Typical life of a hydraulic clutch? GT

TrojanGT · Post by **TrojanGT** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 1:34 pm

Nope. We're not talking 60 thousand miles. We're talking the first clutch was replaced at about 32,000 miles or so (sorry, it's been a long weekend and I've been stressing about immediate issues with our 311,000 mile Previa but that's another story).I would have been happy with 60k miles! Well, OK, not happy, but accepting of the situation. That would make it about every two years to replace the clutch (aiyyyeee!)... we're at a little past two years now, and up to about 57 thousand miles (about 25k on this clutch, right?) - and yes, we do smell burning clutch from time to time... but us old parent types aren't doing the drag routine (see early in the post, my manual/non-racing record). Good luck with your clutch - I'd like to think mine is an anomaly, but by what I've seen/heard on both this and the Matrix XRS postings, a good clutch is the exception, not the rule.BTW - It does seem to be an issue peculiar to the GT, perhaps because we have that extra gear to deal with? Darned if I know...Mahalo,Dawn

Cubanpete · Post by **Cubanpete** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:01 pm

yes....60K Minimum if not abused...........I had a 1990 5.0 Stang and the Clutch was rock solid still at 120K........had the car for 10 years..Never a clutch problem, .My Vibe GT gave the famous new clutch smell at the begining like 2-3 times and has dissapeared ever since......thank god for that!....lol

drummerdude · Post by **drummerdude** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:06 am

Quote, originally posted by TrojanGT Â»Nope. We're not talking 60 thousand miles. We're talking the first clutch was replaced at about 32,000 miles or soUmm... Make that 5,000 miles... Mine was replaced after what? yes! 5,000 miles!! The dealer paid for it BTW... no way in hades i would pay for a clutch after 5,000 miles!!

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:17 am

well, i have 21K miles on mine and yesterday morn picking my boss up from his house to go to our appts, my clutch just burned and burned! the rpms went up and nothing happened... didn't move or anything and then finally it caught. it smelled bad and he was like, (removed)! what's WRONG with your car??? and i told him that the clutch is slipping, but hasn't done it like THAT before! not that bad!!! so guess i'll be having them take a look at the car again!

drummerdude · Post by **drummerdude** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:43 am

definitely before the warranty runs out!

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:05 am

well, i already took it in last oct to have them look at it. but this was different. i mean it was really really bad! i just want them to know that i'm complaining and will keep bugging their svc dept til they fix it. too bad the svc dept sucks.

goodvibe · Post by **goodvibe** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:42 pm

I was resigned to buying a new clutch before 50k mi. and not to worry about it. My throw out bearing was making noise at 31,000mi., mostly hwy. Stuff happens. When they dropped the tranny they also were nice enough to install a new clutch and flywheel. The original set was working fine, had never slipped and would have easily lasted beyond the warranty period. It was getting a bit thin and since it was apart they just gave me new ones. If I didnt have the TOB problem, I would never have gotten this within the warranty period. Get this. The mechanic said that the new clutch is thicker than the original. I don't know if this is fact or speculation but may confirm that someone is aware of the clutch issues with the GT. Looks like I'll get close to normal clutch life before I have to pay for one. They messed up the first TOB repair and had to do it over. 2 trips to the dealer 6 days total down time and they gave me a free courtesy car both times. If I ever by another GM car, it will be from Sullivan Pontiac in IL.

ian · Post by **ian** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:15 pm

I've got 1500 mi on my GT - after reading this forum I started paying attention - I have smelled the clutch on take-off once when punching it. My gut feel is this is a combination of technique and undersized clutch plate for weight of car.This is my 6th manual car - I only replaced the clutch plate on my 1st ('85 Celica) after 60K - all the rest went over 80K (except the totalled '94 Paseo). I'm not happy if I'm going to be replacing this every 30K

rantech · Post by **rantech** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:17 am

Just purchased a used 2003 Vibe GT and am getting the burning clutch smell a couple of times per day. The car has 10,039 kilometers and the clutch seems to work fine (no slippage yet) but in reverse (backing out of parking stalls) I almost always get a severe burning smell. I haven't had any problem in a forward gear though.I'm pretty easy on clutches and have had 5 prior manual transmission vehicles (since 1987) on which I have never had to change a clutch (even though 2 cars had over 130,000 kilometers when sold); as a result, I'm pretty sure it's not me.Early in the thread (8 or 9 months ago) it was said that GM was looking into this. Has anything every come of this ?So far, the smell is just a minor annoyance but at this rate the clutch won't last very long. I've seen references to aftermarket upgrades (ACT and RPS) but is there an upgraded heavy duty unit available from either Pontiac or Toyota?

PieBoy · Post by **PieBoy** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:36 pm

i have a 2003 GT with 56000 Kms. I've only had one other standard and so I expect I'm fairly hard on the clutch and I get that burning smell a few times a month. My clutch still works fine (knock knock knock). What I have noticed in recent months, when changing gears over 6000 rpm there is a noticable vibration in the clutch pedal (I do this on a frequent basis). Here's hopin it hangs in there

Hobbes · Post by **Hobbes** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 6:10 am

I'm not a Vibe owner, but I'm thinking of becoming one.This issue has me concerned on at least three fronts:1. There's no way that so many should be having clutch issues so soon. Even if some are less than perfect manual shifters. There is a mechanical/engineering issue here, and that issue does not seem to be getting the attention it deserves from the companies involved (i.e. a recall with appropriate fix).2. GM/Toyota are using the old "it's a wear item" excuse a little too consistently. Yes, clutches are wear items. Nevertheless, they are a wear item for which there is a certain reasonable expectation in regards to its wear life. Short of intense and consistent abuse, these things should routinely last three times longer than they apparently do. If GM/Toyota don't have a fix for the problem, at the very least they should be honouring the warranty without question as they are by now aware of the problem.3. The cost of replacing these clutches is ridiculously high. The last clutch I replaced was in my '88 Civic. After about 140000 kms of use and abuse, the clutch needed to be replaced. I was on the road again and working perfectly with less than $300 (CAN). $1000+ (US) is insane for a "normal wear item". So, I'm seriously reconsidering this idea of buying a Vibe GT. Mabye I'll get a base five speed, and maybe I'll just buy a Mazda 3 Sport.

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 6:23 am

well to be honest, you should take in consideration that it doesn't seem to be THAT many gt owners having major clutch issues. just like you can get a lemon in any bunch, i haven't had any more issues w/ my clutch since that time in july. it just worries me with the thought that it could be a potential prob. now i know that nick is working w/ the GM guys on fixing this issue. and the GM quality guys also ensured me they DO read all this info on here, they just can't reply. i've got just under 23K miles on mine now, and think that the clutch will probably last me another year or two atleast. and i admit that i do drive it harder than just you joe schmoe daily commuter. so if you are comparing the vibe GT w/ the base or mazda 3s, then you are trying to compare a very different engine to 2 smaller engines. i'm not knocking the base or mazda 3, but the GT just kicks (removed)! and if you're worried about the "potential" problem with your clutch, please also note that there are many many MORE happy GT owners on here that haven't had any issues w/ their clutch what so ever, except getting used to it when they first get the car. if you like the GT, then get it. don't let the "potential" problem that some owners have prevent you from enjoying an otherwise great vehicle! if you do that, then don't bother getting ANY car, because they all have "potential" problems.

goodvibe · Post by **goodvibe** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:01 am

Yes the clutch will go away in 1/2 the normal life span but if you don't go to the dealer, you can replace it for much less and this car is worth the trouble and VERY reliable otherwise. There were exedy replacement clutches w/ throwout bearings on Ebay for $129 and aamco will probably do the labor for about $350. It's not that bad for a car you like and will be better than new when finished. If you want, just add $500 to the initial cost of purchase and determine if it's still more appealling than the next car. I think The Vibe Gt is still a winner.

LavaMyVibe · Post by **LavaMyVibe** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:23 am

The clutch on the GT is definitely more "delicate" than on any other car that I've driven. But once I got used to it, I never had the problem. I also lease a Ford Focus ZTS 5 speed (my second Focus) and I've never had the burning smell with that and I drive it a lot harder than the Vibe. My wife on the other hand constantly smokes the clutch on the Vibe ( (she just hasn't gotten used to it, nothing to do with the fact that she's a woman) especially on an incline but has NEVER smoked the Focus. So is there something wrong with the clutch on the GT? I believe it's a combination of driving style and a weaker than usual clutch (although it's way too easy to make it stink). Drive it tenderly and it'll last. Drive it hard and you'll be looking at a new clutch within a year or two.

armin · Post by **armin** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:47 am

I don't know but it is maybe how the clutch is located. Maybe all clutches smell one time or the other but it is vented out of the driver compartment. In the beginning i tried to pull out my beloved 89 Ford Probe GT out of the driveway. One of the wheels got stuck and I had to use (maybe abuse) the clutch. I could not see anymore inside the car. And when I opened the hood white smoke making S.O.S signs. Now I got 19 k on it and smell the thing sometimes. This clutch really teaches you how to use it. if it just smells i dont care but if it gets worn out I will be angry. Keep on smoking buba for a long long time.

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 8:52 am

If it's a GT, you can smell it sometimes, but you should start saving now, because it'll probably burn out in less than 30k.I've had mine since August of '03. It has 27k miles on it. I've driven more than half of those miles on highway (from NJ to GA and roundtrip, at least 2200 miles per trip) in 6th gear, and my clutch is nearly completely worn out.As of yet, Pontiac says it's "user burn-out" and refuses to do anything about it. Which, of course, is BS.

soldierguy · Post by **soldierguy** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:39 am

The text below is straight from Pontiac's website...the warranty tab on the Vibe spec sheet page. The text makes it pretty clear that the clutch should be included in the warranty coverage...it even includes tires. I'm not too worried about having to replace a clutch early...if it happens, it happens...perfect excuse to upgrade to a better one anyway. But that's just me & my opinion. I understand and agree that a clutch should last a long time...the only clutch I've ever had to replace was on an 89 Tercel, and it needed it at around 60,000 miles or so.Warranty CoverageThis warranty is for GM vehicles registered in the U.S.A. See your Pontiac dealer for terms and conditions.Covered for three years/36,000 miles, whichever comes first:The complete vehicleTiresTowing to your nearest Pontiac dealershipCosmetic corrosion resulting from defectsRepairs made to correct any vehicle defectNo charge for most warranty repairsCovered for six years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first:Rust-through corrosionCorrosion ProtectionPontiac vehicles are designed and built to resist corrosion. All body and sheet metal components are warranted against rust-through corrosion for six years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Application of additional rust-inhibiting materials is not required under the corrosion coverage and none is recommended. See your Pontiac dealer for terms of this limited warranty.An Important Note about Alterations and WarrantiesInstallations or alterations to the original equipment vehicle (or chassis) as distributed by General Motors are not covered by the General Motors New-Vehicle Limited Warranty.The special body company, assembler, equipment installer, or upfitter is solely responsible for warranties on the body or equipment and any alterations (or any effect of the alterations) to any of the parts, components, systems, or assemblies installed by GM. General Motors is not responsible for the safety or quality of design features, materials, or workmanship of any alterations by such suppliers.Roadside Assistance24-hour Roadside Assistance during the New Vehicle limited warranty period provides in an emergency:Lockout assistanceDead-battery assistanceOut-of-fuel assistanceFlat-tire changeTowing for warranty repairsCourtesy transportationSome services will incur costs. See your Pontiac dealer for details.

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 4:19 pm

Quote, originally posted by soldierguy Â»The text below is straight from Pontiac's website...the warranty tab on the Vibe spec sheet page. The text makes it pretty clear that the clutch should be included in the warranty coverage...it even includes tires. I'm not too worried about having to replace a clutch early...if it happens, it happens...perfect excuse to upgrade to a better one anyway. But that's just me & my opinion. that's exactly what i'm planning to do. when (and most likely next summer) my clutch dies (it's smelling on a bi-weekly basis and slipping) i'll be replacing it with (of course) a TRD performance clutch. my cousin says he's got the tools to do it, and will help me install it.

DopeVibeGT · Post by **DopeVibeGT** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:35 pm

Well, after 33K mile of having 'fun', my clutch just started slipping. I've always smelled the 'smell', but not very often. Now, my question is, has anyone replaced it with a high performance clutch? ACT makes 4 different clutches for the Vibes. It doesnt say 5 or 6 speed, though. Just Torq capacity, 215mm and 4 or 6 'puck'. Anyone know anything about what is needed?

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:09 pm

well i know that djdoublelp had his replaced w/ a trd clutch and devlop had his replaced with an act i think. not sure though. if you check out mo.com, they tend to have many more threads on performance parts. i know i've seen a slew of threads on clutches over there.

jonathonbarton · Post by **jonathonbarton** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:37 am

Wherre?mo.com is some guy from brooklyn's website...

VibeChick · Post by **VibeChick** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 4:26 am

mo.com apparently is genvibe slang for http://www.matrixowners.com

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 4:40 am

Quote, originally posted by jonathonbarton Â»Wherre?mo.com is some guy from brooklyn's website... ha ha ha! sorry..... yes, it's matrixowners.com, not actually mo.com.

DopeVibeGT · Post by **DopeVibeGT** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 6:47 pm

I made the same mistake. LOL

DopeVibeGT · Post by **DopeVibeGT** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 8:31 pm

I called my dealer yesterday and they said replacing the clutch with anything besides the factory one may void the warranty. Is this true? I only have about 2500 miles left anyway...

dante · Post by **dante** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 9:13 am

I work for GM powertrain in there engineering department and happen to work on clutch systems and as a rule they are made to go a lot longer then 30,000 miles.My last S-10 pickup went over 100,000 miles before I had to change the clutch.This all depends on how hard you are on them, do you do lots of city stop and go driving or is it mostly highways,if you live in a very hilly area and use your clutch to keep your car from moving backwards all kinds of things will wear out your clutch fast.Best idea is if it needs to be replaced already pay attention to how you drive it and if it wears out fast again talk to your dealer or ask to talk to a factory or GM rep.

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:09 pm

Quote, originally posted by dante Â»Best idea is if it needs to be replaced already pay attention to how you drive it and if it wears out fast again talk to your dealer or ask to talk to a factory or GM rep.How bout I tell you i've driven 16k on highway in 6th gear in cruise control, with 10k of moderate city driving, with the occaisional foray into lift, and no street racing? Mine's burnt at 26k, and the dealership says I abused my clutch.

MadBill · Post by **MadBill** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:26 pm

You know, The General would have to have his blind eye to the telescope not to see the excessive sales volume of Vibe GT clutches! With the oldest Vibes not having been in service more than what?, 30 months or so, there should be very few sales to date if the life was anywhere near average. (When I scrapped my '87 Firefly at 368,000 km, its second clutch was still in perfect condition.)Don't dealerships have access to a parts screen that shows 12 month sales, etc. as well as quantity on hand at various warehouses? Maybe one of our GM/dealer employee members could scope this out and raise the alarm.

dante · Post by **dante** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:37 pm

I will tell you what the problem is. GM powertrain has no say in the powertrain of the Vibe it is made in Japan by toyota and they have the say on if it gets fixed under warranty or not. I hope that somebody takes a look at the claims soon and tells them to fix it.

Psychobroker · Post by **Psychobroker** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 7:23 am

Quote, originally posted by DopeVibeGT Â»Well, after 33K mile of having 'fun', my clutch just started slipping. I've always smelled the 'smell', but not very often. Now, my question is, has anyone replaced it with a high performance clutch? ACT makes 4 different clutches for the Vibes. It doesnt say 5 or 6 speed, though. Just Torq capacity, 215mm and 4 or 6 'puck'. Anyone know anything about what is needed? I'm about to be in the same boat...my clutch has started slipping here and there. Quite honestly, I'm absolutely sick with it's weakness anyway. Which aftermarket clutch should a GT owner buy? I want to buy it in advance so that when my stock one finally dies, I don't have to wait for the replacement and/or get stuck with another stock one!

Psychobroker · Post by **Psychobroker** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 7:26 am

Quote, originally posted by dante Â»I work for GM powertrain in there engineering department and happen to work on clutch systems and as a rule they are made to go a lot longer then 30,000 miles.My last S-10 pickup went over 100,000 miles before I had to change the clutch.This all depends on how hard you are on them, do you do lots of city stop and go driving or is it mostly highways,if you live in a very hilly area and use your clutch to keep your car from moving backwards all kinds of things will wear out your clutch fast.Best idea is if it needs to be replaced already pay attention to how you drive it and if it wears out fast again talk to your dealer or ask to talk to a factory or GM rep.Thank you for chiming in. The simple fact of the matter is that the GT/XRS clutch - along with the entire drivetrain - is the exact same one used in the ~300-350-pound LIGHTER Toyota Celica GT-S. I am convinced that this is the main reason behind our "weak" clutches -- cheap-(removed) GM/Toyota not developing an appropriate clutch for OUR vehicles.

rantech · Post by **rantech** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 9:07 am

Being in the same boat, I've been looking at the following:ACT TC2-HDSS- Heavy Duty Pressure Plates- High Performance Street Disc- 233 ft/lbs http://www.advancedclutch.com/...=1023RPS SS-22549-ST- Heavy Duty Pressure Plates- High Performance Street Disc- 230 ft/lbshttp://www.turboclutch.com/sport_ponti.htmlI'm no expert but I believe that for normal to agressive street driving with a vehicle that is stock to having only mild upgrades, the high performance street disc should be fine. If you do serious track racing then you would want a more advanced package with the 6 puck disc, and if you are somewhere imbetween a 4 puck disc may be in order.With my stock GT I think the high performance street disc will be more than adequate and provide better driveability than a 4 or 6 puck disc. Note, a stock GT puts out around 127 ft/lbs of torque.There are probably other equally suitable clutch kits and I'd be interested in any feedback that anyone wants to provide as I haven't made a final decision yet.Regards

Psychobroker · Post by **Psychobroker** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:16 am

Thanks for the links, rantech!I agree...as long as you're well within the torque cap, we should be fine. RPS's looks like a pretty good deal...are they a respectable manufacturer?Also, would I need to buy anything else besides this kit? I know some people like to change their flywheels while the clutch is out, but I'm sure our stock ones are fine. A Fidanza runs $350ish on it's own!

rantech · Post by **rantech** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:51 am

Not too sure about RPS but I've seen quite a few people talk about ACT and I think their pretty respectable. Regarding the flywheel, I'm trying to keep my spending to a minimum so I've only been looking at replacing the clutch which is pretty much a must. I don't think a new flywheel is necessary unless you're looking for a performance boost.Regards,

goodvibe · Post by **goodvibe** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 12:26 am

Don't forget that the extra weight is compounded by taller gearing because our tires have a larger circumference than the celica.

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:23 am

I just bought a clutch kit and flywheel from Advance auto parts. Cost about $160 after the core charge on the Flywheel. Waiting for them to arrive, and hoping they match up to stock... Getting them put in as soon as they come...hopefully I won't have any problems..

Psychobroker · Post by **Psychobroker** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:37 am

Quote, originally posted by Jahntassa Â»I just bought a clutch kit and flywheel from Advance auto parts. Cost about $160 after the core charge on the Flywheel. Waiting for them to arrive, and hoping they match up to stock... Getting them put in as soon as they come...hopefully I won't have any problems..What brand kit was that, and was it a stock replacement or a slight upgrade? Also, what do you mean by "core charge on the flywheel"...? Thanks Jahntassa.

joatmon · Post by **joatmon** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:58 am

a core charge is kind of like a refundable deposit that some auto parts will have associated with them. It usually is on things that can be rebuilt, and the core charge represents a fee that you have to pay when you buy the replacement, but you get the core charge back when you give them the old part. I've had core charges when replacing things like alternators and brake cylinders, sometimes even used to get them on brake pads and batteries. Kind of like a rebate, but you give up an old broken part instead of mailing in a coupon.

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:41 am

Right. I need to send them the old flywheel, and they'll probably resurface and resell it. I'm not sure what it is yet. Basically, the flywheel came from Advance Auto's online store. It's called the "Toyota Standard Flywheel 134". I had to look up the 03 Matrix XRS and crosschecked with the 01-03 Celica GT/GTS to make sure I had the right one. It's $47.99 with a $60 core charge, so they charged like, $107 after shipping, or something like that. I'm assuming they'll tell me where to ship the old one. I'll, of course, photo document the clutch and flywheel before it gets shipped anywhere.As for the clutch kit. A co-worker's brother works at Advance Auto Parts, so they got me the kit for around $105. I don't know much more than that. He'll either put it in my hands tomorrow or Wednesday, and i'll give you all the details then.I'm hoping for a better-than-stock-what-a-clutch-should-feel-like kinda thing going on. I realize it's cheap, but I'm also broke.. so.. Maybe if I win the lotto down the line i'll upgrade it to an ACT or ClutchMaster.. But right now, i'll gladly pay $150 to get my entire clutch assembly replaced. And yes, the $105 is disc, plate, bearing.

GTMAN · Post by **GTMAN** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:31 pm

Just curious does anyone know if the clutch assembly for the Vibe GT and the Matrix XRS are one in the same? As for clutch problems I bought my GT in April 2002 and this will be my 3rd clutch

Psychobroker · Post by **Psychobroker** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 7:39 am

They should be identical.I'm nearing 30k miles on the first clutch >. Aside from a few overheating/slipping problems, it's working "fine". I say "fine" because it's still WEAK AS HELL.

ALi3N · Post by **ALi3N** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:39 am

You know, i have heard a lot of mention to the clutch being undersized for the car's weight... and i just have to ask... do you consider a 2700lb car heavy? I certainly don't. I believe if the clutch tends to have a shorter life in the Vibe GT/Matrix XRS it has more to do with the more clutch feathering and higher revs required to move the car through traffic everyday. My GT has 31000 miles on it and the clutch is good as it ever was... and i can say with sincerety that if a leadfoot like me can keep a clutch more than 40k that's saying a lot.

GTMAN · Post by **GTMAN** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:05 pm

I have almost 70K on mine and the first clutch went 3 months after I bought the car. I have driven a Manual since I was 15 and thats 25 yrs ago. This is the first car I have owned where I have blown the clutch 3 times in 3 yrs.

baneonrt · Post by **baneonrt** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:06 am

I have an '04 Matrix XRS that started slipping at just under 30k miles. The main symptom is when cruising on the freeway in 6th and giving it some gas to pass somebody the clutch tries to hold for a very short moment but then lets go and would shoot to redline if I let it. Local dealer won't even think about covering it. Both my wife and I have been driving stick for over 10 years without any issues before. Also we bought the car with 2 miles on it...yep, 2. I drove it from the receiving lot to the dealer even. So no issues with it possibly being abused when test driven.Does anybody have any information on whether Toyota has revised the clutch due to these issues or are they still ignoring the problem? I've already decided to replace it myself...no big deal, I'm just trying to avoid spending $350 on an ACT or similar for a grocery getter.Thanks,Steve

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:35 am

Quote, originally posted by ALi3N Â»You know, i have heard a lot of mention to the clutch being undersized for the car's weight... and i just have to ask... do you consider a 2700lb car heavy? I certainly don't. The car is listed as 3700 lbs, and it's a lot heavier than the 2700 lb celicas the clutches came from. Or the MR2 Spyder. I consider that a lot heavier, especially for high revving engines.As for the 6th gear post, that's where mine started. I got the new clutch kit from Advance Auto Parts by asking for one from an 01' Celica GTS, and simply had the flywheel resurfaced at a local transmission repair shop.

REBELGAS2000 · Post by **REBELGAS2000** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:25 am

27k on my clutch and it took a dump! I too smelled clutch, especially when backing into my driveway. I found out that this is the same clutch that Toyota has been using on the Geo Metro since 1992 so it makes me wonder if the Vibe/ matrix are a little heavy for it. My solution was the Center Force Dual Friction. I got upset and thought bought a little too far into racing equipment, but I couldnâ€™t be happier with the way this clutch behaves! A perfect compromise, if you drive soft and the clutch is soft, if you slam it hard in second you feel it. To bootâ€¦ my 2003 GT is getting on average 2 miles per gallon BETTER, no matter how I drive it! Who would have guess that my albatross was my clutch in this car. This car is lucky I like it so much because I am on a first name basis with me service writer at the dealer.

GTMAN · Post by **GTMAN** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:10 am

I found a Company on EBAY that sells a clutch kit for $110 plus shipping for the 01 Celica GTS same clutch as whats in the VibeGT and the Matrix XRSJust goto ebay and in the search column type in Exedy and it will bring up a bunch of clutches refine the search and look in your search for Celica and when you get your results it has to be a Celica GTS 01. I went to the dealer to price a clutch kit and got told by GM $458 Toyota $389 Perfomance Parts $210. I am in Canada and even though I am up here and have to pay the exchange rate it's still cheaper for me to buy this Clutch Kit from a shop in California then it is for me to buy it up here. I found a local shop to refinish the flywheel and install the kit for $250

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:15 am

Not to sound cynical, but how good can a clutch possibly be at only $110?

ALi3N · Post by **ALi3N** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 11:23 am

The Pontiac Vibe Does NOT weigh 3700 lbs! I really wish i did not have to repeat myself. Here is why i am right...1) What you are reading is the GVWR stamped in the door. This rating is a measurement of the vehicle's weight while loaded to it's design limit. In the Vibe, the payload limit is set at 1000 lbs, as with most passenger cars. The GVWR is the vehicle's dry curb weight plus the payload capacity. 2750lb + 1000lb = 3750lb GVWR2) I have ACTUALLY weighed my car while i was at the local dragstrip (*NHRA Certified* Houston Raceway Park) and with myself, a half tank of gas, spare tire and 2 12" Subs in the back the car weighed 2933lbs.So tell me again that the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix weigh 3700lbs. EDIT: According to the California DMV the definition of GVWR is as follows:"Gross vehicle weight rating" (GVWR) means the weight specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.

Hobbes · Post by **Hobbes** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:26 pm

Thanks for clearing up the weight thing. I was going to look it up for myself, but hadn't got around to it. But I couldn't believe that this little car would weigh more than my minivan....