Hi guys, i'm in dire need of your expertise, advice and experience!

I have a '04 vRS Fabia which i had re-mapped to about 180bhp at around 62k

miles. It is now on 84k miles and the clutch is starting to slip.

I would like your advice on which clutch replacement you would recommend.

I dont want the best or most expensive but i want an alternative option to

compare to getting the standard OEM one re-newed like for like.

My local mechanic has roughly quoted £550 for parts and £250 for labour for

a straight replacement. Can you tell me what the next best but cheapest of

the slightly heavier duty ones would cost and can you recommend a decent

workshop/garage in the north of england close to cumbria where i can get the

work done.

Just put yourself in my shoes guys, what would you do without breaking the

bank?

Looking forward to your replies,

cheers

Mac

So £800 quid for a like for like basically? Thats ALOT IMHO. Dont quote me but im pretty sure Awesme GTi (manchester so should be a million miles away) would be able to source a very good, very expensive (in relation to a standard part) Helix clutch (with a flywheel assuming you dont need one, but might be worth changing that too) for around the same price fitted? I mean lets say its a extra £100, id rather have something rated to take the extra TORQUE (not bhp!) than you will be running than go like for like, and in another 20k you have another slipping clutch.

So £800 quid for a like for like basically? Thats ALOT IMHO. Dont quote me but im pretty sure Awesme GTi (manchester so should be a million miles away) would be able to source a very good, very expensive (in relation to a standard part) Helix clutch (with a flywheel assuming you dont need one, but might be worth changing that too) for around the same price fitted? I mean lets say its a extra £100, id rather have something rated to take the extra TORQUE (not bhp!) than you will be running than go like for like, and in another 20k you have another slipping clutch.

totally agree, no point fitting another OEM/similar part that's just gonna need replacing too soon

You can now get a complete Sachs OEM replacement clutch kit with the DMF for just over £270 delivered. My local Skoda dealer quoted £180 to fit. the above kit.

But I decided to spend a few extra ££ and bought a Sachs upgraded clutch and SMF from Jabbasport for £912! It arrived last week - and it being fitted next Monday. My car is now on 83K and the clutch started slipping badly almost the day after I fitted a tuning box! As soon as the clutch is done its getting a proper remap, exhaust and maybe a few other toys too!

My local mechanic has roughly quoted £550 for parts and £250 for labour for

a straight replacement.

:eek::eek::eek:

York Audi were only going to charge me £600 for a full clutch swap on a 2.8 Quattro.

Find another mechanic, he saw you coming miles away !!!! The only thing I can think off, that makes it that much is that he's going to swap the flywheel and clutch.

The only thing I can think off, that makes it that much is that he's going to swap the flywheel and clutch.

Yes, that price was for everything, clutch, flywheel and some pipe (i forget what he called it ).

One thing i never mentioned guys is that i'm engine illiterate so asking me whether i want to change other bits as well is a waste of time, i need told what you would do and i will folow blindly, my trust is in you guys

OK, well as said above standard replacements are sub £300 + fitting.

Id honestly uprate rather than go for OEM.

Will cost more yes, but might aswell do it right. Its ok spending a few £100 on more power but if you dont have other things to match things will go wrong.

I vote ring Awesome GTi up ask them for a price on a clutch rated for your torque levels and see what they say, then post back here

I've had a message from Awesome Sarah on another thread, she has given her advise and i'm awaiting prices from her now. So who's the best tuners near to cumbria then, anyone know?

So £800 quid for a like for like basically? Thats ALOT IMHO. Dont quote me but im pretty sure Awesme GTi (manchester so should be a million miles away) would be able to source a very good, very expensive (in relation to a standard part) Helix clutch (with a flywheel assuming you dont need one, but might be worth changing that too) for around the same price fitted? I mean lets say its a extra £100, id rather have something rated to take the extra TORQUE (not bhp!) than you will be running than go like for like, and in another 20k you have another slipping clutch.

Is it me or are there sufficent gramatical mistakes in this post to make it not make sense? :confused::confused::confused:

My advice would be to go for the uprated sachs clutch which utilises the OEM DMF if you plan on sticking at remapped power....

IF however you plan on going for the plus 200 bhp mark with a hybrid turbo etc i'd suggest you went for the SMF option.... either a Helix / Spec / Sachs

Im running the Helix and SMF at remapped power and its spot on and i know it will never fail but the noise at idle is a pest

Is it me or are there sufficent gramatical mistakes in this post to make it not make sense? :confused::confused::confused:

makes sense to me :confused:

I admit the odd "Awesome" mistake See what I did there...

But minus the sarky comments about manchester being miles away, I cant see any other issues? Your getting quoted for standard parts at the price I would pay for uprated parts, so to me thats expensive?

However go right ahead and replace like for like fella, and remember not to do a search when your clutch starts slipping in 20,000 miles and post this again wont ya!

I admit the odd "Awesome" mistake See what I did there...

But minus the sarky comments about manchester being miles away, I cant see any other issues? Your getting quoted for standard parts at the price I would pay for uprated parts, so to me thats expensive?

However go right ahead and replace like for like fella, and remember not to do a search when your clutch starts slipping in 20,000 miles and post this again wont ya!

Sorry buddy, i didn't spot the sarcasm and you seemed to be advising buying an expensive item from a tuning company (i just thought you meant inexpensive and mis-typed...lol). I don't want to spend alot of money, i dont want the OEM replacement if its going to wear out in 20k i just wanted advise on the next best/cheapest option as i haven't a clue what to do. No offence or upset intended

Sorry buddy, i didn't spot the sarcasm and you seemed to be advising buying an expensive item from a tuning company (i just thought you meant inexpensive and mis-typed...lol). I don't want to spend alot of money, i dont want the OEM replacement if its going to wear out in 20k i just wanted advise on the next best/cheapest option as i haven't a clue what to do. No offence or upset intended

No sweat fella Sarcasm doesnt really come across on a keyboard too well I was thinking roughly where you are based, and knowing Awesome GTi are pretty much on the way up to your area picked them, however I would point out, id drive the lenght of the country to get something done right, like a map, or custom work. A clutch isnt such a big job but I would trust my car with Awesome (and infact did for the clutch as it happens!) I know how you feel about spending money, but I was really saying if you were willing to spend £800+ for what was quoted (OEM bits?) then what most people on here would class as expensive (Helix etc) arent much more, if infact maybe even cheaper if you get a good deal, I seem to remember one tuning company offering free fitting on Sach clutchs or similar, which is rather good Thats the problem when you up the power, things generall wear quicker im afriad! None taken, and back at ya! Ive never suffered from clutch slip personally, but have been in plenty of TDi's that have, and its a nightmare to drive around!

Thanx for that buddy, i've been offered a heavy duty Sachs clutch from a member here for £560 delivered. I'm told this will run with no issues with the same DMF thats in but i will need a new release bearing costing about £47 from Awesome Sarah. Is there anything else i need to change while i'm at it? If i go ahead with this option i'll prob drive down to Awesome in Manchester to get it fitted unless there's anywhere in the North East or southern Scotland who are just as good for similar labour costs.

Its not been slipping too long, but I would be worried about the flywheel itself, possibly ask Sarah to price up one of those *IF* needed when they are fitting it?

Thanx T.Spark, this is the kind of experienced advice i'm in need of and its much appreciated buddy

All this because you upgraded the ECU software to improve the mpg....wink wink.

No worries matey, once the clutch is in, minus the odd boost hose popping off your onto a winner

Hi guys, i cant believe how long this has took but i suppose you cant afford to rush into the wrong decision.

I spoke to a really nice and knowledgeable man from Sachs Race Engineering called Daniel who gave me some great advice and sent me out a Dual mass Flywheel = 2294 003 341CSC & slave cylinder = 3182 997 901 for £195 and he gave me a contact at Competition Breaking to purchase the Race cover = 88 3082 000 826 Old cover no. ( 88 3082 999 753)Organic drive plate = 88 1864 999 980 for £625 delivered, his name is Paul Wilkinson = 01748 831 200.

My local mechanic wanted £250 to fit all the parts, Awesome GTi wanted £320 :eek: and then a mechanic friend of my father in-law said he'd do it at his home for £70, result!

First i had to wait til he had a new driveway laid, then i had to wait til the car that was on his ramps had a gearbox part delivered then he said he was too busy at the farm so after waiting several weeks with the parts sitting in my porch i went back to my local mechanic.

I explained that i had no money left after buying all the bits and asked what was the best price he could fit them for, he said he'd do it cash in hand without VAT for £220 so we had a deal

I got it back yesterday and i must say my initial thoughts are it feel awesome

The old one must have been slipping more than i thought coz it feels so much more powerful now although i have stalled it a few times, it'll take a bit to adjust to the new feel of it i suppose.

Looking forward to testing it out properly once it has been run in for a few hundred miles.

Oh yes, and the nice man at Sachs sent me a few stickers with my bits too :thumbup:

good overall result in the end then

If my maths is right, that still adds £1k to the price of the remap :eek:

If my maths is right, that still adds £1k to the price of the remap :eek:

Yes but, the old clutch had done 84k+ and would have needed replacing soon anyway and i got the remap over 2 years ago so £1k spead over 2 years+ is nothing compared to the pure driving pleasure it has given me and now there's much more to come so i'm happy

If my maths is right, that still adds £1k to the price of the remap :eek:

You don't get owt for nowt;).

Top Stuff, pretty sure you spoke to a friend of mine at Sachs Race Engineering who used to own the Ibiza PD130 with abit of work done to it

Glad it sorted