Clutch Life Expectancy

[Chris SRi]

I know it depends more or less 100% on how its been driven, but I overtook a car earlier and from 4th to 5th at around 5000rpm it took a second or so for the revs to drop. Should it not be pretty much instantaneous as soon as the clutch is out?

Car is a 2008, 1.8VVT. Only got 40,000 miles and I got it when it was on 26,000.

I think I know the answer that the clutch is starting to go, but wondered if there was anything that limits the power to the gearbox at high revs when changing gear?

I can honestly say that the clutches on my cars have the easiest life ever as, (without being big headed) I have very good clutch / accelerator control and never need to set off at revs higher than around 1300rpm, even on hill starts etc.

[DTi Elite]

could be due to the fact the car was hanging onto the revs during a gear change & literally forced the clutch to slip , if this is the only time it has done it then i wouldn't worry .

[alcutler]

I would think a modern clutch should last the life of the car if driven with consideration and you are not unfortunate enough to have a mechanical component breakdown causing it to fail

[Das]

The old fashioned to test the clutch used to be to start the car, stick it in 4th and lift the clutch. If the car stalls right away the clutch is fine, if it slips, you will know about it and the car will keep running. More likely to have been the rubbish fly by wire throttle than the clutch imo.

[sriandy]

You could have an oil leak causing the slip?

[Chris SRi]

Cheers, I''ll just see how it goes.