How likely am I to break down on the way home?

ryecatcher_2

My car has been juddering slightly and changing gears feels like the gearbox is stiff for the last few days. I was heavily in denial so blamed wearing ballet flats/poor driving but this morning I can hear rattling sounds and changing gear is definately more difficult that it should be.

Anyway, my father is a mechanic but unfortunately he lives 150 miles away. Over the phone he said "I'm 99% sure you need a new clutch" and a quick call round garages prices that job at £350. Crap.

He has a plan to travel and fix the car tomorrow night (I won't bore you with the details) but anyway, how likely am I to be able to drive 30 mins home from work without breaking down at the side of the road? I live in a city, there will be loads of stop/starts and I can't really leave work early or leave late.

It is parked at the side of the road (legally) at the moment so am I safer leaving it and catching a bus home (or at least a 15 minute walk from home) or should I risk it for a biscuit?

WTFH

Drive it home, but don't ride the clutch. i.e. at traffic lights put the car in neutral and take your foot off the clutch.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Yes i too would take the risk of driving it very carefully home but no further, mainly so its there and already cooled down so Dad can get straight to work on it.

Good old Dad...don't forget to keep him plied in mugs of tea bikkies and bacon sandwiches whilst he's doing the business.

ryecatcher_2

Thanks for the advice - I'm gonna risk it and cross fingers as I drive. Dad will be fully fueled with M&S biscuits (his weakness) and I'll get him some nice plonk to say thanks too.

scheming_gypsy

We had a clutch cable snap when 90 miles away. Had to turn the ignition off at lights, put it in first or second and bump start it when turning the ignition on.. then get it into gear without the clutch... so it's possible to get home if needed without one.
It wasn't ideal but when you're in a vehicle transporter with a car on the back, it's not as easy to call out recovery.

colino

Sorry to disagree, but if it is the clutch and you have a lot of stop start driving to do, if it doesn't finish it off, the thing will need a lot of time to cool down to give your poor dad a chance to diagnose and fix. If it is only a 15 minute walk away, why not take him there and let him do the diagnostic by driving it back?

WTFH

colino wrote: »

Sorry to disagree, but if it is the clutch and you have a lot of stop start driving to do, if it doesn't finish it off, the thing will need a lot of time to cool down to give your poor dad a chance to diagnose and fix. If it is only a 15 minute walk away, why not take him there and let him do the diagnostic by driving it back?

Well, he's not coming until tomorrow (which should be time enough for it to cool), and if he decides to drive it back to check, then it's going to need more time to cool, surely?

tiger_eyes

colino wrote: »

If it is only a 15 minute walk away, why not take him there and let him do the diagnostic by driving it back?

I think the OP lives a 30-minute drive from home and it's the bus that would bring her within 15 minutes' walk of home?

ryecatcher wrote: »

... how likely am I to be able to drive 30 mins home from work ... am I safer leaving it and catching a bus home (or at least a 15 minute walk from home) or should I risk it for a biscuit?

ryecatcher_2

Yep, the bus would drop me off 15 mins walk away from home. Dad won't be looking at the car until tomorrow night so it will have long cooled by then! I'm not planning on driving it any further than home - I just think it would be easier for him to look at outside my house, rather than near my workplace which is closed on the weekend.

He'd probably be happy to drive it on the M4 back to his house as he'd likely be able to fix it even if it crapped out on the way. I have no such skills sadly.

westwood68

Can you wait a bit later to go home till the traffic subsides? You'll be less likely to be stuck in stop-start cues which will just aggravate the issue.

When coming up to lights that are at red, slow down and crawl in 1st if you have to till they change. Yes it might upset some people but a stationary broken down car would be even more of an inconvenient for the traffic.

As above, with care you can drive without using the clutch but it takes a bit of mechanical knowledge and some aren't comfortable with it. At the very least you can change up gears without the clutch and that is very easy. Both feet off the pedals and smoothly move the gear lever to the right position and it will slot in when the engine drops to the correct speed.

westwood68

*duplicate post removed*