Haval clutch problems and customer (lack of) service.

I would like to let people know to be very careful and informed when buying Haval. I bought a Haval H1 in April 2019 and here is my correspondence to them in December 2019 to customer care follows: ___________________________ Good day,

My Haval H1 was purchased in April 2019 from Haval Edenvale and had 9000km on the clock when the clutch burned, the first time I was stuck in traffic (this happened on Thursday 31 October 2019 in Edenvale).

In my experience, clutch plates lasts a lot longer that 9000km. I phoned Haval Edenvale to check the clutch for me and my appointment was booked for Tuesday 3 November 2019.

On the day when I entered the Service Centre an Ivan (or Irvin not sure) Haval Employee (while typing on a computer) asked me whether I am bringing the car for a service. I said no, I made an appointed to have the clutch checked, as I could smell it burning on the Thursday before. His response was: “The clutch is not covered under warranty. If you burned it you pay for it.” I was so shocked with his unprofessional response that I first had to walk away to calm down and I did mumble: “This is real nice F#$%$%^ service.” Ivan/Irvin (I later found out he is the Workshop Manager) could hear me but ignored me at that stage and carried on typing.

Another gentleman stepped into the office and starting helping me and I booked my car in. Later that morning I received a call from Ivan/Irvin. He explained to me that they checked and adjusted the clutch and that it is definitely burned and only have half of the clutch remaining but (in his words: “it is fine to drive now. If you want us to replace it the cost will be R8450.”

I asked him how it is possible for a clutch be half worn after only 9000km. His response: “Not to offend you sir but the way you drive may have something to do with it.” This is where I completely lost my cool again and I would much rather not say how I spoke to your employee after that but it was not polite at all. I will not be spoken to like that by anyone especially when I am the client and I will also not apologise to him.

Now it brings me to my next point since I will not deal with that employee again.

Can you please explain to me how the Haval clutch is half warn down after 9000km?

Since then it seems like the clutch is getting worse and I can see pretty soon I’m going to sit with the expense of fixing this. It really annoys me that a new car is giving this problem. I would like to hear from you regarding this as I noticed a lot of people are complaining about clutch problems with your vehicles. Surely something is wrong on your manufacturing or parts. ____________

After above mail a lady phoned me from Customer care Haval and said that she will ask Alberton to contact me to book the car in for a check up as the mileage is very low and the clutch should not give problems so early. I asked her that it is more convenient for me to deal with Edenvale as Alberton is out of my way.

A few days later I heard nothing and mailed her again to find out what will be happening. The only response I got from Customer care: "As stated in your service and warranty booklet. A clutch is known as a wear and tear item, and this is not covered under warranty. Haval Edenvale has confirmed that the claim was rejected due to driver abuse / style."

I would still like to know how I can abuse a clutch so much that I have to replace it after 9000km. I have owned many cars before and my style of driving did not change in the past 25 years.

So I'll just leave the here and the least I can do is to warn potential Haval clients the frustration of dealing with them, go buy yourself a better car and better customer service. They are truly pathetic. Save yourself future frustration and money: Do not deal with them.