[brendan CL TypeS]

My 03 CLS 6spd is at the dealer (Crown Acura, Clearwater, FL) now. It has been there since Tuesday 01/28/03. It has 12,000 miles and the clutch is already slipping. They said if it was a mechanical failure, they would cover it under warranty. If they found it was wear and tear, I would have to pay for it. I didn’t hear from them at all on Wednesday, so I stopped in on Thursday to get something out of my trunk. They had half my engine out, but not the clutch. They had a new clutch and pressure plate sitting there in a Honda box waiting. The service guy said he would let me know Friday morning after they get it out if it is wear and tear or mechanical (he said he would have no problem replacing it under warranty if it was mechanical failure). They end up calling my Friday around 3 to tell me that they had put the new clutch in and were taking it on a test drive. Then he goes on to tell me it’s going cost me $1200 since it won’t be under warranty. Now I would understand if I beat the shit out of this car, but a new clutch at 12k miles??? Here is the thing that pisses me off: they never asked me permission to replace the clutch or do the work, and I never signed anything when I dropped it off. They just replaced it and expect me to pay for it. If I knew I would have to pay $1200 I wouldn’t do it just yet since the slipping wasn’t that bad and really wasn’t bothering me that much. I called Acura and they are opening a claim or whatever and are going to have someone come out and look at the clutch. In the mean time, I am still driving around in the dealer’s slow ass automatic RSX. So I don’t know what to do now. Tomorrow (Monday 02/03/03), if they really are going to make me pay, I think I am going to tell them to wait for the Acura rep and I will hold on to your RSX. But for some reason, I think I am going to get screwed. What would you guys do or what do you think?