[paqman]

I have just a couple of questions about the clutch. First off, I've been driving manual transmissions for about 16 years, so I'm not new to it, and I feel like I've treated them pretty well. I've never had any go out on me or anything. But it was only recently that I actually learned how they work, and it has made me question my use and how hard it is wearing on the clutch.

I don't "ride" the clutch while driving or anything, my main question is during take off from a stop. I typically like a nice smooth start, not a quick jolt off the line, and not a shaky start, so to achieve that, I slowly let the clutch out every time. But in learning how the clutch works, I realize that I am basically doing a lot of slipping to achieve this nice smooth start, which I've learned will wear down the clutch faster. Now, I don't want to drop the clutch either, I hear that can cause damage to gears and other areas, plus it doesn't give me the smooth start that I want. (unless I'm racing someone off the line, which I rarely do.) Is my clutch use considered normal use? Or is there a better way to do it?

My last question is about the clutch replacement. I just bought a 2001 Mustang GT, and it has about 86K miles on it. I don't know if the clutch has ever been replaced, and it feels fine to me at this point. I can contact the previous owner, but he's only had it for about 4 years, so he may not know if it's been replaced before that. Is the clutch something I can just wait till I feel it slipping before I replace it without damaging other stuff, or should I replace it at a certain point whether or not I feel it going out? I've looked at info on how to replace it, and I'm pretty sure I could do it myself, so I'd just be looking at parts cost, which doesn't seem to be too high. I'm just curious.