Please help - could it be the clutch?

Sarco, have you considered that in Europe it is easier to use a vehicle with left-hand steering?
 
sarcho said:
A mechanic from a garage that I usually do my MOT checked the car today and told me that the clitch was failing. They are not a garage specialised in A2 (1.4 petrol), just a generic one. The mechanic told me that it's now worthed fixing it (by replacing it) because the price would be as high as £1000.

I need to drive to France in 10 days and this really frightened me. He told me that the clitch can fail at any moment, but I should cross my fingers, get breakdown cover and go.
I never noticed any problems with the clitch. Never thought about having any problems with it. With the engine - yes, there is an oil leak, with the alternator belt and tensioner - yes, but nothing clitch regarded. It's a 2001 Audi A2, just passed 137,000 miles mark. :) could it be another problem, with similar symptoms (I actually don't know what the symptoms are).
What I should look for regarding the failing clitch behaviour?

I'm panicking here, because I'm moving to France for good, and need to transport some of my belonging (and the car) on the 9th of October...
Please help - any advice is appreciated.
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£1000 sounds odd to me. My diesel cost about £270 to replace including the labour. If you're convinced it is the clutch, don't take it to Audi, just use any competent independent garage and ask them for a quote to replace the clutch.
Edited - my mistake, my comment is well out of date as your A2 has severely failed its MOT
 
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sunsurfer said:
£1000 sounds odd to me. My diesel cost about £270 to replace including the labour. If you're convinced it is the clutch, don't take it to Audi, just use any competent independent garage and ask them for a quote to replace the clutch.
Edited - my mistake, my comment is well out of date as your A2 has severely failed its MOT
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Thanks, for the info but I'm past that point. I don't have the time for the repairs, because i' going abroad on the 9th of October. I'm trying to sell the car for parts. Otherwise, it will go to the scrapyard.
 
I would just drive the car to France. If the clutch was really failing you would know. I drove an old Skoda to Paris with a cracked cylinder head years ago. Not a problem especially down to marseille, Just go on the flat roads and I believe the limit on the nationals is now 80kph so bon voyage.
Had a look at your failure sheet. Its nothing to bother about the handbrake probably just needs adjusting and the lights a small clean. The oil leak, some gunge from halfords.
 
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This was my first thought, I've got EU breakdown cover. I actually thought about driving there without an MOT as well and just leave to a garage there to be repaired, But without MOT, if the car broke midway the insurer would refuse the Breakdown. allods I don't have the time for the repairs here, I'm living on the 9th of October. So... a lot of things to consider.
 
Flush the brake fluid and include the clutch slave. Fix the obvious and give the oil leak a good wash off. Then go for a retest. If it then gets you to France you can then consider further repairs there if needed or just drive back when ready.
 
You are entitled to a partial retest within 10 working days on just the failed items. So a bottle of wynns sealant in the engine do the nut behind the handbrake check the connections on the lights and have just those elements retested or dont bother and just set off.
 
PS On the legal front a car being driven for export does not require an mot although it must be roadworthy.
 
Rod davis said:
PS On the legal front a car being driven for export does not require an mot although it must be roadworthy.
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sarcho said:
This was my first thought, I've got EU breakdown cover. I actually thought about driving there without an MOT as well and just leave to a garage there to be repaired, But without MOT, if the car broke midway the insurer would refuse the Breakdown. allods I don't have the time for the repairs here, I'm living on the 9th of October. So... a lot of things to consider.
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Why not purchase a left hand drive car from a garage in the U.K.? There are some about….. you need to google it.
 
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