Clutch replacement. dealer or private Mechanic?

[CoryM]

Originally Posted by jambo101

08 yaris sedan with 200K kms, manual tranny, i suspect its time for clutch replacement as pulling away from a stop is getting almost impossible to do without the cars shuddering/juddering, Wondering what a ball park $$ figure is for the job and how long it will take., also wondering if i should get the job done at my local Toyota dealer or my local private mechanic.

Thanks

Clutch shudder is usually caused by hotspots on the pressureplate or flywheel. It's a common issue on Yarii. Whether it's slipping or not, if it's to the point of being undriveable then clutch replacement is your only choice. Can't estimate on the cost, but probably 4-5hrs labour, plus parts ($250ish?). If it needs a flywheel, another $300-400? more. I would highly recommend against going to a dealer for any repairs. Their mechanics get paid per job, so tend to rush and do lousy work (I've worked for dealers before). And they typically charge more.

And yeah, to check for slipping find a hill (THE hill in Montreal? Mont Royal maybe ) get it in 3rd or 4th and floor it. Higher gear the better. If the engine rpms rise, and the vehicle speedo does not, you are slipping. Other indications are that the clutch engagement point in the pedal is very high.

Cheers.