Help! Gearbox going on Vauxhall Vectra

Hi all,

Posting this for a friend. She bought an 06 Vauxhall Vectra about a month ago through a private sale. Car has 110k miles. Over the past two weeks she has noticed it start to make a rattle and a funny noise from gearbox and when she changes gears. She just got a mechanic friend of a friend to look at it and he said she needs a new gearbox and that she should contact the person she bought the car off. Would this be of any use regardless or could he just say its not his problem? Does anyone have any idea, roughly, how much she would be talking for a new gearbox? The mechanic said he will have a look around and let we know in the next couple of days and that he couldn't tell her even a rough price. Just what you need when buying a new car eh!

Thanks in advance,
Ericsson

I would buy a 2nd hand gearbox, get your mechanic to look at it first to check seals, general condition and that it is changing, would estimate the cost at no more than €150- €180., might be an idea to change the clutch at the same time.

I did a clutch and 2nd hand gearbox on my sons Fiat recently, total cost including labour was €300, car is perfect again.

Can't see any comeback going back to private seller but you should anyway, you may get some goodwill payment.

personally if i knew the seller, I wouldnt bother as may cause upset. Its high mileage for that year and make of a car.

Equally if donedeal etc, perhaps the seller may offer goodwill but personally i can't see it. Buyer Beware etc.

I always buy my car in a dealership with a warranty and constantly people saying oh I seen that exact model on the internet and selling for X (obviously mine was X + Y) but thats what your paying for, peace of mind and a comeback if anything goes wrong.

Thanks very much for the replies. It was a private sale and she didn't know the seller beforehand but she is just going to leave getting back to him as she doesn't see how she would have any recourse. Her mechanic quoted her €450 today, he said he can get the part for €250 and is charging €200 to put it in. He said it is a full days work. Fingers crossed for her this is the first and last problem she will have with the car.