Uber Wagon 2.0

Anyone had their car towed down from the mountains? How much did it cost and who did you use? Would be towing from Silverthorne to Denver. (70 miles +/-)

Also, what's the running price to replace the clutch? I'm thinking RS4 clutch.

My clutch finally gave out (I knew it was coming eventually, I just didn't think it would be now).

Luckily I had pulled off to grab a bite to eat and it shifted it's last shift off the highway, not in the middle of ski traffic.

I'm not sure if I'm having a clutch or a hydraulic problem for sure. The clutch never slipped including at WOT. I'm thinking I could have a SAC or throwout bearing failure.




Here's the situation:

Currently, the clutch will not engage fully. If I'm in first and push the clutch pedal in, the car still tries to creep forward. I can't actually put it in gear while the car is running. If I start the car in gear (with the pedal in) it tries to drive on the starter.

It has been making some noises for a while, and sometimes skipping when starting from 1st gear for a little while now. Every once and a while I was getting a squealing noise (lik a slipping belt) I'm guessing from the throw out bearing when it was realy cold.

There was a tiny bit of notchy/friction feeling in the clutch pedal. When the clutch was mid throw, there was a rubbing noise, but not when it was fully engaged or disengaged.

One time today, the pedal did not return fully after a shift, and I pulled it back up with my foot, then it seemed fine for a while.

Just before it completely died, it was really hard to push the pedal the last 10% of the throw to the floor.



Any suggestions?

Thanks.....

Mr. Malcontent

I had Aamco do a clutch once and they paid for the towing.

Reggie

In 97 my clutch went in our 87 Jeep Cherokee in Estes Park - same as you - it was the slave cylinder and had started acting up in Rocky Mountain - I should have driven straight back but stopped in Estes to get some lunch - big mistake - was able to pull out in traffic but quit at the light.

It think it was $130-150??? Can't remember - I just remember that our AAA was not towing plus - so it only covered getting the car to a garage there in Estes - and not back to Fort Collins.

orangefro©

Your old/My A4 transmission is 100% in perfect working order..... [/Runs and hides]

Sorry to hear about this. Is your S still in silverthorne? How did you get home?

Too bad you can't get this Toe-Truck to haul it back...

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s4LEX

They might pay some/all of the tow expense. Several years ago our old 3000GT died in the Springs and we found our roadside assistance covered to have it flat bedded back to Boulder. Worth looking into -- would have cost like $200+

Uber Wagon 2.0

The sad thing is that I'm pretty sure the throw out bearing was what went bad, since the clutch never slipped at all.

It's on its way down from silverthorne to Autobahn as we speak. Luckily I found 1 tow company that didin't try to rape me.

Uber Wagon 2.0

They say they'll cover shipping to the nearest repair center, but if I want to get it all the way to Denver, they'll pay $100.

I'm going to try the "there is no dealer anywhere but Denver" card when I go in for reimbursement.

Uber Wagon 2.0

I'm glad I stopped and it didn't die in the middle of I-70 in Tunnel traffic!

s4LEX

Glenwood Springs isn't that close either

Uber Wagon 2.0

So, the tow truck driver leaves Denver about 2:30-3:00 this afternoon to pick up the car. He is supposed to call me about 6:00ish when he is getting close to the shop back in Denver so I can meet him and recieve the car.

At 7:00 I call him to see when I should head over and get no answer. Now it's 7:30 and I still haven't heard from him. Of course, at this point my mind starts screwwing with me. I'm imagining he picked up the car somehow got into trouble in the snow, went off the road and my car is now crushed underneath an overturned tow truck!


So, I call again. This time he answers. He tells me he hasn't even picked up the car yet. He was driving up and a Semi lost a mud flap, he thought it was a piece of ice (I guess he didn't bother trying to miss it) and it slashed the sidewall of his tire.

So, I guess he sat on the side of the road waited for a buddy to pick him and the tire up. When I talked to him he was still headed down to denver with the tire to get it fixed then head back up to put it on his tow truck and continue on.

Wow. Is my car cursed? What crazy luck. I feel bad for the driver who has been stuck in the mountains for hours.