Hi guys,
I'm pretty new to this forum, but I could really use your help. A few months ago I went in for some new tires at a major chain store. That was of course my first mistake. I won't mention at this time who it was because I might be invovled in a lawsuit with them and don't want to jeopardize anything at the moment.

After they finished installing the tires their technician took the car for a "test drive," I don't personally think that what it was but I don't have any proof. Anyway, he overrevved the motor and rode the living crap out of my clutch. Afterwards you could smell the burnt clutch. As of this moment they are declining my claim.

Now my car had about 20,000 miles on it and the clutch was starting to wear a bit, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it was in perfectly good condition. So the bottom line is that they told me to take it to the dealer and that if the dealer found any problems that they would cover the damage. I did just that, and took it to the dealer and which point the dealer said the clutch was damaged from excessive heat and that there was still clutch material left. After all that they're still refusing to deny my claim.

So my question to you guys is this, is it possible that it the clutch was fried in that short of a drive? (probably about an 1/8 to a 1/4 mile.) I know I saw that one post where someone destroyed that clutch in 50 miles. Secondly, the claims guys said he's a master tech and that in 33 years of experience that it is impossible. So, are there any master techs on this forum that can confirm or deny this for me? Any other feedback from everybody would be great too.

There's actually a whole lot of other stuff, in terms of poor customer service and just being treated rudely at this location, but i don't want to get into that now, or else this post will end up being even longer.

Thanks for all the help and advice in advance.

Eric

 

With 20k on the clutch and the way you said he over rev while riding on the clutch can surely kill it. Good luck with your case. I'm sure others will chime in.

 

I babied my clutch till 9400 miles, w/ 1 hard launch it is slipping, only slipps at full boost, but disappointed my clutch only lasted 10,000 mi.

 

Yes, it is possible he destroyed the clutch. The stock clutch seems to be one of the car's weak spots and people have fried it. Phil Long Mitsubishi has a clutch sitting in the customer servive area that someone smoked during a test drive. The car had only 300 miles on it. Fact of the matter is that clutch abuse is clutch abuse, and clutch abuse will smoke a stock clutch.

 

Sorry to hear that but according to some of the people in here, the clutch is good and it's driver abuse and driveabilty error that is to blame

 

Thanks for the input so far guys. I had also heard that the clutch on the Evo was pretty weak, but I hadn't had any real problems up until the point where it got fried. I drive my car pretty hard, but had never launched it. But the clutch was definitely starting to wear at 20000 miles. Keep the info and advice coming.

Eric

 

I fried my first clutch at 10k and got another stock one which is still lasting til this very moment and I have 42k. The first one fried cause of racing and not really knowing how to launch this car and now i'm just taking it alittle bit easier but I still drive the hell out of it. Some people on here have mild/heavy mods and still run on stock clutch.