Forester 2000 - needs clutch

[Steve]

A friends clutch on a 2000 Forester worn out at 48,000 miles and cost $1,200
to fix. Is this normal?

- Steve

 

[Julian Serles]

Normal? What's that?

There are way too many factors to determine anything about the life of the
clutch in your friend's 2K Forester. Was it his first manual? Did he abuse
it? Lots of hilly starts? Just a bad manual transmission driver?

If by "normal" you mean "common," then no, it is not.

 

[Steve]

Yeah, I don't know the details, but could a normal clutch replacement really
cost $1,200? I'm use to getting at least 100,000 miles on a clutch and
paying well under $500 to get it replaced.

- Steve

 

[Jim Stewart]

Well, I do all my own maintenance on my Impreza RS, and the clutch is probably
the only thing I'd have someone else do. The work involved is much more than a
FWD car, and more than a RWD car. I haven't priced nor heard of other's costs
for a Sube clutch, but if this was a dealer visit and all new parts were used,
it is conceivable that it could cost over $1000.

I'm curious, does the engine have to
come out to change the clutch?

 

[Julian Serles]

Well, I do all my own maintenance on my Impreza RS, and the clutch is probably
the only thing I'd have someone else do. The work involved is much more than a
FWD car, and more than a RWD car. I haven't priced nor heard of other's costs
for a Sube clutch, but if this was a dealer visit and all new parts were used,
it is conceivable that it could cost over $1000.

Heck, I tried to get a voltage regulator for a '95 Nissan 240SX alternator, and
they wanted over $300 just for that small electrical part.

Julian

 

[Jim Stewart]

No. You do have to remove the front driveshafts and tilt the motor so the tranny can
slip free. But the weight of the tranny is more than your average RWD tranny, due to
the center diff. Lots of stuff to unbolt, as well. You'd almost need a lift to do
the job. Again, I probably won't be doing it myself when the time comes. That, and
alignments, are the two things I won't have done myself on the Subaru.

Sounds like a bear. Thanks for the info.

 

[Julian Serles]

No. You do have to remove the front driveshafts and tilt the motor so the tranny can
slip free. But the weight of the tranny is more than your average RWD tranny, due to
the center diff. Lots of stuff to unbolt, as well. You'd almost need a lift to do
the job. Again, I probably won't be doing it myself when the time comes. That, and
alignments, are the two things I won't have done myself on the Subaru.