Thankfully I was just a couple blocks from a mechanic, but it looks to be several hundred bucks. Car is 13 years old and probably 160K miles. Maybe 6 months ago the intake manifold died on me when I was getting of I-5, thankfully near a few shops also.

For those of you who have been in similar situations, what do you do? Seems like a few hundred, or even a few thousand here or there is much less than a new car payment would be over a year. trade in value is only $1500 or so at this point, so I wonder if I could even trade it in towards something more "reliable".

I'm the first and only owner, so at least I know the history of this car vs. something else.

If it is a car known for long term reliability and you don't want a car payment (or cash out of pocket for a new car), then yes, fix it. A decent new car is not cheap anymore. And even the some expensive ones suck pretty bad.

I say fix the clutch and keep the car, but shop around for quotes before committing to a shop. There's a lot to be said for not having a monthly payment.

I'm not sure Mustangs are know for long term reliability, but I don't think they're known to be particularly problematic either.

Don't really want a car payment.

well, it basically died next to one I've used before. They've been pretty good on pricing for me so far.

Shop rate for a clutch should be around $600. $200 if you do it yourself.

What kind of vehicle?

I'm in a similar boat with you. My car has been less than reliable, with the extended warranty being worth every penny I paid for it.

If the car is paid off, there is something to be said for trading it in on something more reliable. If nothing else, the convenience factor of not constantly needing repairs. At 160k miles, stuff is going to start wearing out on any car. It's going to need repairs.

Well, if the condition is otherwise good and not over-due for a bunch of stuff, I say fix it. The benefit of "common" vehicles is more competition in the repair market. Find out what other shops will charge for the repairs and take a look at the reviews for those shops. After 15 years of car payments (multiple vehicles) I finally paid the last one off. I am sickened my how much I have wasted on interest, I do not want back in that market. My 06 Tahoe is paid for and has a ton of miles. It will need majors eventually but it is in pristine condition and worth the repair. Treat them right and they will go for a long time.

Fix the clutch, its a maintenance part

Not if it is an older Volvo . That is barely broke in.

If it was a Honda you bought new i'd say keep it. and there is definitely something to be said for a paid off car. though it's only happened to me a few times and I didn't keep any for long after they were paid off......because by then, it broke anyway.

I currently have an absurd car payment that I regret everyday. the only reason I haven't "accidentally" driven it off a cliff is because it's a Toyota that not only holds value insanely well but also will run to 300k miles with just regular maintenance so I'll have it for 15+ years after I get the title. and the warm fuzzies I get knowing everytime I go out there it's gonna start helps too. You can get a VERY nice and VERY reliable Accord Sport or Inifiniti for $20k and your payments are only $350/month which is less than some people's utility bills. O.O

You have a mustang? Dude, my 07 mustang gt had 240k miles on it and running strong when I upgraded to the new coyote engine. Fix the clutch, run it into the ground. Also plenty of aftermarket stuff at a fraction of the cost from ford.

There's almost nothing on a (stock) Mustang that you can't either fix yourself or have repaired by a reputable shop for a fair price. Parts availability isn't (generally) an issue and finding someone experienced in the line isn't difficult.

So many disclaimers when you're used to dealing with non-stock vehicles... *sigh*

Since clutches are wear items, I'd vote to just get it taken care of and keep on keepin' on. Also, if you trust the shop, you could always ask them to inspect the car and identify any other areas they feel may be getting long in the tooth. A little preventive maintenance goes a long, long way.

Just drive it with a broken clutch. They are optional anyway. Just learn to power-shift. Rev the engine, then slide it right in.

Err.. I mean....fix it. And stop riding the clutch. ;)

Fix the car and start putting money in the bank for a new car. Paying cash for a car is a great feeling.