General sorta survey,
but after driving my car (non turbo, thinking maybe, this may be a reason for it being hard to drive) around the city in traffic, etc, i feel stuffed, i mean, it's "hard" to drive, you have to "push" it to get it to move, i.e. hold your foot down on the accellerator harder, etc.... Clutch i find hard to HOLD in, i mean, it seems to be "sprung" all the way to the floor, yet, most hap crap cars i've driven the clutch gets really easy once it hits the floor (to hold in)..... as such, i am wondering about an auto conversion....... pretty easy? Drive shaft, pedal box, and maybe a g/b mount? Would a turbo motor help my cause, or would it be just as "hard" to drive? Hrm...
Az

My 1990 745GLE 16 valve also has a stiff clutch, so much so that my non-athletic, but not weak, wife gets muscle cramps when she drives the car. I find it heavy but have gotten used to it. I have to push the pedal to the floor to get it to disengage. It is going in for a new clutch tomorrow. I'll report back. Mine has a hydraulic linkage which appears to be functioning normally. Quite possibly, the clutch is worn to the point that the clutch internals are stiff, need lubrication or are so far worn that lever angles have changed significantly. I won't know till it is apart.

But I agree, it is tiresome around town. I have driven plenty of sticks, including trucks, and none are as tiresome as this beast. Takeup is not smooth. I bought the car like this with the full knowledge that I was in for a clutch job. I suspect that you are as well.

Bill

Just got my 745GLEback from the shop. Wow! What a difference. The clutch is now light as a feather and disengages about mid-stroke. At 326,000km, the clutch plates were well worn but not yet down to the rivets so the flywheel did not need to be refaced. Put in a clutch pack, throwout bearing, etc, new rear main seal, replaced all the level bushings, fork, hanger bearing (that was causing the shutter on takeoff under load), and whatever else needed replacing. This was no time to penny pinch. After some contemplation, we decided to replace the bell housing because the slave cylinder brace was welded on. It must have been damaged by the previous owner. The tranny had been replaced in the past with a cast iron tranny (mine was supposed to be aluminum). Weird - don't know the history. 10.5 hours labour. At any rate, having a bell housing with a bracket that was not misaligned and having all new innards gives me a like-new clutch. As I said, what a difference!

The downside is that now my wife can drive it. ;-}

Bill

A 740 non-turbo is hard to drive fast, because it's only 114 horsepower and close to 4000 lbs. Otherwise, it's amazing for controlling driver fatigue with it's excellent seats, very good control ergonomics, good ride, great view all around, and neutral, stable, but firm handling. Long trips are almost too easy, the driver lasting way longer than the tempers of the kids in the back.

If you don't have clutch problems, you need to see a doctor or switch to an automatic. You won't be any faster, but it will be less work around town.

Seriously, with that power to weight ratio, a standard doesn't give much performance advantage over a decent automatic. If you don't actually enjoy or prefer a standard, as many do, choose an automatic next time and let inertia be your friend.

if the clutch is that hard to push in, a new cable may help. but a new clutch should fix it. and believe me...you dont want an auto. i took mine out and put a stick in its place, and i have a turbo!

I think a new clutch cable might improve things. My Volvo is in par with stick BMW's as far as clutch effort. Non-turbo? You DEFINATELY don't want an auto.

Rene
--
1988 745 GLE B230F M46. Toronto. 370000Km. Suspension upgraded and lowered (B23FT ready for installation). 1982 242 GLT project (B23ET LPT to be included) Also in charge of GF's 1986 244

Az,
If you think it`s gutless at the moment you certainly won`t like it with an auto box.
Colin.

Tiring, you are kidding right. Hell I'm almost as bad as 2 million mile Irv.
I guess yes I do get tired when I drive my Volvo to Florida. I do that 3 to 4 times a year, but hell, it's only 3 tanks of gas or 1,180 miles non stop. It takes me around 20 hours usually. I must be getting old I use to go at least 24 hours. If I had a manual instead of an automatic it would probably be easier.

If your car is too hard to drive, you could just stay home. The thing about staying home is that if it gets too hard to sit up, you can go lie down.

How 'bout a nice Saturn?

ok please tell me ur joking. with there so called non dentable doors. do you know what happens when some one hits it!! there right they dont DENT they CRACK!! and u gotta replace door. and personally they look like shit! Im stickin with my 83 242. saturn, no thanks pal