Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change

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Thu 3 Aug 2017 18:19
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - KCSRenault

Hello,

Recently my great aunt had her car moted and was advised by the garage that the clutch needs change, as she has had the car from new and always fixed it, she was going to go ahead with the repairs, however they have qouted £1000 to do this.

Does any one know the book time or are these really difficult to do?

Many thanks, The car is not worth much however has no common renault megane electrical gremlins, to speak off,

Any help much appreciated

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Thu 3 Aug 2017 21:04
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - RobJP

My 'basic' check for how good a clutch is (or is not) :

With the handbrake applied, put the car into first. Do not touch the accelerator. Now, very gradually release the clutch. If the car stalls (or is going into a stall), then the clutch still has sufficient life in it.

NOTE : don't do this often. It does put additional wear on the clutch and/or DMF (if one is present). But if the car stalls out, then I wouldn't get the clutch changed.

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Fri 4 Aug 2017 07:02
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - hardway

Book time for the job is 7 hours so not that easy.

So Rob's test is one I'd do first.

My concern is the "great" part of your post,

just how old is your aunt?

I've had experience of "older" owners/drivers and this kind of repair,

If the clutch is almost gone the a new one can be difficult to adapt to for older drivers.

So check that she can say drive yours just to make sure she's adaptable before spending cash.

Unfortunately I have even seen this situation being the end of the driver being able to continue driving.

Even an identical car just isn't the same to them.

Sad but I've seen it happen.

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Fri 4 Aug 2017 09:44
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - skidpan

What sort of garage "advised" a new clutch during an MOT. Was it a quick fit chain operation, a main dealer or a local indy.

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Fri 4 Aug 2017 18:11
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - KCSRenault

Hello,

Thanks for your replies,

The car was moted at a local garage, that has looked after the car for many years.

I would imagine she has been slowly getting harder and harder on the clutch, hence why it needs done.

Its not slipping but very very high almost stall before getting it moving.

Unfortunatley it will have to be done as the car is still used reasonably often,

has any one ever done the job any quicker or is is seven hours

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Fri 4 Aug 2017 23:27
Renault megane 2004 1.6 16v saloon - clutch change - hardway

7 hours quote is from industry standard reference.

That's how garages work.

We look up say Autodata for repair time and base the estimate on that.

Quicker doesn't make any differnce to the price.

And I state what I stated before,

New clutch totaly changes the bite point.

Had shall I state an eldery lady in for a clutch,

job went fine car retuned,

until next day when she came back and wanted the old clutch fitted back in!!

she just couldn't dirve it without stalling it..

After some careful explaning and showing her the rivets protruding from what was left of the friction material on the old clutch she went away.

Luckly next week after a lot of practice she rolled in the doors and gave me a thumbs up.

but they're not all like that.

Edited by hardway on 04/08/2017 at 23:28

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