Had my 2001 1.9 TDI Estate from nw. 300,000 miles.  Practically no repairs. Only 1 silencer and servicing. A reliable workhorse. Drives like a dream. Steers itself and the kids grew up in it. Loved it.  Two things happening. Next month I'll be a pensioner and skint. And the clutch is going.  My mechanic says labour about £450 and don't buy unbranded parts.  I see I can get cheapo DMF to SMF kit for £114 but it's not a brand the garage recommend is sensible. Even so it's going to cost close on £700? And what's the car worth? Ziltch. So there's the dilemma. Bite the bullet, ditch the old reliable friend and spend everything I've got on something 2nd hand that's hopefully not going to have a little secret package of problems already, or spend what I've got on what I know is an otherwise pretty good car and keep on truckin? I'd really like the 'committee's views.  I'm torn between the more expensive desire for 'something new' and the fix-it and carry-on approach (given I've been lucky not to fork out for a clutch already in 16 years).

What's the shell like? Are you getting electrical problems?

 

If those answers are "good" and "no", then it's a fair bit of wedge, but the car looks like it can do another 7 years for maybe £100 a year. I wouldn't do an SMF conversion unless I had a tuned 130, which you clearly don't. Of course, my Octy is only a year newer than yours and would rate it a better drive than an Octy 2, Astra or Peugeot, all of which I've driven over the same roads.

19 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

What's the shell like? Are you getting electrical problems?

 

If those answers are "good" and "no", then it's a fair bit of wedge, but the car looks like it can do another 7 years for maybe £100 a year. I wouldn't do an SMF conversion unless I had a tuned 130, which you clearly don't. Of course, my Octy is only a year newer than yours and would rate it a better drive than an Octy 2, Astra or Peugeot, all of which I've driven over the same roads.

Shell is good apart from minor scuffs and it passed Mot January with minor niggles. One window is erratic so probably needs a relay but it doesn't bother me. Otherwise electricals and aircon all fine.

What type of car can you get for £700? It's inevitable you'll be buying one with problems for that price, I imagine, so I'd be spending it on the car I know inside out. Purely my opinion though, and it all depends in your own circumstances 

Thanks Saints, but I failed to say I can raise more than £700 by various means. But it's still a stretch before you get to probably-reliable, low mileage ok vehicles. I'm interested to know if clutch conv from dual to solid really do work and inviting realistic reminders on whether fixing aged workhorse is perhaps sentimental.

I'm saying that it looks like your Octy will do another several years for a fairly minimal expenditure per year (although it's all in one lump), and I've yet to drive anything newer that is actually a nicer place to spend several hours driving (BTW I did Dumbarton - Heathrow in a day at Easter 2015 in mine and wasn't tired at trip end).

I think you're right Ken, for all the reasons I bought it and stuck with it for 300,000.  You seem to know about the SMF conversion stuff.  I'm guessing - is it unsuitable for punchy diesel because of the torque load?  Just wondering.

My POV would be to fix it, maybe put out a request for some members local to you to come and help do it for you? Just supply tea and bacon butties  we used to do that a lot a few years ago with the Sierra Owners Club.

 

The risk of forking out on another car is that you could end up having to shell out for major repairs in the short term, especially if the history is incomplete, where as at the moment you have a car that you know inside out, but needs a pricey repair.

 

As for SMF conversions, personally (and professionally) NO! It's a big risk, stick with what the manufacturer intended. Use one of the discount codes that ECP regularly throw up (currently 56% off) and you could save a huge chunk of cash that way (avoid ebay though!!!!) just pay the labour.

 

Anyway, the LuK part numbers you need are 417 001 911 (Clutch and DMF as a module) & 500 044 010 (release bearing) - take those to your local factor, and see what they can do. As an example http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=3636750 (isn't there a deal with them through the forum too??)

 

As @octyal says above, with the note that even at 300k miles your DMF may well still be fine; if anything the fact that you've done that mileage on one friction plate increases the chances that the DMF hasn't been overheated (and speaks volumes for how well you drive).

 

Is the clutch actually rattling or just slipping and/or getting heavy? If not then I would recommend getting the box off and checking the flywheel properly before buying a new one.

Just slipping. Driveable but not pulling as well as revs climb. More noticeable on hills. Thanks for your advice folks. Sounds right to me.

The valeo SMF kit is popular option with 1.9 owners on the mk2 forum, and there a guy called Mike who swears by the valeo kits.

8 hours ago, wiilydog said:

The valeo SMF kit is popular option with 1.9 owners on the mk2 forum, and there a guy called Mike who swears by the valeo kits.

 

 

Risky with the mileage in my opinion - may end up upsetting something with the lack of damping.

I wouldn't hesitate to fix this one - i absolutely batter my '03 (towing and offroading) and got the clutch converted at approx. 100k, that conversion has lasted 90k miles, but remember i put it through it's paces, so with your kind of life which got 300k from the first clutch, i'm feeling optimistic you can get a good life from a second!! Buying a second hand car is a more expensive risk i reckon...

I'd definitely be fixing it, if the body and rest were good. My '99, 1.9tdi, 90bhp, has 297k miles on it, I bought it 8 yrs ago for £750 and I'm putting a clutch into mine very shortly. 

It has never never never let me down.. not once. And it's still doing 60mpg on a decent long run!!! 

Just to give some late feedback - thanks folks for advice.  I chose to replace the clutch. And because the main cost is labour, put in  a proper dual-mass job.  And I'm so pleased I did.  Since then I've done some long trips and as you all know, it both eats the miles and I just love it on the B roads too.  By the way, I found a small tip for battery replacement in key.  I did replace it, and it never seemed to work, or stopped quickly, so I assumed circuit broken or something.  I tried one more time, and this time used a screwdriver to gently 'part' the two sides of each squeezed together (bent) battery contact prong.  Seems that must make some sort of difference as the key remote now works fine. I'll post that in some key thread.