# Forum More Stuff At the end of the day  "You need a New Clutch ($1600)"

## Neri

said my mechanic, for my 2002 Pug 307.  Not sure how I should feel. A surf of the net shows I'm not alone for this problem for this type of car. Just not sure if this is a bad result, as in bad luck or about average for a 7 year old car? Not sure if I should buy a Pug again. Has Peugeot let me down, goddamnit?  What do you reckon?

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## Vernonv

I drive an imported Nissan 4WD that had clutch problems recently (after 275000kms) ... 3 weeks later and $1500 poorer and I had it back as good as new ... so it's not just Peugeots, it's any low volume imported vehicle. 
And BTW it's back at the mechanics now with a starting problem ... looks like another $1200 to fix (and so far more than a week).

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## Master Splinter

Some car makes are known for their expensive parts - but basically with any of the low volume imports like Peugeot and Citroen it'll be almost certain that parts will give you wallet fatigue.  I know someone who buys his BMW motorbike parts from suppliers in the UK as they are cheaper there, even when you add postage to Australia. 
Seven years from a clutch is probably on the low side, especially if it's done under 100,000km in that time - but it's going to depend a lot on your driving distances and driving style - continually slipping the clutch for hill starts, lots of towing heavy loads or the bad habit of resting your foot on the clutch pedal while driving can all cause premature wear.

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## dazzler

Depends on the breakdown of the charges; 
Hourly rate + machining parts cost + replacement parts. 
If the clutch has gone then a decent mechanic will do the following; 
Replace clutch plate, pressure plate and throwout bearing.  Remove and machine the flywheel and refit. 
There would be a minimum of 4hrs labour I would guess.  They would have to remove a wheel, pull the hub assembly, drain the box, remove the CV shafts, undo the box, support the engine, remove the box, remove the clutch pressure plate, flywheel, throwout bearing. Machine the flywheel, refit flywheel, new clutch plate, throwout bearing, pressure plate. Replace box, CV's, hub assembly, road wheel, refill box, road test. 
They can give you a breakdown of the costs if you ask, if they cant then their talking out their butts.  :Yikes2:

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## Ashore

Subaru forrester at 110,000 starting to go , no slip yet but , so get a quote to be ready $1700 or $900 depending on the clutch type , ie both sides of the flywheel need machining or only one side , subie use two types of clutches in my model and you don't know which one till you open it up 
any bets it'll be the $1700  :Cry:

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## chrisp

> Some car makes are known for their expensive parts - but basically with any of the low volume imports like Peugeot and Citroen it'll be almost certain that parts will give you wallet fatigue.

  In a way it is sort of strange that some "brands" have more expensive parts than others.  I'm not that familiar with the European brands (in the sense I haven't worked on them), but I'd be surprised if Peugeot or Citroen actually make the clutches.  It is likely that they source their clutches from one of the specialised suppliers. 
Has the OP priced a clutch kit from an independent supplier to get a better idea of the real parts to labour cost breakdown?

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## Lakeside

my brand spanking new mazda bt50 4x4 clutch packed it in after 900kms. 27000kms later and it starting to slip bad again. will make them replace it with a heavy duty this time, before it runs out of warranty, as i have heard its around $2500 for the factory duel mass.  
There is a known problem with the weak clutch in the bt50. Even though it has a towing capacity of 3t, Mazda's answer was to use low range when reversing up hill  :Doh:    :Mad:

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## Haveago1

_Some car makes are known for their expensive parts - but basically with any of the low volume imports like Peugeot and Citroen it'll be almost certain that parts will give you wallet fatigue._ 
Not only 'low volume imports...I bought a Jeep in 1998 - went OK but the prices charged for parts and servicing is absolutely ursurous and will never get another for that reason. A top radiator hose cost $185!! - I was used to paying around $20.00 from Repco for similar Holden/Ford parts..

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## Neri

Thanks all.  Looks like it was just ... one of those things. Been tossing and turning about when to tell the missus. She's so stingy, hates spending money, thinks cars run on magic. And then... I remembered an old slush fund I had which has about the price of the clutch in there. So the silly cow will never know! I FEEL BETTER NOW!

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## Vernonv

> So the silly cow will never know!

  Unless she reads your posts on here.  :Shock:  :Doh:

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## Neri

Gotta correct the record in case you were thinking of buying a Pug but got put off by my experience. On a closer inspection the mechanic reckoned the clutch was ok for the time being but the situation would be monitored at service-time. So the clutch ain't rooted after only 8 years and you can now go and buy the Pug of your dreams!

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## m6sports

Thats one reason i prefer to get Autos 
its that you dont need to worry about changing the clutch 
i just get the Auto box serviced every 50 000km at $250 and have never had any trouble  
the other reason is im lazy  :Biggrin:

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## mikm

Nah, I'd take the running costs of a manual over an auto any day:  I had several autos die around the 200,000 mark with rebuild costs in the multiples of thousands.  Add to that another gorilla or so in servicing costs over that time and $1500 for a new clutch in a manual starts to look very cheap, without factoring in anything else like the lower fuel consumption.

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## m6sports

i sell my cars at around 200,000km and have never had any trouble with an auto box

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