Normal price for clutch fluid flush at dealer?

[1 SX]

Quick question, I gave Kia Service a call to set up an appointment for a brake fluid flush and a clutch fluid flush, and ask how much the services were. They told me the clutch fluid flush is $179.99 then the brake fluid flush is $139.99
After taxes and everything I’m looking at $350…

So I called Hyundai service that is is 1 mile up the road from Kia, and asked them how much it would be for them to do it. The clutch fluid flush is $69.99 and the brake fluid flush is $129.99 so out the door for about 200 bucks..

Why such the huge price difference between these two dealerships that are a mile apart? This is not a few dollars this is almost 100 bucks for the same service . Also this is not the first time Kia has quoted me a pretty high price for a service. Then I call Hyundai and they do the same service for 30%-40% less.

I also thought the brake fluid is “clutch fluid” as it’s in the same system?
Last note: when it comes to buying oem dealer parts on the other hand Kia has cheaper parts the Hyundai? So it’s looking like I’ll go to Kia for parts and Hyundai for Service.

Do you think 200 for both services clutch and brake fluid flush is reasonable at the dealer? I had the sonatas brake fluid flushed a few months ago and it was like $140 out the door which I thought was a “good” deal. 😂 (was it?)

I figured with the ABS, electronic brake distribution, traction/ stability control and anything else that relies on the fluid that it’s cheap insurance to have it flushed after every brake job or every 2 to 3 years.
I have bled brakes in the past, but they were basic systems.

I’ve never bled a clutch..

Thanks! 🙏

 

[Imp4]

To speculate about localized pricing discrepancies is a fools errand.

 

[eljefino]

The dealer's spitballing because noone ever asks for these services.

If I had to guess, the cheaper one considers it some sort of "fluid maintenance" their B or C techs would do while the expensive one considers it a repair, but would still give it to a bozo mechanic.

 

[Number_35]

Quick question, I gave Kia Service a call to set up an appointment for a brake fluid flush and a clutch fluid flush, and ask how much the services were. They told me the clutch fluid flush is $179.99 then the brake fluid flush is $139.99
After taxes and everything I’m looking at $350…

So I called Hyundai service that is is 1 mile up the road from Kia, and asked them how much it would be for them to do it. The clutch fluid flush is $69.99 and the brake fluid flush is $129.99 so out the door for about 200 bucks..

Why such the huge price difference between these two dealerships that are a mile apart? This is not a few dollars this is almost 100 bucks for the same service . Also this is not the first time Kia has quoted me a pretty high price for a service. Then I call Hyundai and they do the same service for 30%-40% less.

I also thought the brake fluid is “clutch fluid” as it’s in the same system?
Last note: when it comes to buying oem dealer parts on the other hand Kia has cheaper parts the Hyundai? So it’s looking like I’ll go to Kia for parts and Hyundai for Service.

Do you think 200 for both services clutch and brake fluid flush is reasonable at the dealer? I had the sonatas brake fluid flushed a few months ago and it was like $140 out the door which I thought was a “good” deal. 😂 (was it?)

I figured with the ABS, electronic brake distribution, traction/ stability control and anything else that relies on the fluid that it’s cheap insurance to have it flushed after every brake job or every 2 to 3 years.
I have bled brakes in the past, but they were basic systems.

I’ve never bled a clutch..

Thanks! 🙏

If you've bled conventional brakes before before, you'll have no trouble bleeding a clutch. They say it's good practice to put a piece of wood on the floor so as to not allow the pedal to go right to the floor when you're doing the bleeding.

If you don't have a helper, you can run a tube from the nipple on the clutch slave cylinder down into a jar of old brake fluid.

 

[AZjeff]

If you don't have a helper, you can run a tube from the nipple on the clutch slave cylinder down into a jar of old brake fluid.

That's good advice. Where do you get a jar of old brake fluid, not something you'd keep normally.

RE: bleeding a newer ABS brake system, is this any harder than an older system or can you mess something up?

 

[willbur]

Quick question, I gave Kia Service a call to set up an appointment for a brake fluid flush and a clutch fluid flush, and ask how much the services were. They told me the clutch fluid flush is $179.99 then the brake fluid flush is $139.99
After taxes and everything I’m looking at $350…

So I called Hyundai service that is is 1 mile up the road from Kia, and asked them how much it would be for them to do it. The clutch fluid flush is $69.99 and the brake fluid flush is $129.99 so out the door for about 200 bucks..

Why such the huge price difference between these two dealerships that are a mile apart? This is not a few dollars this is almost 100 bucks for the same service . Also this is not the first time Kia has quoted me a pretty high price for a service. Then I call Hyundai and they do the same service for 30%-40% less.

I also thought the brake fluid is “clutch fluid” as it’s in the same system?
Last note: when it comes to buying oem dealer parts on the other hand Kia has cheaper parts the Hyundai? So it’s looking like I’ll go to Kia for parts and Hyundai for Service.

Do you think 200 for both services clutch and brake fluid flush is reasonable at the dealer? I had the sonatas brake fluid flushed a few months ago and it was like $140 out the door which I thought was a “good” deal. 😂 (was it?)

I figured with the ABS, electronic brake distribution, traction/ stability control and anything else that relies on the fluid that it’s cheap insurance to have it flushed after every brake job or every 2 to 3 years.
I have bled brakes in the past, but they were basic systems.

I’ve never bled a clutch..

Thanks! 🙏

It’s called “greed”.

 

[Lubener]

If you feel these flush services are needed (actually listed in the maintenance manual ), then pay the price. Asking if it's a fair price on a forum doesn't makes sense.

I never heard anyone flushing the hydraulic clutch system unless the system was opened for a repair. My 87 F150 never had its clutch fluid flushed and I never had a problem with it. I flush the brake fluid with every brake job which is about 5-6 years. I can't justify doing it more often.

 

[Hall]

Two different owners with different sales / margin goals or targets. Isn't this like asking why grocery store "A" sells a gallon of milk for one price while store "B" sells it for a different price ?

 

[Chris142]

I would not pay those prices for a simple job like those are.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

OP why not get a mityvac and take the job on yourself?

I bought this EWK off Amazon a while ago and love it. I bought the 6.5 quart version for storage and handling. So far it’s not been an issue. I Have done a few transmission fluid, power steering fluid and brake fluid swaps. Makes it a lot easier IMO.
Pump

Just my $0.02

 

[nobb]

That's weird, flushing the clutch is way less time consuming than the brakes. Sometimes the brake + clutch run off the same reservoir so it makes sense to do both at the same time.

It's a super easy job to DIY, only tricky part is to make sure you don't accidentally get air in the system. I'm also paranoid of accidentally not tightening the bleeders properly and/or overtightening too much.

 

[Number_35]

That's good advice. Where do you get a jar of old brake fluid, not something you'd keep normally.

RE: bleeding a newer ABS brake system, is this any harder than an older system or can you mess something up?

I do keep a container of old brake fluid around, specifically for bleeding the clutch and brakes.

I've bled ABS brake systems just like conventional systems, and have not run into any problems, but have heard that some ABS systems require special tools and/or procedures. Lucky so far I guess.

 

[meep]

Clutch fluid should get changed just like brake fluid. In my lifetime I’ve watched two clutch master cylinders and two clutch slave cylinders fail, either in family-owned cars or friends of my own. Of those 4, the owners never changed the fluid. Clutch fluid pressures aren’t anywhere near brake pressures, but the fluid does get old, attract water, degrade, etc. a clutch bleed can often be done by just opening the bleeder and letting it drip out while topping off the reservoir. It doesn’t have valving which can prevent flow under certain pressures like brakes can (rears typically).