hilarious price differences for clutch kits

RogDog · Post by **RogDog** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:26 am

clutch kit for L series,

Every place I rang they had none in stock and may take up to three days to get one. I rang Exedy, who makes the clutch, and asked if I could buy directly, they said no, but I could ring a couple of more specialized places and they could get me one later today. its definitely worth shopping around and investigating.

Repco $478 not sure of brand
Bursons $400 not sure of brand
Autobarn $339 exedy
Supercheap $319 exedy
ABC Brake & Clutch $235 exedy

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:58 am

If you just need to renew a worn clutch and want to save money you can get just a new clutch disc (roughly 80 bucks) and have the pressure plate face machined (roughly 30 bucks). Good ideal to have the flywheel machined too. Get this work done at a brake&clutch place.

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:39 am

AndrewT wrote:If you just need to renew a worn clutch and want to save money you can get just a new clutch disc (roughly 80 bucks) and have the pressure plate face machined (roughly 30 bucks). Good ideal to have the flywheel machined too. Get this work done at a brake&clutch place.

Depends if the pressure plate is in good condition (that fingers are not showing wear and if the plate is not hardened from the years of heat etc), plus clutch kit comes with bearings etc.. I've always replaced to new clutch kits, don't even bother just installing new disc as i'd rather install new pressure plate & disc..
Cheers
AP

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:44 am

maybe best call Brake and Clutch stores i'm sure they'll be able to sell you one over the counter. I bought one for my liberty about 4 months ago for 265bucks i think?, it was a brake and clutch shop in Sunshine.
Cheers
AP

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:14 pm

Yes a new clutch it is of course the better option. But it's worth knowing cheaper alternatives when the cost of a clutch kit is a large percentage of what an entire L series is worth these days

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:34 pm

did a similar exercise with an Outback, some after market prices a blody joke. Genuine came in half the dearest price. get that !l

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:42 am

LOL @ Repco prices. They used to be fairly competitive, but if a part isn't in stock, don't even bother asking. Here's an example for brake pads - Bendix General CT for rear of Liberty DB1186 (yesterday):
Repco: $158 to order in
SuperChump: $90 to order in
Mikes: $75 and in stock.

Guess where I went?

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:55 pm

Wouldnt dream visiting repco!
Cheers
AP

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:45 pm

I heard REPCO stands for Rip Every Poor C*** Off

Disclaimer: This is from hear say and not the the opinion of the poster

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:03 pm

When you buy on price you get what you pay for . If cheap and nasty is a priority go for it .

A .

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:26 pm

discopotato03 wrote:When you buy on price you get what you pay for . If cheap and nasty is a priority go for it .

A .

If you know the price you have the right to fight for it - dont be scared - always worth it.
Cheers
AP

Point · Post by **Point** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:15 pm

I had a similar experience with exhaust gaskets

Repco $28ea
Genuine Subaru $15ea

therefore genuine = cheap and nasty?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:50 pm

SUBYDAZZ wrote: Mikes: $75 and in stock.

Yeah Mikes Auto P... aint bad.....

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 3:51 am

cheap does not always mean shit..., I all was shop around but ask for the brand name.
e.g for water pump
repco: $145
Veale: $132.50
Autopro: $115
A auto repair shop i know got mine for $88.... Yep, having friends helps

L series rack ends
Repco $52 each
Auto one $72 each
Veale $35 each
From my mates shop $40 for both sides :P

No bulls on thoses prices, its incredible the price difference..., I don't bother calling those auto shop anymore, its a total rip off
My advice is to be friends with a auto repair "mechanic" shop as they get parts at trade price or cheaper!!!!!

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 3:28 pm

guyph_01 wrote:cheap does not always mean shit..., I all was shop around but ask for the brand name.
e.g for water pump
repco: $145
Veale: $132.50
Autopro: $115
A auto repair shop i know got mine for $88.... Yep, having friends helps

L series rack ends
Repco $52 each
Auto one $72 each
Veale $35 each
From my mates shop $40 for both sides :P

No bulls on thoses prices, its incredible the price difference..., I don't bother calling those auto shop anymore, its a total rip off
My advice is to be friends with a auto repair "mechanic" shop as they get parts at trade price or cheaper!!!!!

I agree..
Cheap doesnt mean its shit, sometimes its actually a good brand or better brand that havent heard of etc...
Like.. Velco clutch that I havent heard of but they're good..
Cheers
AP

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 8:53 pm

I wouldn't buy an off the shelf clutch kit for my cars given a choice .
I don't have an hour to type out the whys and wherefores of what you get in off someones shelf clutches . There is a quite a range of friction materials and even OEM ones use different suppliers .
My guess is that many Subaru and Nissan clutches are of Daikin manufacture or as their clutch division is known as - Exedy .

People have found out the hard way that "heavy duty clutches" often aren't any better and sometimes not as good as the std OEM one .

If you talk to people who really know clutches they'll tell you that bulk suppliers build clutches down to a price not up to a standard . Why ? Because people buy on price not performance - by that I mean how it performs not as in high performance type .

Your cars you calls , my clutches were both built to a purpose and the EA82T one doesn't feel any different to drive than the one it replaced . It can handle more torque and I have the satisfaction of knowing that it was hand built not spat along with thousands of others out of an uncaring machine .

Just think about this for a sec , Jim Berry told me that the pressure plate cover is stamped on large presses and quality control isn't real good . The difference is the overall dimensions which directly affects the diaphragms spring load on the disc facings . You can't tell bean counters that a several mm makes a difference but if you come from an engineering trade background that's not acceptable . With the time and or money it takes to R and R a gearbox - particularly a 4WD one - you don't want to do it twice .

When I have clutches changed I ALWAYS have the flywheel refaced and unless the engine is at low K's always replace the engines rear main oil seal . It's not a bad idea to replace the gearboxes front seal as well . More expensive but I use genuine seals in both places if they are obtainable .

I have never had a clutch die from oil contamination and my engines and gearboxes don't leak in the above mentioned places with genuine seals .

Just the way I do things , cheers A .