Clutch replacement price

ShooterSF

Ok after running 150,000 miles without much hassle my lil old Mazda 323F's clutch has finally started to kick the bucket.

I had a local mechanic quote me to replace it and he said it would be around €400. I have no knowledge in the area having never replaced one before. Is this a good price? Can I save money sourcing the clutch myself and where would I go? I see some for the 323 on ebay but I don't know if they'd even fit the 323f (two different cars in shape anyway).

I need the car as it's needed for my work. At the moment I'm having to cut the engine to put it in first before taking off and then starting it again then or it won't go into first. I'm worried this is at least doing more damage and at most could cut out completely.

Any ideas?

Gary ITR

I wouldn't touch any ebay parts. 400 sounds fairly reasonable tbh

ShooterSF

I don't know, some people just outright write off e-bay. Personally though I've always been careful and never had any problems. Though this is an expensive item I don't know much about.
If I get it through a mechanic should they give me a mileage/time warranty? One reason I might avoid buying it online myself...

CPG

Onkle wrote: »

I wouldn't touch any ebay parts. 400 sounds fairly reasonable tbh

What do you base that statement on ? Here say ?
I and others I know have got plenty of parts from Ebay, no hassles, maybe your one of these people that goes to a motor factors and pays through the nose for "peace of mind"

poker-jacks

Give Mr. Clutch Mr Gearbox a ring. They're based in finglas, number on the web. Think they charged me €150 + labour on an A3

Mickk

poker-jacks wrote: »

Give Mr. Clutch Mr Gearbox a ring. They're based in finglas, number on the web. Think they charged me €150 + labour on an A3

I used them (a few years ago admittedly) and found them terrible. The week I got the car back one of the springs on the clutch plate went and caused a rattling constantly in the cars engine, they wouldn't touch it even tho they supposedly gave a warranty with the work... Also a smaller thing but the full tank of petrol in it when I left it with them was used up when I got it back.

mcwhirter

ShooterSF wrote: »

Ok after running 150,000 miles without much hassle my lil old Mazda 323F's clutch has finally started to kick the bucket.

I had a local mechanic quote me to replace it and he said it would be around €400. I have no knowledge in the area having never replaced one before. Is this a good price? Can I save money sourcing the clutch myself and where would I go? I see some for the 323 on ebay but I don't know if they'd even fit the 323f (two different cars in shape anyway).

I need the car as it's needed for my work. At the moment I'm having to cut the engine to put it in first before taking off and then starting it again then or it won't go into first. I'm worried this is at least doing more damage and at most could cut out completely.



Any ideas?

Check out this site in the uk for a price guide
http://www.carparts-direct.co.uk/clutches_detail.cfm

Zico-PES

Does anyone know anything about EXEDY clutches? I was going to buy one for a Mitsubishi GTO from an Ebay shop. Not so sure now.

ShooterSF

mcwhirter wrote: »

Check out this site in the uk for a price guide
http://www.carparts-direct.co.uk/clutches_detail.cfm

Wow they are pretty pricey I guess at 130 sterling plus vat plus 50 sterling delivery. I'm guessing labour would probably make up the other approx €200....

But now I know the part I might check other Mazda's and see if they take the same part. Maybe e-bay could save me money...

As for Mr. Clutch, they would be atleast an hour's drive from my home and giving the current condition I'd rather not chance it.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

Gary ITR

CPG wrote: »

What do you base that statement on ? Here say ?
I and others I know have got plenty of parts from Ebay, no hassles, maybe your one of these people that goes to a motor factors and pays through the nose for "peace of mind"

A clutch would be a consumable part, all those kinds of parts on ebay are usually spurious and the quality poor.
Buying a secondhand gearbox or ecu or whatever on ebay is usually ok
If you're keeping the car buy a decent clutch kit

cormac_byrne

ShooterSF wrote: »

At the moment I'm having to cut the engine to put it in first before taking off and then starting it again then or it won't go into first.

That doesn't sound like a worn out clutch. What you describe appears to be a problem disengaging the clutch.

That could simply be a stretched clutch cable (if it's got a cable),
or air in the hydraulics or simply not enough hydraulic fluid (if it's hydraulic obviously)

or it could be engine related (thrust bearings)
or possibly damaged pressure plate or release bearing (am guessing here)

Don't buy any parts till you have a correct diagnosis.

Edit: just googled and a 323 has a hydraulic clutch, not only that, but it appears to use the same reservoir as the brakes, so definitely check the fluid level ASAP.

ShooterSF

cormac_byrne wrote: »

That doesn't sound like a worn out clutch. What you describe appears to be a problem disengaging the clutch.

That could simply be a stretched clutch cable (if it's got a cable),
or air in the hydraulics or simply not enough hydraulic fluid (if it's hydraulic obviously)

or it could be engine related (thrust bearings)
or possibly damaged pressure plate or release bearing (am guessing here)

Don't buy any parts till you have a correct diagnosis.

I explained it to a friend of the family who's a mechanic and he said that the clutch is on the way out. Even when I start it that way the car starts moving as if the clutch wasn't pressed in. However he told me that you could extend it's life letting the clutch out a little and moving the point of disengagement. (It is a hydraulic)

But maybe I should bring it somewhere for a second opinion, never hurt. Thanks man.

ShooterSF

I forgot. I was also told that you can't get pressure plates installed anymore as they weren't matching the clutch properly and there was a high level of returns, any truth?

cormac_byrne

ShooterSF wrote: »

you could extend it's life letting the clutch out a little and moving the point of disengagement. (It is a hydraulic)

Hydraulic clutches are generally self adjusting by design, that sounds like what you would do for a cable operated clutch.

Re replacing pressure plate, maybe that advice is specific to a 323.

I was told that it's good practice to always replace the pressure plate at the same time as the clutch, maybe even do release bearing. (saves having to pay for the labour to take the gearbox off again when other component fails later)

When buying clutch and pressure plate get them as a pair from one manufacturer. Different manufacturer parts (Original and OEM) which in theory should go together, don't always like each other in practice.