I'm currently looking at 93 Magna TR and the car is in very good condition. However, during the test drive, when i engage the 2nd and 3rd gear, i stepped hardly on the accelerator. I felt a slight vibration as if the clutch is slipping. I'm not really sure what the problem is. I heard from my friends that the friction pad on the clutch may be worn out and that may be causing the problem. If thats really the case, how much will it cost to replace that?

What are the other possible reasons for that?

During normal driving, I don't really feel anything wrong with it. Its only when i really step on it, i feel weird. I'm not an expert in car mechanics stuff and I was wondering if there is really a problem with the clutch or is it just me? :) Thanks for any feedback guys.

I'm not really that mechanical either, but i woulda thought a dodgy clutch would slip no matter how hard you pushed the car?

a slipping clutch will be most noticable when you are trying to move the car off from a standing start with a fair bit of throttle, it may continue to slip when your foot is off the pedal.
If the clutch is at the end of it's life then an easy test is to hold the brakes and lift the revs to about 2500rpm and accelerate to keep the revs up as you let the clutch right out against the brakes. If it doesnt stall at revs then the clutch is stuffed.

The vibration could also be caused by broken engine mounts (common in magnas)
or possibly worn inner CVjoints or a worn gearbox (is it noisier neutral clutch in/out)

Hmm....okay... I'll try that. So if the clutch is really near the end of its life, does that mean I have to replace the entire clutch? Including the clutch kits and flywheels and stuff? I had a check with a mechanic and he said replacing would cost $450. I'm intending to buy the car if its just a small repair to the clutch. If its replacing the entire clutch... or any broken CV joints, I'm really worried.

The car drives alright in normal driving, i dun feel any slips or anything like that. I was wondering if the clutch might give way anytime soon.... Thanks Guys

If the clutch is at the end of it's life then an easy test is to hold the brakes and lift the revs to about 2500rpm and accelerate to keep the revs up as you let the clutch right out against the brakes. If it doesnt stall at revs then the clutch is stuffed.


Spot on, that's how I found out mine was going. Find yourself a hill somewhere and floor it. If you see that the revs skyrocket after say, 3000rpm but your speed stays the same or slightly increases then your clutch is slipping. I had my flywheel machined, and had a clutch kit put in which contained everything I needed for around $600-$700 (inc labour - if that seems a little expensive to some, it's because it was a custom clutch kit that came from Brisbane overnight).


Hmm....okay... I'll try that. So if the clutch is really near the end of its life, does that mean I have to replace the entire clutch? Including the clutch kits and flywheels and stuff? I had a check with a mechanic and he said replacing would cost $450. I'm intending to buy the car if its just a small repair to the clutch. If its replacing the entire clutch... or any broken CV joints, I'm really worried.

The car drives alright in normal driving, i dun feel any slips or anything like that. I was wondering if the clutch might give way anytime soon.... Thanks Guys

As for the clutch giving way antime soon, in my experience its quite random and you can't really put a specific time on it. Mine was lightly slipping and after a few runs to TAFE and back (over 3-5 days) the car was almost undrivable. Mechanics I talked to said that I could have from a week up to a month depending on how I drove it.

I believe our blessed pres. had a clutch issue whereby the engine mounts were gone and thereby putting pressure on the gearbox or something and making the clutch slip. So you could just be up for engine mounts. Stronger polyurethane engine mounts can be sourced from the Qld. Div. sub-forum (unless that's no longer going, of course)

I've also had word that there are driveshaft and cv joint 'kits' available for around $170 new, per side. Don't know where you get 'em but the local mechanic said he could get them in for me if I ever needed new cv and driveshafts. This, I take it, would include a new driveshaft and a new cv joint. Labour is probably excluded in that price.