RMS repair together with new clutch

[c4s jim]

I need some help from Loren, Toolpants or any of you other hands-on, mechanical folks. I'm technically challenged, so please forgive the stupid questions.

I have a 2002 C4S with 53,000 miles.

I have the RMS leak, and I am fortunately under CPO warranty, so the cost of this repair will be covered. Dealer has indicated it will also change out the intermediate seal at the same time.

I also believe that my clutch is likely pretty worn (no signs of slippage, but clutch engages at very high peddle and clutch peddle is hard to depress).

I think it may be a good time to make a proposition to the dealer to also change out the clutch with me paying the difference out of pocket. But how much is fair?

From a search on this subject, I gather that the labor involved in the warranty RMS work includes dropping the transmission, so I assume that this represents the lion's share of the labor that's also required to change out the clutch? If this is true, what's a reasonable amount of incremental dealer labor that I should have to pay for?

Also, I gather that if I obtain the clutch kit, etc. myself from Sunset, it's likely to be hundreds less than the same parts via my local dealer. Is it reasonable for me to obtain the kit to save $ and expect the local dealer to install for just the incremental labor charges?

Finally, (last dumb question) does the RMS repair involve draining all the oil, and hence it'll include an oil change?

Thanks.

[WARDHOG]

I need some help from Loren, Toolpants or any of you other hands-on, mechanical folks. I'm technically challenged, so please forgive the stupid questions.

I have a 2002 C4S with 53,000 miles.

I have the RMS leak, and I am fortunately under CPO warranty, so the cost of this repair will be covered. Dealer has indicated it will also change out the intermediate seal at the same time.

I also believe that my clutch is likely pretty worn (no signs of slippage, but clutch engages at very high peddle and clutch peddle is hard to depress).

I think it may be a good time to make a proposition to the dealer to also change out the clutch with me paying the difference out of pocket. But how much is fair?

From a search on this subject, I gather that the labor involved in the warranty RMS work includes dropping the transmission, so I assume that this represents the lion's share of the labor that's also required to change out the clutch? If this is true, what's a reasonable amount of incremental dealer labor that I should have to pay for?

Also, I gather that if I obtain the clutch kit, etc. myself from Sunset, it's likely to be hundreds less than the same parts via my local dealer. Is it reasonable for me to obtain the kit to save $ and expect the local dealer to install for just the incremental labor charges?

Finally, (last dumb question) does the RMS repair involve draining all the oil, and hence it'll include an oil change?

Thanks.

I would change your clutch out with 53K on the car and this is a great time to do it for free on the labor. $200 - 300 is the going price for a clutch disk. Whether you go thru the dealer or an outside source is up to you and depends how good of a relationship you have between you and your dealer. I'm also facing my second RMS change at 39K miles on the clock. The first was at around 19K and the dealer charged me $287 for the clutch and that was a lesson and I'll provide the second one. :cursing:

[Lee Quave]

The clutch has to be removed and replaced to change the RMS so; it shouldn’t cost any additional labor only the parts. Some shop frown on the practice of supplying your own parts as they do make money on parts. I would get the parts from whoever is doing the work as the saving on a clutch assembly wouldn’t be huge and you would avoid any pent-up resentment.

[smackboy1]

Had my RMS replaced last July at 36K (Warranty Direct) and changed out the clutch at the same time. The original clutch was probably OK, but I couldn't pass up the labor savings.

Clutch Replacement (no flywheel) $593 parts, $0 labor

RMS (no IMS) $32 parts, $1040 labor

They also found a valve cover leak that was covered too. No oil change required. I would suggest getting all your parts and labor at 1 dealer to avoid any finger pointing in case of a problem. Maybe you can haggle over the price of the parts. The flywheel is like $1,000 so don't replace that unless it is necessary.

[Stefan]

Have any of you replacing the clutch because of RMS measured how much clutch wear you have? You could estimate the life of your next disc by calculating what percentage of the clutch friction material had worn compared to the number of miles.

I would certainly be curious.

[Lee Quave]

The tech should be able to tell how much clutch wear you have and about how many more miles is left on the clutch. If it’s close I would replace it.

I actually replaced my RMS with the new and improved model while I was having the clutch replaced. It only cost a few dollars more but then I have a two year warranty on the RMS. I think it was worth the extra cost. I had about 55,000 miles on the clutch when it was replaced. It sure felt a lot easier and smother, I guest it wears so slowly I didn’t even notice how hard it had gotten until a new one was installed.

Hopefully I will not have any RMS issue with my new remanufactured motor but I now have a two year unlimited mile warranty since my car was not of warranty at the time.