RAV4 Clutch Replacement due to pressure plate worn out

[Megan]

Hi All,

I recently bought a 2008 2.4L RAV4 Manual with 90,000kms on the clock as I returned my 2008 V6 RAV4 Automatic due to a differential whine. We've had the car now for 3 months and noticed that the clutch is very heavy and jumpy in 1st and 2nd gear. I took it Toyota for it's 90K service yesterday and they advised that the pressure plate is worn. However, Toyota advised I could drive around until the gears start slipping and then replace the clutch.

I have a few questions for other manual RAV4 owners:

• Is 90,000kms a standard length of time for a clutch to be worn? How long have you got out of your clutches in RAV4 before replacing them?
• Should I be driving around when the pressure plate is worn?
• What should I expect a mechanic to charge to fix the clutch? I got quoted $2.5K from Toyota - is it a time consuming job?

Many thanks for any input here!