When you drive your car, you constantly use the clutch. Especially in urban traffic and in queues or rush hour traffic, the gears are constantly being shifted.
| Compare and save* | You save on average* | |
|---|---|---|
| £239 | 26% | |
| Save on average* | ||
| £239 / 26% |
The clutch in your Vauxhall ensure that there is a connection between the engine and the gearbox. The clutch works by having two discs are pressed against each other and spin synchronously together. When the clutch pedal is pressed, the two discs/gears move apart from each other. This stops the transmission providing power to the wheels, and you are able to shift gears.
It is important that the car's clutch is working properly. The clutch must slide smoothly, and you must not, for instance, feel that the clutch makes small shudders when you step on the pedal or that there is a grinding noise when you shift gears. If you experience this, it is probably a sign that the clutch is worn and needs replacing.
Get the best quote when the clutch needs replacing
The clutch is not something as such that a car owner must keep an eye on. On new cars, the clutch will work perfectly for many years, and you can easily drive several hundred thousand kilometers without having to think of a replacing the clutch. This also applies to Vauxhall.
However, if you drive around in an old Vauxhall, you run the risk that the clutch is worn and needs replacing.
Autobutler have researched the average price of a clutch replacement for a Vauxhall. The price covers all the quotes that garages have submitted to Vauxhall owners.
Have the garage replace the clutch
In a previous blog, you could read about how it is possible to replace the clutch on a car yourself. You can read about it here.
It must be cautioned that it is a huge and relatively time-consuming job to embark on. One has to take the engine apart, and most people will probably entrust the task to a garage that is used to performing these kinds of jobs.
When you need to find the best garage, regardless of whether it is close to where you live or work, it's a good idea to obtain more than one quote. There may well be relatively huge differences in how many hours that garages report that must be used on the job.
Go through the quotes and compare prices, number of hours indicated and the cost of spare parts. It can be hard to determine which garage is the best for the price. In the end, it is an individual assessment, but if you are in doubt, help is fortunately available. On Autobutler you can read reviews on the garages.
Sure signs that the clutch is worn
Clutch is worn, if there is no traction, and the speed doesn’t increase when you try to accelerate.
When the car is started, it does not occur smoothly. You find that your car shudders. It may indicate that a spring is broken, or the flywheel is worn.
When the clutch pedal is depressed, you experience noise or jarring sound. If it sounds as if the gear box 'grinds', it is an indication that something is wrong.
When you shift gears, it should not be hard to depress the clutch pedal.
Avoid unnecessary wear on the clutch
If you wish to extend the life of the car's clutch, you can among other things put the car in neutral when you stop at a red light. It wears less rather than if you keep it in first gear with the clutch pedal depressed.
At the same time, avoid filing the clutch when starting the car. Always start in the lowest gear and do not use the clutch as ‘accelerator’.
When parking, pull the handbrake and put the car in neutral. In that way you avoid that the system remaining in a state of tension. It wears the clutch if the car is in first gear and the wind causes the car to rock slightly back and forth.
Remember to shift gears wisely. When you see that traffic stops ahead, release the clutch and roll up to the stop, instead of making an extra and unnecessary gear change just before it.
