To replace or not to replace the clutch

[Gealii]

Here's my situation i just graduated high school and wanted a high mpg car to travel to college everyday. I have a 99 ford zx2 with 186k miles. It is not to bad on rust for being a northern car. I love the car and even with a budget of 3k usd i feel i could not replace the car for something of equal value once the clutch gets replaced.

The question is should i go ahead and have the clutch replaced? I'm going to have a mechanic do all the work to replace it. I have not looked at prices but figuring $600-1000

Forgot to mention the car has new break lines, battery, alternator, has no check engine lights and e brake still works

[ksa8907]

Keep it, save your money for another day. At 13 years and 186k it may come sooner than expected.

[SentraSE-R]

Assuming your clutch is slipping, yes, you should replace it.

[Ryland]

Most of us would assume that if you are planing to replace a part then it needs to be replaced, but you didn't say how bad it was slipping, some clutches last 500,000 miles if used lightly, but if it's not broke then don't fix it.
There is also the chance that a cheap mechanic is going to take some short cuts like not milling the fly wheel, that can lead to clutch chatter, or that they put in a race clutch and those grab much harder then people like and make your car hard to drive.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Gealii

The question is should i go ahead and have the clutch replaced?

If it's slipping, yes.

I'm going to have a mechanic do all the work to replace it. I have not looked at prices but figuring $600-1000

Ask around for prices.
I'd expect them to be less.

[Gealii]

I've been reading more on what it feels like for the clutch to be actually slipping. I just got the car off my brother a couple weeks ago for $800 and he said the clutch needed to be replaced by the end of summer ( just learned how to drive a 5speed ). but reading up on how to test a slipping clutch it doesn't really seem that bad. The rpms still climb evenly with the speed even at higher rpms.

[jakobnev]

I got my last car cheap partially because the clutch was worn out..


..i drove it five more years before it started slipping.

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

I got my last car cheap partially because the clutch was worn out..


..i drove it five more years before it started slipping.

which is what I'm thinking is that it's just worn cuz of the test i did, so assuming what every1 else said ill just keep my money til it does actually start to slip instead of getting another car

[Ryland]

I've met a hand full of people who think that their clutch needed to be replaced because it didn't grab like a race clutch does and if you are driving your car on regular streets or in any stop and go traffic EVER you don't want it to grab like a race clutch, but you will notice it slipping when it's worn out and there is a good chance that you will never notice it slipping unless someone drove it really hard before you got it.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Gealii

The rpms still climb evenly with the speed even at higher rpms.

Then it doesn't seem to be slipping.

Clutches obviously wear down over time, and then start being a bit less smooth, or start to catch earlier on when you release the pedal again ... that's wear, but it doesn't mean it's shot.

Originally Posted by Gealii

which is what I'm thinking is that it's just worn cuz of the test i did

You won't wear down a clutch with a test
It takes prolonged abuse before it'll fail.

Just remember it's only there to shift gears, getting started from a stop, and do some REALLY SLOW manouvring.

Try to make smooth shifts without being on the clutch for too long, and it'll last a long, long time.