i went to get a price on installing my clutch, and I was a bit shocked. First off let me say this is not a regular tranny shop, this is a serious performance shop. The best there is around here. The dude told me everything they do includeing something i can't remember about how they surface the flywheel. The shock came when he told me it was $70 an hour and would take 7.8 hours. Thats $546! Now I have never had a clutch installed in a Max, so is this what it costs or is this ungodly high like I think it is. They promised me it would be perfect and gave me a 1 year warrenty on the clutch and labor even though I did not buy the clutch from him. Opinions?

 

Well when I did it, it came to $360 and $50 to resurface the flywheel...$546 is a bit high...look around and call some places...after I got it put in, I found a place that would have done it for $150 go firgure

-Matt

 

I wouldn't pay $546 for a clutch job.

-But I also wouldn't pay $150. (Sometimes you get what you pay for).

As far as a guarantee goes - any reputable shop will guarantee their work. You shouldn't even play ball with a shop that won't offer that bare-minimum of service. That's not a huge distinction for your performance shop to claim. I'd shop around if I were you.

 

well hey we all know the economy is tough right now so this guy might be persuaded to lower his price a touch (especially cause this is the same shop that is about to get $4000 of my money for a turbo) What do you guys think would be a good counter offer? I am thinking of telling him I will give him $400 and hope to settle at $450.,

 

I paid $250 labor, plus $50 for resurfacing the flywheel.

 

I just got my cklutch replaced by dealer. It cost my $756. I wish i knew of a cheaped place here in Atlanta.

 

Call around in your area, get some competitive quotes, bring them to the performance shop. That way, you're negotiating from a position of knowledge, instead of just picking random numbers.

Express to them that you have the highest respect for the quality of work they do, and for that reason, you'd like to have them do not only the performance work on your car, but also larger more routine jobs like the clutch replacement). You'd like to see them get a bit closer however, to some of the quotes you got from their competitors. (A clutch job isn't a turbo install - plenty of quality shops do excellent clutch work all day long without the "performance shop" $premium$).

Remind them that you're planning on plunking down a substantial chunk of change for the turbo install in a couple months, and you'd consider it a good gesture toward ensuring your loyalty as a customer if they'd work with you on the pricing for the clutch work.

Biggest hurdle: Performance shop EGO. "Our work is the best, so you WILL pay for it." (Hey, maybe they are all that, but if you have to, politely remind them that while you'd like to give them your business, there are plenty of others that will happily take your money. The smart businessman will see this as a win-win opportunity.

 

Clutch is not something that special. Its just like oil change, meaning lots of place does it. $300 is about the right price. And resurfacing the flywheel with a clutch job is the norm. Its like shops resurfacing rotors during a brake job. That "performance" shop should not try to highlight the flywheel resurfacing as something mega special. Thats like jiffy lube saying "hey guess what we change the oil AND THE filter too !"

 

no he was saying that he resurfaced it some other way than on a lathe. I can't remember what the procedure was called though.

 

did you have them replace it with a stock clutch?
also, does that price include the clutch?

 

my shop is doing a clutch install on a maxima we are turboing right now... 350$ total labor... and we are all that

side note: I had my clutch replaced once for 500$ parts(stock clutch) and labor, done deal w/ flywheel resurfaced by a VERY reputable shop in louisville, so 546$ just labor, no way... only one who should be able to get away with charging that much is the dealers...

 

What about doing it yourself? I haven't done it on mine yet, but have on many other front and rear wheel drive. It's never been hard. Has anyone here done it? Was it hard?

 

Yea i got it replaced with a stock one. Parts and labor cost $756
Do toy thoink it would be cheaper to get an after market one?
Do nost shops put in after market clutches?