I'd be inclined to peruse the owners forums and see what clutch failure is like on these, ie if other damage has been known, and if it's likely to suddenly strand you without warning, and interesting to know how and if clutch wear can be measured on these.

Some lorry gearboxes with automated manual clutches will start to judder (worse than they normally do) at maneuver speeds, this usually happens around 500k kms on general heavy use, if you report it they won't do anything at the dealership (yes yours truly pre warned them), but anything up to 50k later the thrust bearing disintegrates with no other warning at all, leaving the vehicle completely immobile and a huge tow in operation to fix at the most inconvenient moment.

This as just an example to illustrate, there might be some way VW measure wear or point of engagement, or they might simply be going by average failure mileages, or the other option, but it would be worth finding out if there's good reason they suggest this replacement, other than creating income for themselves.

Obviously you'll get quotes from a good independent for clutch replacement when the time comes, we saved over 60% on the dealer quote when daughter's Aygo clutch needed replacing, and that was with genuine LUK parts.

Edited by gordonbennet on 06/06/2018 at 08:10

It’ll just be the dealer trying to drum up business by making advisories while the car was in for a service.

Sadly all too common. I wonder how many times his brake pads and perhaps even the discs have been replaced because 'they won't last till the next service, squire' . I suppose he'll have had the oil and filter changed every 5,000m as well. I wonder how many times they have changed the brake fluid? Heigh ho. Perhaps, owing to bit of surface rust, his brake pipes have been unnecessarily changed instead of being cleaned, painted and greased. (the ones on my 38yr old TR7 are original). I wonder how much has been spent 'servicing' your dad's probably carefully driven car over the years. A bit of driver-undetectable play in the bushes? Unnecessary replacement? Running a garage with no checks and balances is a licence to print money.

Garage gave me an advisory after an mot to replace front shocks. I left it and next year got the same advisory, left it again, the next year no mention of the shocks.....