Clutch replacement cost

Chat about your 2018+ AW/BZ model Polos here!
Post Reply
Leif
Silver Member
Posts: 498
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:21 pm
Drives: SE 95 PS
Location: East Hampshire

Clutch replacement cost

Post by Leif »

I have a 2018 manual petrol Polo, and I reckon the clutch has gone. (I burnt it when trying to get the car out of a rut 6 months ago, and you could smell the clutch for weeks. Apparently a lot of people get stuck where I did.) Does anyone know the basic price for a clutch replacement from a VW franchised garage, and the sort of price from an indie? I know it varies but I'd like some sort of idea.

The car will be towed to a garage tomorrow morning. I'm assunming VW would not give any kind of goodwill given that it's a wearable item. The car is just out of warranty.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by monkeyhanger »

Leif wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:01 pm I have a 2018 manual petrol Polo, and I reckon the clutch has gone. (I burnt it when trying to get the car out of a rut 6 months ago, and you could smell the clutch for weeks. Apparently a lot of people get stuck where I did.) Does anyone know the basic price for a clutch replacement from a VW franchised garage, and the sort of price from an indie? I know it varies but I'd like some sort of idea.

The car will be towed to a garage tomorrow morning. I'm assunming VW would not give any kind of goodwill given that it's a wearable item. The car is just out of warranty.
From an Indie I think you're talking £900 all in if you get a decent sachs organic clutch (far more resilient than stock - it's the favoured clutch for those Golf GTI owners who remap to Golf R levels and get inevitable slip on the stock clutch. For a stock clutch at a dealership it'll be upwards of £1500 on OEM clutch plates.

Go with the Indie.

Clutches are considered a wear item unless they discover a cause like oil or grease contamination on the plates from an iffy seal or bearing.
Leif
Silver Member
Posts: 498
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:21 pm
Drives: SE 95 PS
Location: East Hampshire

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by Leif »

monkeyhanger wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:57 pm
Leif wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:01 pm I have a 2018 manual petrol Polo, and I reckon the clutch has gone. (I burnt it when trying to get the car out of a rut 6 months ago, and you could smell the clutch for weeks. Apparently a lot of people get stuck where I did.) Does anyone know the basic price for a clutch replacement from a VW franchised garage, and the sort of price from an indie? I know it varies but I'd like some sort of idea.

The car will be towed to a garage tomorrow morning. I'm assunming VW would not give any kind of goodwill given that it's a wearable item. The car is just out of warranty.
From an Indie I think you're talking £900 all in if you get a decent sachs organic clutch (far more resilient than stock - it's the favoured clutch for those Golf GTI owners who remap to Golf R levels and get inevitable slip on the stock clutch. For a stock clutch at a dealership it'll be upwards of £1500 on OEM clutch plates.

Go with the Indie.

Clutches are considered a wear item unless they discover a cause like oil or grease contamination on the plates from an iffy seal or bearing.
Thanks. Blimey that is way more than I expected. Normally I get well over 100,000 miles from the clutch and dispose of the car without it failing. I saw one quote from an indie for £800 and thought it was a lot. The car has done 60,000 miles, and apparently clutches are designed to last 60,000 miles, so I guess it’s not unexpected.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by monkeyhanger »

The sachs organic clutch kit is about £450 in parts alone.
Leif
Silver Member
Posts: 498
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:21 pm
Drives: SE 95 PS
Location: East Hampshire

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by Leif »

I found a local indie who can do the clutch at a reasonable price. They can only get an LUK. Should I get the DMF changed too? Apparently the DMF normally lasts 80-100k miles, the cars done 60k miles, but the clutch had a short period of heavy wear when trying to free the car from a rut, so the DMF may well be unduly worn. There was a strong burnt smell that lasted weeks after the car was winched out. Yes, I know, driver stupidity.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by monkeyhanger »

Leif wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:14 am I found a local indie who can do the clutch at a reasonable price. They can only get an LUK. Should I get the DMF changed too? Apparently the DMF normally lasts 80-100k miles, the cars done 60k miles, but the clutch had a short period of heavy wear when trying to free the car from a rut, so the DMF may well be unduly worn. There was a strong burnt smell that lasted weeks after the car was winched out. Yes, I know, driver stupidity.
DMFs on Fords fail like clockwork at about 80k miles, on VWs I'm not so sure. My Dad's 155k miles 2013 Golf GTD is still going strong. Maybe leave it to the Indie to inspect and provide opinion on, if you trust them not to do unnecessary work to charge you for?
Leif
Silver Member
Posts: 498
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:21 pm
Drives: SE 95 PS
Location: East Hampshire

Re: Clutch replacement cost

Post by Leif »

They said that mine doesn’t have a DMF, and it was just the clutch that had failed. I paid £640, labour was about £300, they fitted an LUK clutch which is supposed to be decent. I normally have a gentle driving style, and clutches last.

I was chatting to the chap in the lorry that transported my car to the garage. He said his company had lost several drivers to covid. The lockdowns have been very bad for the garage too, with much reduced custom, due to people working from home, and not doing the usual weekend and evening driving.

There were two burnt out BMWs at the garage, they’d caught fire while being driven. Apparently it’s not uncommon with recent Beemers, as they have so much electrics, and for some reason they often self combust. I stick to simple cars, not an aspirational brand, with a basic engine.
Post Reply