Upto £1,500 to change the clutch on a Golf? Surely not?

[Ari]

Clutch on the Golf (highish mileage 2008 MK5 1.9TDI) seems to be on its way. It engages ok and doesn't slip, but doesn't disengage so well - sometimes hard to get in or out of gear when stationary and crunches a little when it does go (other times fine).

We're big fans of main dealers for work done on our cars (I know opinion is very divided on this, but we've always had exemplary service and been very happy - albeit at probably a bit more cost than an indy would charge).

So, off to the local VW dealer to be told:

Gearbox has to come out regardless to change clutch - £579.
Then if it is just the clutch an additional £343.
If it requires a flywheel as well add on another £626 to both the above.

So basically best case is just under £1,000, worst case is over £1,500!

I know it is main dealer prices (and we won't be paying it, we'll use an indy), but on that basis any Golf worth much less than £2,000 is potentially a write off if the clutch goes!

Seems extraordinary to me - any thoughts?

[Ari]

It's a tricky one because I'm no mechanic - but £1,500 feels inherently wrong somehow.

It'll be interesting to see what an indy quotes.

[Ari]

wack said:

Don't be tempted to save a few quid and supply your own parts, if they supply and fit and there's a problem it's down to them, if you supply the parts you'll be paying again to get them out then arguing who's fault it was, fitter or clutch manufacturer.

plus you won't save anything , he'll just add an hour on to cover the lost profit on the parts

Sensible advice but neither the time nor the inclination to do that. Just want to drop it off and pick it up later fixed.

Not for £1,500 just to change the clutch though!

[Ari]

GreatGranny said:

Are you sure its the clutch and not just the master cylinder?

ie. needs new seals

(ignore this if its cable operated)

made that mistake years ago when my mates Mini wouldn't go into gear.

Changed the clutch on his driveway (bh of a job) and then found out it just needed a clutch master cylinder repair kit for £3! Oops

I'm not, no.

The symptoms are hard to get into gear sometimes when car stationary and goes in with a bit of a crunch.

Seems to bite in the right place...

[Ari]

g7jhp said:

Ari said:

Sensible advice but neither the time nor the inclination to do that. Just want to drop it off and pick it up later fixed.

Not for £1,500 just to change the clutch though!

But it's not £1,500 to change the clutch.

It's:

£1,000 to change clutch

or

£1,500 to change clutch and flywheel

Not surprising for a main dealer. Go indie or pay the full price and move on.

Apologies, I phrased it wrong. I meant I don't want to take the car to a garage with a clutch problem and have it cost £1,500 (if the flywheel needs doing too, which they won't know till it is in bits).

[Ari]

Mr Tidy said:

If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen!

You say highish miles but don't specify how many - my 123d managed over 80,000 on the original clutch!

But from your description of the problem it doesn't sound like it slips so do you really need a new one or is the problem something else?

It is over 100,000 miles - original clutch.