Hi I’ll definitely make a donation. To update further I now have the car back, new turbo fitted and oil and filter changed, as well as the new vac pump. Halifax the finance company have also upheld my complaint in full. They rang me two days ago and have offered me £700 in compensation for the stress and time without my car. One of the main reasons they accepted the complaint is because of the oil sample results and the silicon. Thanks very much for all the advice.

Hi Just to update I had the oil sample posted off and this was delivered to millers on Thursday. I also did the magnet test but didn’t find any metal attached to the magnet. Last Thursday afternoon Vauxhall customer care contacted me to say they will replace the turbo and carry out the repair covering the full cost. My car is at evans Halshaw awaiting the parts as apparently they’re on back order. Today I received the results back from millers and the results were no abnormal amounts of metal/swarf but they did find a high level of silicone/sealant likely from the engine replacement last year, their comments were as below, @theberengersniper you were right. I’m still waiting on Halifax and they’re not budging on the 58 day’s complaint timeframe. The Silicon content will drop as the oil is changed The reason we comment on Silicon probably from sealant as in this case, is that the sealant can block oilways and/or limit oil pick-up which can cause turbo failure and even engine failure due to oil starvation. So the turbo failure could have been caused by the engine work or just bad luck. We haven’t found any swarf but the Silicon content is above the accepted limit for engine oil, usual cause in these circumstances is the use of sealant on the cam cover and/or sump

Hi I’m still thinking about the independent assessment, it’s just whilst I’m still waiting for the outcome from Vauxhall and the finance company I don’t want to get a report to early without the outcome from the other resources first. I feel like I’m throwing money away on a car that is no good and that I’m in debt for. I know I’ve only spent £116 but how much do I throw at it if Vauxhall are just going to say no anyhow. £20 on 1st diagnoses, £54 on second independent garage and now £40 on the oil test. How much would an independent assessment likely to cost for the turbo and could i get this done in Hull? I looked on the motor ombudsman website today and the closest place to me i could find was Barnsley, I couldn’t get the car there. I know after 6 months of me owning the car it’s down to me to prove the car wasnt of satisfactory quality, so I’m trying everything I can. Halifax are in no rush to help at all, I rang them yesterday and they haven’t even given me a case manager yet. I’m still having to drive the car to work as I have no other way of getting there, dare not buy another car , which would have to be on finance as I don’t want to be stuck with two lots of finance and a dead car. cheers

Hi thank you for the above, i signed up to this site under my husbands name looking for advise and it is proving to be invaluable. I wish I had your knowledge The test kit has been delivered to my home today but I'm at work. Tomorrow I'll have the kit and go to the garage for the oil sample. I'll go back through your previous posts for where I need the oil from. How would they get an oil sample from the turbo? I'll keep you posted. Thanks again

Hi Thanks for taking a look. I have also attached the diagnoses check that they provided me with two weeks ago not that i understand it but i would hope you do? Evans Halshaw do not answer any of my emails when I ask for further info, they havent since I picked the car up two weeks ago. I'm still at a loss as to why the turbo needs replacing.

My vauxhall diag.pdf

Hi As far as i can work out the vacuum pump or clutch were not replaced with the engine. The Vac pump seal was but i'm guessing this is different to the whole vac pump? I have uploaded a copy of the original invoice for the engine replacement that lists all parts that were fitted as new and refitted from original. Also in the attachment is an email from Evans Halshaw telling what now needs replacing the vac pump and turbo but no explanation as to why these have failed or why they need replacing. i've removed my personal details including registration number I tried speaking to vauxhall again yesterday evening who have no update but will hope to by early next week. The oil test kit will hopefully come today but I wont be able to get a sample taken until tomorrow. Thanks again. my vauxhall.pdf

The’ve tried delivering the oil testing kit today but no one was home so they are re- delivering tomorrow, won’t be able to get the test done until Friday as I need to take the kit to the garage. Should of had the kit delivered to my work but at least it’s coming. could the possible oil contamination be anything to do with the replacement vac pump needed too? I don’t know what this is. Evans Halshaw have not given me any explanation as to why the turbo has gone or vac pump

Thanks for this, i haven’t had any update from Vauxhall, despite me chasing or from Halifax the finance company. If vauxhall do offer to replace the turbo I’ll be getting it done and selling the car - I can’t see them doing anything though despite the problems I have had I think I’m going to have to fight it all the way. I’m still awaiting for the test kit to come which will hopefully arrive today.

Hi when i went to speak to the local garage yesterday, i printed out a copy of what you wrote to me regarding the testing. He rang Millers to check that they'll do the swarf deposit check, when the sample kit arrives he is going to write an explanation of what we require from the testing. I'll also do the over night magnet. As I have already mentioned I have sent the letter off to Halifax and also emailed them a copy. Before I found this site I also raised a claim with Vauxhall direct on Thursday 15th June - should I give them a call to chase this up or leave it with halifax as the car is on hire purchase? I know this might sound wishful thinking but if Vauxhall say we are prepared to pay for the new turbo - do you think i should accept this? Your post yesterday really hit home when you said about the car been a time bomb as this is how it feels? Cheers

Hi TheBerengersniper the oil test kit i have ordered from millersoils.co.uk they will test the oil for contamination i'm just waiting for the kit to come hopefully in the next couple of days. I spoke to Halifax the finance company yesterday to ask if they had any update and they haven't even given me a case worker yet, so i sent them a copy of the letter that bankfodder did for me, slightly revised. They did tell me they had emailed the garage Evans Halshaw but had had no response - neither as I. It seems I have done wrong for doing right, by getting the car serviced but if I hadnt have had it serviced they would have blamed me for lack of maintenance - catch 22. Thank you.

Thank you. The oil got changed on the cars service last month would this matter?

Hi DX100uk, thank you I’m sorry I’m just new to all this and haven’t needed to have oil tested before or how to go about it. I’ve contacted the garage I took the car to last week and he advised me to buy a test kit from millers.Co.uk and he will get me the oil sample and write an explanation to millers as to why we are wanting the testing. I paid £40 for a sample kit which I’m waiting to be posted to me. is this to help my case with Halifax or evans Halshaw? I’ll keep you posted as to when I receive the kit and then the results. I’ll also be posting the letter that bankfodder did for me. Do i mention any of this to Halifax? thank you

It feels like i'm on a time bomb already, every time i drive the car I'm on edge every time i hear a noise thinking its some thing else going on the car. I know I bought the car second hand but it had only done 6500 miles, I never imagined within 5/6 months of me buying the car having only travelled 4000 miles the engine would need replacing. And now 14 months down the line a new turbo? Bankfodder I'm sending the letter to Halifax that you did for me yesterday. Theberengersniper should I take the car back to the garage where it took it last Monday to ask them to obtain the oil sample? But what would I do with the sample? Thank you

Hi bankfobber that you and thanks for the letter I will print tomorrow and send off although I’ll need to slightly edit as they have only sent me a message acknowledging a complaint not a letter. I’ll also send them a copy via email? Would you suggest doing that? They did say it could take upto 8 weeks but they are normally resolved before then. I’m not sure I have a fully working vehicle though as I dare not drive to speeds until the turbo is fixed. The engine management light is on as stated this came back on yesterday. I could take it back to the garage who couldn’t find an issue but should I? They wouldn’t charge me again as I he said to ring him if it came back on and he’ll look further into.

Hi I had exactly the same opinion as you. When they told me they were replacing the engine i thought to myself, the car will be like brand new again but i never imagined that 8 months later I would be having issues with the turbo. im happy to keep the car providing it is correctly repaired. I understand if i did reject I would loose some money for my useage, as well as loosing some money I would also need to take on another vehicle on finance at a higher interest rate as the interest rates have gone up considerably since april last year. i would be happy to take legal action against the finance company and go to court if need be but i hope it doesn’t come to court action. You said you were surprised that the finance company wasn’t aware of the engine replacement, why does that surprise you? I wasn’t given a copy of the engine replacement documentation until last week when I asked for it as I wasn’t given any when I picked the car back up in November last year. I know I should have asked but I was just releived to have my car back. convert-jpg-to-pdf.net_2023-06-25_09-51-42.pdf

My preference would be to reject the car but if they’d replace the turbo then I’d be happy. I’ve lost a great deal of confidence in the car, given the short time I’ve had it to have needed a new engine and now a turbo.

Hi sorry I must have misunderstood your question. down time for me not been able to drive the car was 1 day in May 2022 15 days October 2022 but I was given a courtesy car for 13 of these days. I don’t have any proof that they sold the car with a full service history, I have contacted auto trader to ask for the advert details from April last year and they’ve sent me what they had but I’m not sure how to upload that onto here

Hi that’s why I came here, I don’t know what I’m to do. I have raised the complaint with Halifax, explained the issues - over the telephone. They asked me to send proof of the engine replacement and the email received from evans Halshaw stating that I now need a new turbo and the costs which I sent over to them by email. I have had the Astra since April 2022, bought with 9 months left of the manufactured warranty of 3 years. When i picked the car up I was excited new car and all that but when I looked at the logbook noticed the car hadn’t been serviced since October 2020 despite them telling me it had a full service history and that they would service the car before I picked it up. I contacted evans Halshaw to complain ref the service and they booked the car in may 2022 to service- 1 day. September 2022 had issues getting car into 1st gear contacted evans Halshaw who booked car in for testing. They had the car on the 14th October, they then rang me on oct 16th stating the car needed new engine and the work was done i picked the car back up early November. They gave me a courtesy car on the 16th October which I returned when I got the Astra back. Now the turbo issues

I paid £14,500 for the car in April last year. I could pay the £2500 to have the car repaired but I’m a little reluctant to do so with no guarantee of getting this back - I’d have to pay this on a credit card. thanks again for your help

I wasn’t until I took it to the 2nd garage for a second opinion an independent garage as advised to do so on Monday who advised the car was fine. Should I not be driving the car? The fault only came back on today. I don’t see how I cannot drive the car. I’ve got two kids who go to different schools needing dropping off at breakfast clubs in order for me to get to work which is 5 miles away from my home, I need to work in order to pay the car finance .

Hi the only response I have had from the finance company (Halifax ) is that it can take 8 weeks for them to fully investigate to their conclusion/ outcome. I have sent them proof of the engine replacement (the invoice from evans Halshaw dated 31st oct 2022) plus an email from last Friday from evans Halshaw stating the car needs a new turbo and vac pump at a cost of £2400 +. I raised the complaint with them last Friday and haven’t had any response yet other then them telling me the 8 weeks and asking me what outcome I would like ideally and I said rejection of the car. I have really lost all confidence in the car given the engine replacement and the turbo issue. When the engine light came back on this morning I did try ringing the finance company again for an update but their lines were closed despite their website saying they were open until lunch time. I will try them again on Monday. I didn’t try the exhaust blow out test as I really don’t know how to do this, I know you said about kitchen roll or rags but what do I do with them - bung them in the exhaust? thanks again everyone

Hi you were all correct. It’s gone again, re appeared today The reduced engine power warning light came back on today with the engine management light, I took your advice and took it for a good run and this was the result. I’m not sure where to go from here other then just pay the money to get the turbo replaced but i really don’t think the car has been fit for purpose. I’ve done less than 10,000 miles in the car since I bought it in April last year and had the car serviced twice since I’ve owned it. In the first 6 months of me owning the car it had a new engine under warranty and now according to evans Halshaw needs a new turbo - at a cost to me. I cannot afford not to have a car or buy another one as my car is on finance. I need a car to get to work and get my children to school.

Yes it looks that way, do I close the post, remove the post? Evans Halshaw told me it needed new turbo, I was advised to get an independent test which I have and the fault has gone.

Hi just to update, I took my car to an independent garage today who ran tests and took the car on a run. They removed the engine management light and it hasn’t come back on. I don’t know why Evans Halshaw would say the car needs a new turbo?