Ok, granted it has been a really long time since I have actually had a mechanic do anything to anything I own...but.....

I have an 89 suzuki sidekick 4wd , clutch went out of it...I am kicking myself now because I just replaced the transmission in it about 2 months ago and didn't replace the clutch. In my defense though I didn't know if the transmission was good or not, so didn't want to waste the money on a new clutch at the time. I did the transmission replacement in my driveway which is gravel...not fun by any means.

Ok, so I have a few other things broken and need to work on, and since I would have to do it in the gravel again and I have to fix a few other things, I really need to have it on the road again, so I thought to myself I will check with the local shop on replacing it...couldn't be that much, only like 8 bolts, set it back, replace, put it back. They wanted 300 bucks to do it!! and that was me supplying the clutch?

Is that high, or has it just been a really long time since I have priced something? For that price I will just crawl around in the gravel again....

That sounds pretty cheap to replace a cluch in a 4WD.

Use a GOOD clutch kit and make sure they turn the flywheel.  

Cwkick

over here in the uk, to replace a clutch in most standard cars it'll set ya back something like £300 - £400, supplying the clutch! so thats about $450 - $600 for you.

As the other chap above said, for a 4wd, it doesnt seem bad!!

Ok, well maybe I was just expecting to much.  I figured 150 tops to do it with me supplying parts.  I guess I should have mentioned that quote was for 5 hours labor...I just had the transmission out...in a gravel driveway with no lift even, and there is no way that would take 5 hours to replace the clutch and bolt it back in...2 tops with a lift I would think.

Not that I don't respect what they do...I couldn't do it for a living, it is a lot of work, I just didn't expect it to be that high..

Looks like back under the truck I go in the spare time I dont' have, now if I could quit breaking things....lol

5 hours seems a little high, but they gotta cover their butts too ... I'd expect it's a 3 hour job, maybe you'll be pleasently surprised if the estimate comes in under time.

they look in a book and it tells them whaty to charge. If they finishbefore the alloted time bonus for them! Most jobs are overestimated.

Ask them if they are going to charge you the full amount or only the time they spend on it.

You figure set-up, driveshafts, shifter, bolts, re-re clutch , reassembly, adjustment, test drive, 5 hours sound about right

get a refrigerator box put it under your rig will soften the gravel. or get lots of small boxes helps with finding bolts when you drop them as well.
and if you have already done it once it will take you much less time the second go around. I know I replaced my clutch about 2 weeks or so ago, I noticed I might be missing the throw out bearing return spring but since it wasn't there before I figured it wasn't supposed to be well it really needs to be there
I  put the throw out bearing off the end of the snout.
Only took about 2 hours to pull the transmission by myself.
took 3 with two people the first time.
I would get a buddy to help with torquing the fly wheel bolts down also
buy the kit complete
get clutch, plate, flywheel, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing.
I forgot the flywheel and cost me 4 days to get a new one.
I'm still waiting on parts but I figure it will only take about 3 hours to put the transmission back in by my self.

Hope this helps.
I know blah blah blah when does this guy ever shut up.

Never messed with the clutch on my Tracker, but did replace my clutch on my Toyota and took me 5 hours solo and I left the transmisstion and t-case in one unit. Figure the tracker weighs prob half what the toy one did would have to be easier. Around here most of the more reputable shops charge 50/hour and doesnt matter if an 8 hour job took 3 they bill for 8. But then again we have alot of the shadetree shops around and getting good luck with them takes alot of luck.