Clutch Slipping Advice

[Kingies]

I got a fiesta 1.25 v reg vetec drives lovely but when I'm going uphill(only) my rev counter shoots up and I have to change down in gears occasionally doing 60 the cars not giving its full wellie . I took it to a garage that confirmed its clutch 300 to fix which I can't afford at no , I prob do around 80miles a week going to wk how long can I drive it like this it feels finesse of the tome and if I went up hill I wouldn't notice it

[wase16ll]

depend on driving style to be honest.

driven with care and getting the gear changes right, it can be stretched a few hundred miles, but hills will wear the clutch out quicker no matter how carefully you take them. if possible, avoid them.

but be aware, if you carry on you may end up damaging the flywheel surface, that will only increase the repair bill

[jmurray01]

It is really impossible to say how long the car will last, though I would agree with Tony in saying there is a good bet you'll get a few hundred miles out of it.

The problem is that the longer you drive it with a slipping clutch, the more likely it is that the flywheel will be damaged when you come to get it repaired. Even more important than that is the factor of how it will fail. It could just start slipping to the point where you can limp it home and save up for the repairs, or you could be pulling out of a junction onto a busy road and it could fail there and leave you stuck in the middle of a main road!

By all means keep driving the car if you need to and can't afford the repairs, but just be informed about what could happen.

If you do keep driving the car then please be very gentle with gear changes and avoid heavy accelerations wherever possible.

P.S. When/if you do put the car in the garage for a new clutch, ask him to replace the thrust bearing at the same time as it'll save you a lot of extra expense if it goes later on down the line.

[alexp999]

Hi and welcome to FOC.

Moved to Fiesta section.

[Kingies]

Hi thanks for your advice I've been quoted 130 for clutch and there gonna get price for bearings is that sounding good?

[jmurray01]

Hi thanks for your advice I've been quoted 130 for clutch and there gonna get price for bearings is that sounding good?

I thought you said you'd been quoted £300?

£130 doesn't sound like a high enough figure for a garage, there wouldn't be much profit in it for them to do it for that.

[wase16ll]

i would imagine that price is for supplying cover and plate only, in which case thats about average.

bearing would be roughly the same, its a bit of a false economy to not change bearing at the same time, chances are high that it wont last the lifetime of 2 clutches...especially so when paying someone else to change it

[Kingies]

Yea one garage did quote me 300 never 160ive had it also e now 230 :-) drives fine thanks for all advice

[The Jargen]

Just buy parts from breakers then get someone to fix it you'll save a whole lot of money.