Hi all,
my dear polo's clutch has started to slip, at least I think so, I don't know much about mechanics when it comes to cars. When you accelerate, especially when giving it some throttle, the rev picks up but there's no acceleration. As far as I understand, it's the clutch that slips?
So, how expensive would it roughly be to get a garage to fix it? I've looked for clutch kits online and they seem to be around £50 (?), but I suppose it's a lot of work replacing a clutch, hence it can be quite expensive?
Grateful for any info / help on this
thanks!
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I can confirm your diagnoses, the clutch is certainly slipping. Does the pedal have free movement before the clutch starts to disengage? I dont know what sort of clutch the Polo has but if there is no free movement it could be a mechanical/hydraulic problem - more likely to be the clutch itself. As to cost, I can only suggest you consult your prefered garage - its certainly going to be a lot more than £50.00
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The clutch pedal feels just like normal, and the car works just fine as long as you drive it carefully and on low revs.
Another question, is this an error that will worsen slowly by time or will it break suddenly? Ie, can i drive the car for a week or so, taking it easy, or do i need to fix it asap?
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The best way to extend its life is not to let it slip, every time it does it takes more lining off, Pull away gently, using as few revs as possible use as little throttle as possible in driving and if you feel it slip back off immediatly, you will find that will improve your fuel consumption as well! My last XM estate's clutch started slipping at about 250k, by driving it gently it was still going when I sold it at 292k! But that was a somewhat beefier clutch.
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If the auto adjuster is working correctly and your potential biting point is as it was and the clutch lever moves freely then you clutch is goint to fail soon. I, well my kids have had a couple that went from the occasional slip to gone in less that a 1000 miles. My daugthers drove up our steep drive one evening with no problem and in the morning when pulling out of a local road junction the clutch gave up. Regards Peter
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Yes, get it done ASAP. Some go on for ages like this, others fail very suddenly and without further warning.
The other thing to bear in mind is that a very worn friction plate carries a risk of damaging the flywheel, which will add £££s to the repair bill.
Any competent indie can fit a clutch. I don't know whereabouts you are, but I can recommend a good one in the Bracknell area who, according to the history, fitted one to my S60 for a very reasonable price, and which is still going strong 40,000 miles later.
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Thanks for all the replies!
Was gonna try and drive it next weekend, have grand plans going away with my girlfriend, but you saying it can fail suddenly worries me. Will try and sort it til then
I'm in Hackney, north east london, so if anyone know a good garage around here any recommendations would be much appreciated!
I've got a quote from one garage, £120 + parts, and they're happy for me to source parts myself which will save me money. Does that sounds reasonable? It sounds pretty good to me, must be a fair bit of labour fitting a clutch?
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must be a fair bit of labour fitting a clutch?
3.3 hours to be exact.
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Would that mean £120 for labour is a fair price?
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Be thankful it's not a Mk3 Mondeo - it takes quite a bit of labour to fit a clutch including the dropping of the front suspension! That sounds a good price for labour to me.
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Sounds a good price to me as well.
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As long as their parts prices are not extortionate I would be inclined to get them to supply the parts as well. If there are any problems after fitting that will avoid any "It's the parts", "no it's the workmanship" type arguments.
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very good point, will ask them about it
thanks all for your help, much appreciated!
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So finally gonna get this sorted, got time at a workshop tomorrow and will source the clutch today from euro car parts. They've got two different clutches, one cheaper and one more expensive, is it worth the extra dough to get the more expensive one? Strongly doubt I'll be driving the car for more than 2-3 years, still worth paying up a bit more?
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