If there was a problem with the car that was logged with Renault while the vehicle was still covered by the factory warranty, then conventional wisdom says it’s Renault’s problem to put right. That’s what’s called a pre-existing fault and even though the car may now be out of warranty, if the problem was there before the warranty ran out, it’s still a warranty claim.

However, what would help your case no end would be independent proof that the problems you experienced in warranty were the same ones that ultimately caused the entire transmission to fail. Perhaps having the transmission inspected by a specialist would give you this information.

The issue will be that this transmission, in many cases, exhibited jerky performance even when it was brand-new. It’s likely Renault would point to this and tell you “they all do that,” suggesting that what you complained about back in warranty days was nothing to do with the failure. But you never know, Renault may wish to admit that this gearbox has known faults and flaws and look after you on the basis of customer care. Certainly, there are plenty of other Renault owners out there with similar stories to tell. Clutch-packs and the dual-mass flywheel have all been found to be wanting in this transmission.

A software upgrade will not affect the oil usage of the car. It was once considered abnormal for a car to use oil, but it’s not today, and many engines consume some oil. It’s important to check the oil level in the engine regularly and top it up when it’s needed. The rate of oil used on the dealer’s test would seem to be reasonable.

Bad news for you, sadly. Renault spokeswoman Emily Fadeyev says: "At this time the diesel Captur isn't on the plan for Renault Australia."