’03 ZT CDTi - cost of a new clutch?

[Roktraktor]

Hi all

Last week the clutch on my ZT started to feel a little different, and this morning its finally given up altogether. Prior to its untimely departure the pedal movement was feeling a touch slack at times and juddery, particularly noticeable when engaging 1st. Anyway its now not letting me engage any gear, and I’ve now had to get the (surprisingly expensive) train.

A quick call to a local garage and they are saying it could be anything up to £1000, in part because it is a complicated set up and also in part dues to it being hydraulically controlled.

Can anyone advise me whether this is indeed true and also what sort of prices I should be expecting to pay.

Thanks.

Dan.

[GreyGhost]

Bunch of comedians.

I'm sure someone will be along to tell your the right price. Some garages automatically include the price of DMF. Very rarely needs replacing.

[Roktraktor]

I think £1000 was going to be worst case scenario.
Couldn’t hear it to clearly since I was on the train, but the clutch plate itself was going to be around £90 but it could be something else, for which the price was going to £590...

And of course that doesn’t include the labour.

[FROGGY]

You have to decide whether or not to go the whole hog and have the "full monty", or just do the plate, cover, and the slave cylinder.
There are very contrasting reports re DMF failures, some saying it never happens, some saying it will do sooner or later.
A large (approx. £300) part of the final bill will be labour. A new DMF is around £300, but if you don't change it and it does go, then you are stuck for another £600 to do it.
When I had mine done I had them renew the whole lot, master, slave, plate, cover, flywheel etc, because the car is a "keeper", and in theory I can now forget about clutch problems for 100,000 more miles (famous last words springs to mind).
It cost me £1200 to have that lot done.
You pays yer money etc.

Mick

[Roktraktor]

After a hairy bit of towing last night behind my old mans Transit we got the ZT to the garage.

It turns out that the clutch looks to be in good condition and is most likely the clutch master cylinder which is leaking and the fluid is beginning to make its way onto the carpet. The mechanic tells us this is about 4 hours work and the part, when it arrives in a couple of days will be about £250 with a total bill for about £400.

Huge relief that it isn’t £1200. Yet.

[marley]

Originally Posted by Roktraktor

After a hairy bit of towing last night behind my old mans Transit we got the ZT to the garage.

It turns out that the clutch looks to be in good condition and is most likely the clutch master cylinder which is leaking and the fluid is beginning to make its way onto the carpet. The mechanic tells us this is about 4 hours work and the part, when it arrives in a couple of days will be about £250 with a total bill for about £400.

Huge relief that it isn’t £1200. Yet.

S
Still sounds expensive to me? I had my clutch master cylinder fail, soon after I bought the car. I had it replaced under the warranty. Only trouble was a month later, the slave cylinder went too! So I had a new clutch (car was on 84K at the time, so decided it wisw to buy a clutch, although it was working O.K.!) new slave and new master cylinder fitted at a cost of £600.
That was a few years ago, but reading posts on here and mg-rover.org, it seems that if anything, the prices seem to have come down a bit?
Im no mechanic, but I shouldnt think its 4 hours to replace the master cylinder? Also! "apparently!" when the master cylinder goes "invariably" the slave cylinder will go soon after!
I thought the same, so thats why I replaced everything! The hardest part to replace, is the slav cylinder, as itts in gear-box.Thats why I had a new clutch fitted at the same time!
Maybe shop around, as Im sure Ive seen prices much less than your quote? eg. I think the master cylinder can be bought for about £100-140 ish?

[Roktraktor]

Well I’ll bear in mind that the slave cylinder could give in soon, but I drive fairly gently, and mostly motorway miles (usually returning mid 50s mpg) so hopefully it will hold in there for a while. Of course I don’t how the previous owners treated it...

As for cost the trouble is I live out in the sticks so to go to a different garage I would also then have to factor in a possible charge for getting it towed or trailered. We towed it last night as it was only a couple of miles.

Will certainly shop around next time though.

[Platemaker]

£400!!!

This must be why I'm poor!

[Bartonrover]

Originally Posted by FROGGY

You have to decide whether or not to go the whole hog and have the "full monty", or just do the plate, cover, and the slave cylinder.
There are very contrasting reports re DMF failures, some saying it never happens, some saying it will do sooner or later.
A large (approx. £300) part of the final bill will be labour. A new DMF is around £300, but if you don't change it and it does go, then you are stuck for another £600 to do it.
When I had mine done I had them renew the whole lot, master, slave, plate, cover, flywheel etc, because the car is a "keeper", and in theory I can now forget about clutch problems for 100,000 more miles (famous last words springs to mind).
It cost me £1200 to have that lot done.
You pays yer money etc.

Mick

Same in my case Froggy - and same price. I think the garages procure complete clutch kits which include the expensive flywheel and so are quite keen to fit it all. That said, as mine went at 120k it seemed stupid not to have the full works. If it had gone in the next 10k there would be a lot of repeat and expensive labour to pay for again.