Clutch Damage

Discussion in 'Car Hauler and Auto Carrier Trucking Forum' started by mojocoggo, Mar 14, 2019.

  1. mojocoggo

    mojocoggo Bobtail Member

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    I'm not a driver, but rather the guy on the other end of the deal receiving the car. I bought a used car (1990 model year) from a dealership in GA and had it shipped to me in CA. Before purchase, I had the car inspected and driven and no mechanical issues were reported.

    It was shipped on a 9-10(?) car Volvo VAH truck, so I suppose the ramps may have been somewhat steep at times if the car had to be loaded/unloaded multiple times on the way here. When the car arrived, the clutch was completely burned up to the point where the car would not move under its own power. The driver claimed the issue existed when the car was loaded, but it was not noted on the bill of lading.

    I have videos and photos of the car being unloaded clearly showing that the car is not drivable, as well as my pre-purchase inspection report stating that the car is operable.

    I wanted to get feedback from folks who are in the business.

    1. Would a driver have accepted a car that was inoperable? The dispatch sheet stated that the car was operable.

    2. Would an issue like this be noted on the bill of lading at pickup?

    3. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to handle this?

    Thanks!
     
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  3. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    Curious, what kind of car?

    As far as the other, yeah, I'm noting a bad clutch before I leave the pickup point.
     
  4. Rubber duck kw

    Rubber duck kw Road Train Member

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    Sounds like one of two possibilities to me, either whoever you had inspect it was full of #### or the truckdriver has no clue how to drive a stick shift anything.
     
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  5. Hulld

    Hulld Road Train Member

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    I do a lot of personal owner vehicles and if it doesn’t say it’s inoperable on my dispatch sheet and I arrive and it has issues I’m calling the owner before I load it.
     
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  6. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    I once loaded a cat loader from ritchie bros. auction in phoenix I think it was and hauled it too boise.

    It had flat tires to which i took pics AND pics of the gashes in the tires.

    Made delivery. 2 weeks later the broker tried to hit the boss up for new tires. Don't know what became of that deal.
     
  7. Tropsnart

    Tropsnart Road Train Member

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    This is why I never, ever haul private cars. Ever!
     
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  8. Banker

    Banker Road Train Member

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    Is it not possible that the clutch was about done and the sheer difficulty of loading a manual transmission on a car carrier was the last straw?

    Ford motors does not allow any new Mustangs with manual transmissions backed on the top deck, I assume because they are aware that it does strain the clutch. Some vehicles it is almost impossible not to over use the clutch.
     
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  9. mojocoggo

    mojocoggo Bobtail Member

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    Thank you all for the feedback. In reading around this forum it sounds like you guys have some real PITA customers to deal with, false damage claims, etc as a daily part of the job. I'm working with the shipper's insurance at the moment and the car will be taken apart and inspected by a shop to see what evidence (if any) of over-working the clutch can be found.

    The biggest sticking point for me is that no issues were noted either by the inspector or the driver. If there was difficulty in loading I would assume the driver would note it so they would not be held responsible.

    The car is a 1990 Ferrari 348.

    Interesting note about the Mustangs, that makes total sense. It's of course possible that the clutch in my car could have been worn previously, but it doesn't seem likely as I do have a receipt showing the last clutch replacement and the car has only 4000 miles on it since then.

    A new clutch is getting installed next week and at that time, the car will be, taken apart, and inspected by the mechanic and an insurance adjuster to see what can be found.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
  10. Banker

    Banker Road Train Member

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    If you notice how high end cars are transported, they are transported enclosed by a rig that has a lift gate. This way the clutch is not strained. You pay more for this service, but generally you get what you pay for.
     
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  11. Hulld

    Hulld Road Train Member

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    It’s always possible.
    But as a car hauler and owner of a transmission shop of 30 + years you have a few warning signs of a clutch that is on its way out.
    One sign is you have to let the clutch almost completely up before the car will start to move.
    Another is a slip or cut loose in the higher gears.
    And lastly there is the unmistakable smell of death that a clutch discs will make when it has been slipped at all and it can even stay with the car awhile after it is repaired.
    The op stated he hired a person to check it out before purchase and found no issues?
    I’m not saying it’s the fault of the driver but I have witnessed many times a rag tag car hauler roll in to an auction will an automatic transmission truck and then get in a manual shift car and grind the heck out of the gears and then proceeds to sthall it half way to the top.
    He then restarts it jams it in third dumps the clutch and the clutch goes up in a cloud of nasty smoke.
    I then stand there in disbelief as he climbs down and remarks to me he never drove a standard before.
     
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