Who's never had to have a new clutch? Why do you think so??!

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Prompted by a chat I was having with a mate earlier.

Been driving cars since 1996. In that time, I have had a huge variety of cars, from a Reliant Rialto to a Porsche 911 - and all sorts in between.

One or two of them I haven't kept for too long - less than a year. But mostly, I keep my cars for a long time - 4 years or so - and run the mileages up to near on 200k before I sell them on. (And never written a car off).

It strikes me that I have NEVER had to have a new clutch in any of them - or a new DMF come to that (probably setting myself up for a fall now though )

Several of them I have owned from a really low mileage too - so gone from 20k up to the aforementioned 200k odd. Most of my driving is probably a fairly even mix of urban and DC / Motorway.

There's an outside chance I guess that some of the used cars I have bought MIGHT have had a clutch before my ownership - however I've never seen a receipt for a clutch in any of the service history, and besides, as the highest mileage car I have ever bought was around 45k on the clock, it is unlikely to have had a clutch done already.


So why is this? Especially given that I often hear friends, neighbours and work colleagues moaning about having to have a clutch at 70k, 80k, 90k etc. and also moaning about having to have a new DMF.

I think it's probably obvious - I drive with degree of mechanical sympathy I guess? When I pull away, I keep the revs down under 2,000 rpm, I take my time over gearshifts and rev-match on upchanges and downchanges.

I never ever ride the clutch, especially on hills - and if I am queuing in traffic, I rarely move as soon as the car in front has - I wait until it has moved, stopped, moved and stopped a few times, and I have a decent gap to drive through before stopping again.

Anyone else get starship mileage out of their clutches? And if so, why do you think you do? Same reasons?

[kambites]

I've never replaced a clutch either. If you don't abuse them, I think clutches last a very long time.

[Quinten]

Until you buy a Vectra C and the slave cylinder goes... stupid, stupid, stupid design!

[kambites]

I have replaced a slave cylinder, and indeed a master one. Not a clutch plate itself, though (except in a racing car, which probably doesn't count).

[Dr Jekyll]

I've never replaced one, despite doing > 100,000 miles in a couple of my cars. I think the kind of journeys have a lot to do with it, traffic jams and reversing into or out of parking spots is probably what kills clutches.

[thatdude]

I had to replace the clutch plates on my motorcycle, but then i did a lot of town riding at the time, so lots of clutch slipping with slow speed manouvers. My car clutch is in need of change (67,000 miles) but its been a bit strange since the day i bought it - goodness knows how the previous owners treated it. Im changing it out of fear something will physically break (the spin down time is long) but its not slipping.

[NateWM]

Over 206k miles on my Accord (owned from New by Father, 5 years by myself) and its never had a new clutch. Release bearing is a little noisy though.

[Impasse]

Many years ago, I had to replace the clutch on my Series 11A 109 Land Rover. But seeing as how it only started slipping after I dunked it in enough water to cover the seats, it's not surprising. What was surprisingly amusing was the half a pint of muddy water which splooshed out of the bell housing when split from the engine.

[glasgowrob]

current taxi is on 191k miles (remapped Mondeo tdci) still on its original clutch and DMF and going strong,

previous taxi a remapped cdti 150 Vectra had a clutch and flywheel done at 250k due to the DMF rattling (clutch was fine)

previous skoda Octavia to that hit 300k on the original clutch too

[XFDreamer]

I've owned cars since 1985 and never replaced a clutch. I guess it's down to mechanical sympathy like the OP said.

I do however drive a Vectra C with a DMF that's on 95k of which Ive done 45k. It drives perfectly but maybe it's time to move it on.

[Eighteeteewhy]

I've just sold a Audi 80 with 230k on the clock and on the original clutch. If driven correctly a good clutch will almost last forever. (I'm talking run of the mill cars, not supercars)

Only time I've replaced a clutch was on a Pug GTI, it was already worn when I bought the car.

[XFDreamer]

glasgowrob said:

current taxi is on 191k miles (remapped Mondeo tdci) still on its original clutch and DMF and going strong,

previous taxi a remapped cdti 150 Vectra had a clutch and flywheel done at 250k due to the DMF rattling (clutch was fine)

previous skoda Octavia to that hit 300k on the original clutch too

Or maybe I've nothing to worry about.

[HorneyMX5]

MKII Golf Gti - 2 x clutches but the 2nd was because the 1st was fitted wrong by the garage.
MGZT CDTI - Common on these, changed at 120K
MKI MX5 - Changed after adding a supercharger and ruining the original one by clutch kicking it on an autosolo.
Classic Mini - Had about 3 clutches in the 3 years I owned it. Quite highly strung NA tuned lump and I drove it like I stole on road and track.

[MC Bodge]

I've never had a new car clutch I've taken a few cars over 100k miles. Even my Mk1 2.0 and Mk3 Mondeos (all TDCI 130s fail in all ways, apparently) were fine.

I don't hang around, but am sympathetic and do rev match (...and heel toe and double-de-clutch downshifts for full effect, but haven't always done so) and don't heave on the gear or ride the clutch pedal. In the past I was known to do a few Grand Prix starts, though.

My DMF and clutch will probably fail this week now

[SmithyAG]

Bloke at work has a 2003 Golf 1.9TDI on 330k (owned from new), clutch was only replaced at 307k, and it only actually slipped under hard acceleration, but he changed it so he didn't end up stranded.

I've personally never had to change a clutch, but then I haven't done huge amount of miles in the same car. Current A3 has 128k on it, 40k of that with me, remapped for 20k of it.

[sparkyhx]

never had one in 30 years of driving except on my 200sx which started slipping cos i'd pushed the power beyond what the std clutch could handle, even then I drove it 2 years with it slipping

[Pit Pony]

I replaced clutches on a 1978 mini 850 with 56k on the clock (most likely clocked prior to me owning it), on a 1983 Fiat 500, on a 140K Mk3 cavalier, which was used to teach 3 teenagers to drive, on a 125K mile mk2 cavalier (I replaced the gearbox and thought it best to do the clutch as well), and I actually had the clutch fail on another mk2 cavalier at 90K (mind you I did have a rally car driving style back then)


And now the old 1.6 MX5 has a slight slipping clutch in first if you hit the accelerator a bit hard. (110K)

[B'stard Child]

33 years of driving - 2 clutches on cars

1 in 1996 when I converted an auto to manual - seemed intelligent to put a new clutch in so doesn't really count

Purchased one of my profile "current cars" with 19,000 miles on the clock in 2001 (it had just had a brand new clutch recently fitted) 16,000 miles later it needed another - I don't plan on fitting another so need to sell it before I put too many miles on it.......

All my other previous and current cars have never had to have a clutch fitted and I used to do a lot of miles (not so much now)

[PinkRinse]

I had my Fiesta ST from new for 7 years. I didn't baby it about (I did a few track days a year) but I didnt "drive it like I stole it" & when I part ex'd it, the car had done 97,000+ miles and the clutch was perfect.

Other STs had new engines, new gearboxes, new clutches.. It was mad!

I think I just wasn't too hard, sensible, realised the car had limits & tried not to go beyond them. Plus all the other drivers were "lads".... Hehehe

[phib]

24 years driving c. 720,000 miles and never replaced a clutch, have had several cars though !!

Phib