Xantia clutch

[Xantia97]

So I am being ripped off out here And the moral is - don't bring a French car to France
Still no closer to getting this fixed, the garages over here either quote the same as Citroen of go a whiter shade of pale when the word Citroen and 1997 is mentioned. I have one more to try - wish me luck!!

Flying Clutchman - you mentioned the cost depended on distance, I suppose France is a little too far


Thanks,
Juliet

[Stickyfinger]

Ripped off or paying what is needed for the Garage to pay its ridiculous French Gov/Local taxes and charges ?

[Xantia97]

Same thing really?? Enterprise is not rewarded in France.
I was told this morning that French run garages put a 100% mark-up on all parts, a well known fact apparently. The Citroen garage quoted me 411.85 euros for the clutch kit, I can get it from Mister Auto for 134.00 Euros, that's the most expensive, a Valeo is cheaper. Citroen garage even want to charge me 37.74 euros to check the car after they have done the job.

I also heard that the French Red Cross are being fined millions for exceeding the statutory working week overtime allowance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hell Razor5543]

Bureaucracy. Hate it or loathe it, you have to spit on it!

[flying clutchman]

british main dealers are pretty much the same. I remember a peugeot parts man a few years ago telling me they had a special promotion on 405 clutches, £105. He didn't comment when I said I got them for £45 . Last time I used a french garage was in 1977 when they charged me £6 for a 5 mile tow and £5 labour to fit a driveshaft and wheel bearing to my GS. The parts however were about £75. Multiply all figures by 7 to allow for inflation

[Stickyfinger]

ABOUT FACE

Quoted today, £136 +Vat for an £18 boot drive shaft boot......times are a changing |:)

[chinkostu]

Thats steep, the 206 inner boot cost me £70ish at a local specialist and the 206 setup is a pig to work on!!

[Stickyfinger]

Main Stealer price... £75 from my Indi....£18 for the boot and a grease pack + clips if DIY...that's the easy side

[Xantia97]

So I've found a garage that will replace the clutch at a reasonable hourly rate (have done a TD before and have been recommended to me) and I can supply the parts.

I read on a post dated 2007 (started by Citrojim) that the best bet is a Valeo clutch and they supply a free tool to help fitting - is the free tool still supplied?

Any other advice and suggestions about parts that should be changed at the same time gratefully received. If she's going to be in pieces might as well make the most of it
On my list so far, clutch kit, cable, clip.

Thanks,
Juliet

[flying clutchman]

I personally wouldn't bother with the cable and clip. When the clutch is changed other than unhooking it from the clutch arm the cable is not involved. In other words the labour is completely extra, and more to the point a completely seperate job. The plastic alignment tool is not really neccessary to an experienced mechanic so I shouldn't worry about that. Valeo is the best choice cos they make the original ones for citroen. The job is quite straightforward and has only one difficult point. The clutch arm is held on with a metal pin which has to be pulled out when taking the box out. After many years they are often seized in and can be a pain to get out. They should be able to do it in about 4 hours or so.

[elma]

I'm planning a clutch change on one of my Xantia shortly. I have decided to replace the clutch fork bushes as well as the diff seals at the same time. Both parts are cheap and seem worth doing if the gearbox is off. I think there may be another bush worth doing as well, its escaped my memory for now if there is.
A Valeo kit is what I'm aiming for too, I'd accept an luk set if the price was a lot better.

[Xantia97]

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated.

I can get the Valeo for my car for 100.86 euros (£73.46) and a Luk for 131.02 euros (£95.43) at todays exchange rate from Mister-Auto here in France, they are more expensive on the same site in the UK especially the Valeo. At last a perk for living in France

Juliet

[Hell Razor5543]

So get the bits in France and then take a holiday in the UK!

[Xantia97]

Hi James,
I'm aiming to get the clutch done over here and then go and see Malcolm for anything else later and hopefully he can check the car thoroughly for everything the French garages have missed. At least that's the plan at the moment!!
Juliet

[Xantia97]

Hi All,
Just want to check the extra bits and pieces I plan to get are correct - well I am a female of the species

Are the clutch fork bushes the same thing as the cross shaft bushes - part numbers 2175 21 and 2175 20?

I take it the diff seals are the same as the gearbox seals - part numbers 3121 44 and 3121 46?

Is the input shaft guide/seal the same as the clutch buffer guide bush - part number 2105 35?

Obviously Total gear oil 75/80 BV - to make sure that is what is used!!

Anything else?

Thanks,
Juliet