To think clutch should last more than two years

[Lennon80]

Been a driver for 20years two years ago my Volvo needed a new clutch - ended up having work done in the main dealership (only place that had the part needed) to the tune of 4K. Recent mot advisory was new clutch - I’ve only had it two years. Feel like I’ve been scammed?

It also depends where you live. If your commute is on a windy road eg in the Highlands of Scotland or bits of for exampe the Lake District, you will get through clutches more quickly

I didn't know a clutch was even in an mot ?

Presumably it must be pretty bad to be showing up as a problem?

Do you rest your foot on the clutch pedal all the time?

That's easily done at a main dealer. The cost isn't so much the clutch itself but the hours required to remove and replace it. Modern engine bays are often very cramped and it takes ages to do anything.

Halfords charged me 700 quid for mine. Think I'm glad I went there. I'd cry at a 4K bill for one.

What do you do for a living. I’ve told you what I do but you know better obviously.

I don’t wear heels - I’m in my 40s with a bunion

I’ve done about 6k miles since the new clutch

it was picked up during a service and MOT

been driving same way for years never needed to replace a clutch before

Clutch isn't checked on an MOT and won't be on any advisory there, they may have picked it up during servicing, but it won't be on any of the MOT paperwork.

You haven't told me what you do for a living, just that you work at your husbands mechanics business.

You could be a cleaner there for all I know.

I’ve been driving for over 50 years. I can’t remember how many cars I’ve had in that time but I’ve driven them for at least 110-120k miles each all over the UK and rural Ireland. Motorways, country roads, Scottish highlands, English Lake District and I’ve never in all that time had to replace a clutch in any car 🤷‍♀️

30k and replacing a clutch isn’t normal in any car I’ve ever owned. 6k is insane OP- go and get a second opinion.

Go and get a second opinion somewhere else. The only way to check a clutch is to drive it as far as I know. They might be trying it on.

Hang on a sec...the clutch isn't an MOT-testable item, is it?

Have you actually noticed any of the signs of a clutch that needs replacing? I mean...difficulty changing gear, slipping (eg poor acceleration in some or all gears compared to normal, but the revs increasing normally), etc?

Or maybe you get odd noises when using the clutch, or a burning smell? That could be the release bearing - and a bad bearing could actually lead to burning out the clutch prematurely, certainly within a few thousand miles.

Maybe the tester noticed it driving onto or off the ramp or rolling road ?

You can do a clutch in half an hour if you try hard enough. You don’t say how many miles you’ve done it that two years but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility if you’ve got in the habit of resting your foot on the clutch or something without realising it. Hard to believe it was a dealer only part on a mainstream car though.

If you only ever drive anywhere in second gear, you can do it in 20 minutes.

My little old sports car is on 100k now, i also do around 12 heavy track days a year in it on the standard 17 year old clutch. No signs of it giving up yet (i want it to, so i can upgrade without feeling like i'm wasting a working part!)

i dont see how they know from a service and MOT? unless they have mentioned it in passing as the biting point seems off? (probably touting for business...)

Yeah, that's kind of what I was getting at - if there's no obvious sign that the clutch is on its way out, there's no good reason to trust the diagnosis.

Hell, it's entirely possible that they just looked at the mileage and thought "We might be able to get away with telling her the clutch needs replacing".

I’ve not noticed any problems really until it was said and now bite isn’t that strong but still accelerates fine and no issue changing gear.

In that case, I'd be asking them exactly what makes them believe the clutch needs replacing. Get them to justify their assertion.