V8 Vantage - Clutch smell

[A17DBS]

Hello,

a good friend is looking for a V8 Vantage and test drove a nice looking 2009 with 20k on the clock at a main dealer. It had a new clutch 2k miles ago but you can smell the clutch on the test drive. The dealer said this was fine.... (I know - they would).

Anyone any experience of this?

Cheers

D.

[Sump]

Yeah, learn to drive.

[Jon39]

When I took delivery of my own car, there was a strong clutch smell, which persisted for about a week.
During the following three years, it has only occurred briefly, after occasional heavy clutch use. Even reversing up a slope can sometimes create the smell, because of the high ratio reverse gear.
With the manual gearbox version, there is no way to tell when a clutch change is due, but bear in mind some owners have managed over 65,000 miles. Driver dependant.

I would guess that someone at the selling dealer was the culprit with my car, so perhaps the same has happened in your case.

If a deal is likely, I would get in writing from the dealer that the clutch abuse smell is strong. That might help, should a clutch failure occur soon after purchase. No warranty on clutches of course, and they are not cheap to replace.

Edited by Jon39 on Thursday 19th November 19:33

[A17DBS]

Thanks Jon, I will pass the message on to him. I was a little concerned when he mentioned it. Replacement clutches are never going to be cheap.

Cheers

D.

[gibbon]

Mine had a new clutch in when i bought it, it smelt a bit also, the clutch is the weak point in the v8 vantage really. You do have to be quite delicate with it, and it will still wiff a bit reversing up hills, i simply avoid situations where i would have to do that.

Mines still good 12k miles on, no issues (touch wood).

[jazzybee]

I've had my manual car almost 3 years. Bought mine with 24k miles and was very worried about it needing a clutch within 6-12 months. I reverse into my drive (goes up a little slope), almost always smells when reversing. I finally changed my clutch at 49k miles back in May - It was not completely gone yet, but was close and had it done as a major service was being done, and this helped keep the cost down. Since the new clutch has been fitted, I smell the clutch a lot more than before.

[C997]

Jon39 said:

No warranty on clutches of course, and they are not cheap to replace.

Edited by Jon39 on Thursday 19th November 19:33

There seems to be some scenarios where the clutch is replaced under warranty but not sure what they are. My 2008 SS V8V clutch was replaced under warranty. I did ask what the issue was but never got a reply from the dealer. I'd originally taken it to them to check it as I couldn't seem to get it to do a clutch learn. Got a call from them to say they were replacing the clutch, it would take about a week and to come and pick up an Evora courtesy car (which I didn't want to give back).

[Mac355]

I have owned my Vantage from new, and the clutch smelt when I got it 4 years ago, and it still does now.
Driving style ( in my case) has nothing to do with it.
I think almost all Vantages come with this "benefit"

[roughrider]

The 6 speed Graziano is based on a racing gearbox, and is also fitted in Ferrari's. Reverse gear is almost the equivalent of 2nd gear, so most clutch abuse is caused by reversing. Always try to use the minimum steering when reversing, if you try to reverse using full lock, the clutch gets a hard time!

[CPBRI]

I've smelled it on mine. But my friend who was driving it at the time, was driving it poorly.