I had over 300k on what I believe was my first clutch. The P.O. said it was never changed.
It all depends on how you treat your clutch. I drive like a mechanic who doesn’t like to change clutches. I did a lot of coasting instead of downshifting towards stops.
So before I replaced mine, my car got stuck because it wouldn’t go into gear. I’d drop the clutch and the car wouldn’t move. I changed the master and slave cylinder which seemed likely since the clutch wouldn’t disengage. It grabbed well...well enough to stall the car with no signs of slipping.
I wanted to drop the trans but my wife stopped me since I’d recently had surgery to my heart. She said I’d saved enough driving that thing to take it in. The mechanic said I needed a new clutch. I quizzed him and told him I doubted it based on the bite it had before it went in. He reluctantly admitted that the clutch was worn but not dead but I might as well change it since he was in there.
I asked him what was wrong and why it wouldn’t disengage. He squirmishly said I’d worn out my throwout bearing. It had totally collapsed and fallen apart. The mechanic also found the coil clutch springs broken and dancing all around in there. I’d always wondered what the grinding sounds were at intersections.
So if that is any indication, if you know how to shift it, you may just toast the throwout bearing before you wear out the clutch. The engine is so weak it really doesn’t abuse the drivetrain that much. I really wish I’d have dropped my trans myself because it is a very light unit...but at that point I wasnt In shape to do it.
Another example of a professional mechanic overrepairing my car. I don’t blame him, he played it by the book, but I don’t think it needed a clutch, pressure plate machining, etc.
Hope that is any indication of the potential. I regret dumping the car shortly afterwards because the 722.3 tranny in my SD failed a year later and it would have been a great source of parts for a manual conversion. But again wife protested that one too.
