warranty for free! Kinda gets rid of the dodgier cars through auction and not on the main forecourts!

Not sure on the legalities, but I do have a 3 month warranty, which I intend to rape!

[Blue406]

When accelerating in 4th or 5th mainly, the rev counter goes up momentarily and comes back down with no change in speed.

Defo a slipping clutch. This is precisely the symptom my old 406 Saloon had.

[mjb]

ouch!

I'm glad I've only had problems with my Laguna - my pugs have been pretty much rock solid purchases although I do agree about the whole "what was that noise?" period. Every creak, tick or groan triggers sheer terror for the first week or two

[Captain Jack]

MJB

I also noticed that when I press the clutch all the way down, there's a click, same on the way up. Maste/slave cylinder going wrong? Related to one another?

[steve_earwig]

Broken diaphragm?