Chevrolet Aveo Clutch/Transmission Problem

[rlm2007x]

Hi.  I'm having a problem with my car and thought I'd ask here first before signing up for some car forum or whatever.  The car is a 2007 Chevrolet Aveo SV hatchback with 5 speed manual transmission.  It has about 65,000 miles on it.  The clutch is giving me problems.  Recently when you hit the gas the rpms jumps real high and stays there for a few seconds even after the clutch pedal is released.  Eventually it settles down to a more normal speed.  This seems to happen more in gears 3-5 and not so much in the lower gears.  Last night it got bad.  I got on the freeway and the car reved real high but wouldn't go over 50 mph in 5th gear.  Is the clutch worn out?  If so I think 65,000 is a little early for this to happen.  I've driven a manual for years (Jeep), and I know I haven't done anything to wear it out prematurely.  I got it used at about a year old though, so I don't know how the guy before me treated it.  Thanks.  Robert

[mechanic]

The clutch is worn out.  The symptoms you describe are to a "T".  You are placing less strain on the clutch in lower gears, but it's a safe bet that if you revved up and "popped" the clutch it would do so in lower gears as well.  If the clutch master or slave cylinders were bad, the clutch would not release.

This is a pill to put a clutch in, unless you have a lift and jack.

Best of luck......

Ben