'94 SL2 clutch replacement cost?

Is $700 reasonable for clutch replacement?

My kid took her '94 SL2 (83K miles) to the local shop her mother has gone to
(and trusted) for 10+ years.
The car has had problems with very stiff shifting (literally moving the
shifter, especially in cold weather).
I drove the car a few days ago for the first time in many months and the
bigger problem, I think, is
the fact that there is nearly 3 inches of freeplay at the top of the clutch
pedal and it has to be held ALL THE WAY
TO THE FLOOR to fully disengage. Anyway, the manager explained in a
reasonable way that there is a small leak
in the right axle seal that let tranny fluid out.( I always thought the
tranny is on the left side. Dunno. Maybe I'm stupid).
They put in a pint+ of fluid and the stiff shifting is gone but they say the
other problem is the need of a new clutch
and all that goes with it.


To make that long story short, is $700 reasonable to replace the clutch.

Rick

 

Since the Saturn dealerships in Southern California I've visited want
$900-$1000 for changing the clutch on my '93 SL2 (140,000 miles), I'd say
it was a good deal if they do it right. Others here have posted about a
flywheel compatibility issue for this car in the past, so you should do a
search on Google Groups. Previously I had an issue with my clutch where I
had to slam it to the floor in order to shift, but replacing the clutch
master cylinder fixed it. By the way, my clutch works fine almost a year
after Saturn recommended I replace it (because of the "freeplay" you
mentioned), and I expect several more years out of it.

 

Thanks for your advice.
I searched Google Groups and found others that fixed it with a new
master/slave cylinder.
I'll look into this option.

Rick

 

I thought my clutch was blown too (110K miles). Dealer said it osunded more
like air in the hydraulic line. They blead it and replaced some piston in
the master cylinder. About $90 as I recall. Sysmtoms were difficult
shifting and a lot of gear grinding which I thought was me mis-shifting most
of the time. It did it too the service manager when he test drove it and he
immediately claimed the air-in-the-line scenario other than the clutch
replacement.

BP~

 

My 97 was getting tough to shift also, turned out to be a slave cylinder -
closer to $200 to replace at the dealer...

 

Last time i checked my car, 01 SC1, the clutch is a closed system, meaning
you can not bled it, this is just what i've been told, and seen. Also i have
a S-10 truck where the clutch had some play in it, that was due to a bad
slave cylinder.

 

I paid about $800 at AAMCO to replace the clutch and "service" the flywheel
& hydraulics on a 95 SL1.