Hi guys, 

I own a 21013 fiesta 1.0 ecoboost zetec, yesterday evening I was driving and the car just would not go into any gear. I had it towed to a garage and the issue seems to be the clutch. I don't understand how the clutch can be gone with only 52,000 on the clock. Has anyone else had any similar issues?

The mechanic is saying that it needs a new bearing and a a new clutch, he's quoted me £390 for the job, does that price seem okay?

Also the car is need of a service, he's quoted me £120, does that price seem okay?

New clutch, new bearing, new brake pads and service, looking at a £520 bill :/

Thanks,

Zak

How long have you had the car?

It's low mileage but not impossible for a clutch to go at 52k, just depends how it's been driven.

Technically they can go at any mileage, although before about 20-30k that would usually indicate a manufacturing defect.

Iv'e had the car since 39,000

There's every chance the previous owner(s) weren't kind to the clutch in that time then. 

Yeah I guess so, what do you think of the pricing 

It sounds pretty reasonable to me but I don't have much experience with pricing for what's being offered. I'm hopeful someone who does can chip in on that one. 

Pricing seems very reasonable to me :)

120 is fair for a FULL service, make sure its a full service otherwise you may be getting ripped off, new clutch for your model is 200 quid, 250 with slave cylinder (its worth getting them both replaced) so 140 labour for a new clutch...hmmmm, seems a little bit expensive, maybe should be 40 cheaper, but its worth asking if they are replacing the slave cylinder as well as the clutch itself, all in all id maybe say 500 is a fair price for everything

I'll try and get him down to 500, what's involved in a full service?

when a clutch 'wears out'  it will slip. This does not make it hard to get into gear.  I would say what happened here is not usual wearing out but premature failure of a part that would normally last a lot longer. Exactly which part I do not know but I assume it was the concentric hydraulic release bearing/slave cylinder

£500 would be reasonable for both. 

A wearing clutch would slip not make it difficult to engage gears. You would also have no drive if the clutch was completely knackered. 

I had a clutch & slave cylinder done for £480 on my focus 1.6tdci two years ago if that helps...... and i think £120 sounds pretty good for a service.

It is possible to go that soon. The Suzuki Liana on Top Gear went through 6 clutches after less than 3000 miles. Obviously that's a bit different, but shows it's all about how it's driven.

It might only be the slave that's gone, but it would be daft not to change everything else whilst it's stripped.

Easiest way to test for slipping clutch is do 30mph in 5th, put your foot down and the engine should be sluggish rather than rev up really quickly.

I think other people have covered everything else enough, your mechanic seems to be looking after you. Apparently the oil is more expensive on these Fiestas. I haven't looked into it properly, but we've been taking our cars to this garage for years (guy who runs it is a good friend), I don't see them lying about it now.

Lowest mileage clutch I've ever changed was 9,000 miles, the next lowest under 20,000.  Its possible for clutches to last 100,000 miles with ease, but beyond 3 years or 40-50,000 miles its not unknown or unreasonable for one to expire at any time.  

 

In your case it sounds like the bearing, and that can (I'm not saying it is, just that it can) be an indicator of poor driving style. Don't sit at junctions, traffic lights or queues in gear with your foot on the clutch and the release bearing will be inclined to last a lot lo get.

and don't ever rest your foot on the clutch whilst driving as that can bring the bearing into contact with the pressure plate and wear the bearing, even if not enough pressure on it to disengage the clutch at all

16 hours ago, isetta said:

and don't ever rest your foot on the clutch whilst driving as that can bring the bearing into contact with the pressure plate and wear the bearing, even if not enough pressure on it to disengage the clutch at all

Thanks for the tip - I do this!!!