In 2012 I bought my Hyundai iload van new and have only done 52,000 - largely trouble free - miles since.
In the summer I noticed that 1st and second gear were becoming more notchy. It's never been the smoothest of gearboxes but this was different from the norm.
I thought of various possibilities - could it be the clutch? Lowish miles but all 8/9 years of start stop window cleaning ending each day with a 3 point turn and a reversal up my steepish drive on the clutch made it a possibility in my mind.
Maybe the gearbox oil condition/ level? Being RWD and a (nowadays unusual) separate gearbox maybe my otherwise very good "go to" garage overlooked it on services?
Selector/linkage problems - after all reverse and 3rd to 6th seem okay?
Gearbox itself?
So without further diagnosis other than a chat to my garage guy who says he doesn't get into actual gearbox repairs and also says it could be the clutch, could be the linkage and "we check all the levels but don't usually change gearbox/differential oil" - I start checking clutch replacement prices - OUCH!
My go to guy says £980 plus his £180 labour. The Hyundai garage says £900 plus £260 labour and I check with eurocarparts and get £640 and my guy will let me buy it and he will fit it on the understanding that if I get the wrong one it's my responsibility.
So best case is north of £800. Ho hum.
Anyhow I go to Gloucester Rd gearboxes who have been in Bristol for 40 years and the clue is in the name.
They offer a free turn up and drive diagnosis which if inconclusive means coming back for a £35 plus vat on the ramps diagnosis.
One of the guys drives it about and says it's inconclusive and "It could be the clutch but the other gears and reverse seem ok - I'd say it was part worn and might be out of true but it should last more than 52,000 even with your driving conditions."
I book it in for a diagnosis on the ramps and took it in on Monday, stuffed my bike in the back dropped it off at 8.00 am and cycled home. 10.45 I get a call.
"Your van's fixed - there was an external selector rod that had come part way out of the selector fork housing so we've slid it back in and spot welded it so it goes in the gate smoothly - it's a permanent repair."
I know I've only been driving it for four days since but I could have been taken to the cleaners - well chuffed.
£78 including the diagnosis and VAT.