Car problems

Our Renault 5s left us at 110K miles, with original clutches intact. Elderly neighbours got through a clutch in 15K miles on two cars. One was a Clio so a fair comparison. Both thought that the car had an infinity variable gear, aided by simulating a gas turbine before even starting to raise the left foot. Always sounded like a 747 running up against the brakes before take off clearance! Hot clutch lining has a very distinctive, unpleasant smell.

I used to tell my bus drivers that it takes eight hours to change a clutch, but only thirty seconds to ruin one!

In over 1M miles, in various vehicles from tractors to artics ("semis", I have never worn out a clutch. My father passed the Driving Examiners test, and taught me that a clutch was not a variable gear, so should be "in" or "out". Slip it until the vehicle begins to move and then engage it fully, was his advice, and once moving, minimise slipping.

In the early days of motoring, the advice was "The clutch should be used for departure only". Once on the move, you worked without it, Scammell drivers will agree!

When the clutch cable broke, in The Hague, our daughter drove her Renault 5 back to East Anglia, much to the surprise of the Customs officers at Dover, changing gear clutchless! (At that time Renault had only just accepted that the design of the automatic adjusting mechanism was faulty, and produced a field fix kit)

A slipping clutch is a different matter; sometimes, if you are gentle, you can nurse it home, especially when everything is hot, but once cold you may have had it! And if the centre has ripped out of the centre plate, a tow rope is the best hope.

Howard

Quite agree with that Howard thats about as much as a small engine non quality car would do th last 30yrs. Scrapped my XR2 at 106k and Vectra with GM2.2 ZE 2.2 engine at 137k pre dmf original clutches and used to treat them ultra harsh. Only time worn a clutch out was on a new bike and muddy meeting, clutches become scarce nationally.
All other clutch failings so far have been breakages with backing plates shattering inc a sintered jobby in the beast to pintos all non dmf or equivalent.

Put two and two together Thursday long story short gear changes have been gradually getting worse the last 2 years in Golf 180 more so the last 2 months. At 60k pedal bite was around 85% release over full travel near resting place, now its near on 90% full travel to the bulk head and has that dual mass flywheel. Took it off the road Thursday at 135k engine good for another 15k+ but pointless spending when mot due in August with min £600 outlay of stuff know about plus clutch and any unforeseen.

Out of necessity, quickness and downtime needed repairing the Golf, at least two weeks just gone back to a large 3ltr engine with 141k on it and first ever diesel plus first ever auto, good for another 90k assured. Drives tighter than a quality VAG car at 60k, others inc Fords, GM, French at 20k never in wildest dreams would have thought possible.

Jon, the 5s weren't worn out, far from it.

We had decided to run them until something expensive failed.

My wife's was written off by someone reversing out of their drive at speed without looking.

Mine went to friend who ran it for some time before selling it on, so it might have accumulated some 150k before takings its 2 gallons of Waxoyl to the scrapyard.

I have friends who ran Skodas, going strong with over 160K on the clock.

In the 20s, for a car to survive 10,000 miles was a major achievement.

My father's 1947 Vauxhall 10 needed multiple decokes, valve grinds, two rebores and a clutch to cover 300K. The 5s did not need any oil added between 5,000 mile services. Only checked the valve clearances every 48K; barely a thou change. Improved lubricants, materials and processes contribute to that sort of life.

Howard