[Hillbilly]

2001 T5 manual<BR>Here in the Bluegrass we don't do much stop and go driving. But I was in Washington DC last week and had my first experience with a parking garage and probably the worst city traffic I have ever seen. I was amazed at how difficult it was to operate the clutch at slow speeds. I'm glad that the garage I used was a self park because I'm sure someone who didn't care about the car could have done some major damage to the clutch. I love my T5 and its manual shift at speed but the slow maneuvers were painful. Anyone have any suggestions or opinions about this clutch?

 

[GrecianVolvo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hillbilly:<BR><B>2001 T5 manual<BR>Here in the Bluegrass we don't do much stop and go driving. But I was in Washington DC last week and had my first experience with a parking garage and probably the worst city traffic I have ever seen. I was amazed at how difficult it was to operate the clutch at slow speeds. I'm glad that the garage I used was a self park because I'm sure someone who didn't care about the car could have done some major damage to the clutch. I love my T5 and its manual shift at speed but the slow maneuvers were painful. Anyone have any suggestions or opinions about this clutch?</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Wow...why do you find it "painful"??? Actually, it is a very easy clutch since it "catches" pretty high, which means that you can eliminate prssing the clutch too deeply on stop-'n-go situtations...that should require less work from your feet/legs which in turn should not tire you out. I am really surprised you found it difficult. Sometimes I wish mine were a little sportier...less travel...<P>BTW, Love your nickname! <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"><P>Yannis<P><P>

 

[Hillbilly]

Yannis;<BR>I should have been more specific. Painful here means "really awaful" and by that I mean lots of chatter, uneven engagement, difficult to get car moving smoothly. the problems were amplified by having to drive very slowly in tight spaces (the parking garage). I have known about these problems from when I get the car but Volvo reps says I just needed to allow the car to go faster when first starting out. Couldn't do that in the garage. Does this sound like your clutch?<BR>

 

[anony00gt]

That happens with every manual car I've ever been in (although I've never been in a manual Volvo) at extremely slow speeds. You have to either slip the clutch or get lots of "chatter" and difficulty getting the car doing smooth. I don't think its anything to worry about.<P>

 

[GrecianVolvo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hillbilly:<BR><B>Yannis;<BR>I should have been more specific. Painful here means "really awaful" and by that I mean lots of chatter, uneven engagement, difficult to get car moving smoothly. the problems were amplified by having to drive very slowly in tight spaces (the parking garage). I have known about these problems from when I get the car but Volvo reps says I just needed to allow the car to go faster when first starting out. Couldn't do that in the garage. Does this sound like your clutch?</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Sorry for the late response; I must have overlooked it. <P>No, not really...AT tremendously low speeds wile on 1st gear, it depends how fast but under 10mph it is usually pretty smooth and if it gets "uneven" all I have to do is tap (very gently) the clutch and all is well. With 2nd gear my car drives very evenly...no probs at all. Actually, I find the manual Volvos very easy and gentle under very low speeds. I have owned (in this country) manual transmission Eagle Talon, Ford Probe, Mazda 323, Ford Escort, Volvo 850 and now the current car...the 850 and the T-5 have been the easiest to drive.<P>Yannis<P><P>

 

[RK]

Hillbilly<BR>I have '02 S60T5 with spaceball. I would agree with you on the smoothness of shifting at low speeds/low RPMs. It is not as smooth as I would like it to be. I also have old Nissan Pickup truck with stick and the shifting is definetely smoother in the truck. (I know how to drive cars with stick <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"> Could it be that the car is too new and the clutch and the transmission need some break-in period to adjust? (I never owned a brand new car with stick until this one, but all my previuos cars with manual transmission were pretty smooth.)

 

[Hillbilly]

My car has 25000 miles. Problem severity has been consistent, I believe. <P>This is mainly a problem when acclerating slowly such as when parking in tight circumstances or really bad stop and go driving where little forward movement occurs. Can be worse on a hill, if wanting to acclerate reasonably like if cars in front of you or if have your mother-in-law in the car. It's not true that hilbillys age gracefully.<BR>the chatter is so bad that the dash vibrates, which is very unimpressing in a 4o grand car.<BR>