Different car - same clutch issue - drivers fault?

MrBrindle

I posted a few years ago about our Huyndai IX35, and the problems we experienced after a year and a half of ownership  - clutch biting close to the floor and struggling to put into reverse, 1st and 2nd gears. Anyway we replaced the clutch, but then encountered quite a few more issue, so decided to cut our losses and part ex it in. It had done around 80k by that time. Still regret the decision a bit.

We have now owned it's replacement, a Peugeot 308sw, for nearly two years, and lo and behold we're experiencing exactly the same clutch issues. Bite has gone to like an inch or less off the floor, reverse and 1st gears are a struggle, and the rest are getting worse.

Now, I have long questioned my partners' driving habits, because we've had quite a few repair jobs on this car, and the previous one. Some of the things she does regularly;

Revvs the car to hell and back when pulling out. We live a mile from a dual carriage way, so use it often - she's quite overzealous when it comes to revving.

Hammers gears into position!

Drives in low gears needlessly. She often drives a 10mile stretch of dual-carriage in gear 4, when the car has 6. Tends to sit on gear 2 while going around town etc. Drives B road in 3rd gear when they could easily take 5.

Rides the clutch a lot, including riding it (resting your foot on it) while driving - I think this is probably quite bad on the clutch, or so I was told.

Think thats it! Ha. Would all those factors contribute to a clutch failing (again)? I just think it's too much of a coincidence that we're having the exact same issue on two separate cars! I probably point out the things she does wrong too much, and she's got fed up of me 'telling her how to drive'. Maybe it is just all of a coincidence. Thoughts?

angrycrow

Definitely sounds like poor driver behaviour killing the clutch. Your options depend on how much you like your wife. 

Option 1 sack the wife, could be very expensive and not an option if you like her.

Option 2 buy an automatic.

Option 3 Buy her a small run around, never drive it yourself and then she will have to accept it is her bad habits that are killing the clutches.

It is always hard to point out your other half's poor driving habits, although my wife seems happy to do so whenever I drive her car enthusiastically. 

Jenni_D

MrBrindle said:

I posted a few years ago about our Huyndai IX35, and the problems we experienced after a year and a half of ownership  - clutch biting close to the floor and struggling to put into reverse, 1st and 2nd gears. Anyway we replaced the clutch, but then encountered quite a few more issue, so decided to cut our losses and part ex it in. It had done around 80k by that time. Still regret the decision a bit.

We have now owned it's replacement, a Peugeot 308sw, for nearly two years, and lo and behold we're experiencing exactly the same clutch issues. Bite has gone to like an inch or less off the floor, reverse and 1st gears are a struggle, and the rest are getting worse.

Now, I have long questioned my partners' driving habits, because we've had quite a few repair jobs on this car, and the previous one. Some of the things she does regularly;

Revvs the car to hell and back when pulling out. We live a mile from a dual carriage way, so use it often - she's quite overzealous when it comes to revving.

Hammers gears into position!

Drives in low gears needlessly. She often drives a 10mile stretch of dual-carriage in gear 4, when the car has 6. Tends to sit on gear 2 while going around town etc. Drives B road in 3rd gear when they could easily take 5.

Rides the clutch a lot, including riding it (resting your foot on it) while driving - I think this is probably quite bad on the clutch, or so I was told.

Think thats it! Ha. Would all those factors contribute to a clutch failing (again)? I just think it's too much of a coincidence that we're having the exact same issue on two separate cars! I probably point out the things she does wrong too much, and she's got fed up of me 'telling her how to drive'. Maybe it is just all of a coincidence. Thoughts?

That'll kill a clutch quite quickly, and probably leads to the revving issue too as the clutch will be slipping.

ssparks2003

Good luck in explaining the problem to the little lady. I once tried to explain to my wife why the insurance for her tatty little run around was higher than the insurance for my large new shiny 4x4 was because I don't drive like I'm in the Paris-dakar rally. Very quite couple of weeks followed 

The_Fat_Controller

Using the clutch as a footrest and excessive revving on starts will certainly kill it.

Time for an automatic and a left leg amputation so she doesn't get into the habit of left foot braking !

molerat

Got rid of my previous car with 85K of mainly town driving and the original clutch so, yes, it is down to poor driving.  I bet she sits at traffic lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the clutch as well.

AdrianC

MrBrindle said:

Now, I have long questioned my partners' driving habits, because we've had quite a few repair jobs on this car, and the previous one. Some of the things she does regularly;

Revvs the car to hell and back when pulling out. We live a mile from a dual carriage way, so use it often - she's quite overzealous when it comes to revving.

Yes, that'll increase clutch wear. Increased revs means increased slipping means increased wear.

Can I ask how old she is...? This is classic "granny parking" behaviour, and I suspect it's not unrelated to hearing loss. Yes, there's a rev counter, but...

Hammers gears into position!

That won't, but will shorten the gearbox's life.

Drives in low gears needlessly. She often drives a 10mile stretch of dual-carriage in gear 4, when the car has 6. Tends to sit on gear 2 while going around town etc. Drives B road in 3rd gear when they could easily take 5.

Increased fuel use, but not much else. Again, hearing?

Rides the clutch a lot, including riding it (resting your foot on it) while driving - I think this is probably quite bad on the clutch, or so I was told.

It keeps the clutch release bearing in contact with the pressure plate, increasing wear. But it won't wear the friction material unless she's pressing hard enough for the clutch to slip.

Think thats it! Ha. Would all those factors contribute to a clutch failing (again)? I just think it's too much of a coincidence that we're having the exact same issue on two separate cars! I probably point out the things she does wrong too much, and she's got fed up of me 'telling her how to drive'. Maybe it is just all of a coincidence. Thoughts?

I think getting an automatic next will be cheaper than a divorce.

Manxman_in_exile

ssparks2003 said:

Good luck in explaining the problem to the little lady. I once tried to explain to my wife .... Very quite couple of weeks followed 

You must have been very tempted to explain it again...  

MrBrindle

Thanks all, confirmed my suspicions then.

I have spoken to two mechanics, including the guy who replaced the clutch on the old car.

Both said it's highly likely down to driving style/habits, because the mileage isn't/wasn't THAT high on both cars. My 207sw has done 150,000k miles now and clutch still seems reasonable (touch wood).

Anyway, had a brief chat with her earlier because I am concerned about paying a small fortune for a clutch replacement, and having to do it again in a few years time. But she's turned it on me and said she actually wanted an automatic Outlander PHEV two years ago and I said no because I'm not sold on electric cars! Typical! Ahh, so it was my fault all along.  She doesn't take criticism very well btw.

Regarding the 'granny parking' suggestion, she's only 34 so I doubt her hearing's going! She does a lot of short journey driving - schools runs, up to see her mum....lots of back and forth, and I suspect she's become a bit lazy.

Steve182

Ditch the manual gearbox, not your OH!

My wife and I both drive automatics, to be fair they're both quite new and powerful cars with 7+ gears. 

Neither of us will ever buy a manual car again*, and that's not because we struggle with them. 


*Excluding possible Caterham R500 or similar if I can ever afford or justify one.  

AdrianC

MrBrindle said:

But she's turned it on me and said she actually wanted an automatic Outlander PHEV two years ago and I said no because I'm not sold on electric cars! Typical!

An Outlander PHEV isn't an electric car... It's a plug-in hybrid. Yes, it'll drive electrically... but only up to a relatively low speed and for a relatively short distance. If it's been plugged in. Otherwise, it's just a much heavier petrol automatic.

She does a lot of short journey driving - schools runs, up to see her mum....lots of back and forth, and I suspect she's become a bit lazy.

Would she ever plug it in...?