Mazda Repair: 93 Mazda 626 clutch, strut towers, cv shafts

Question
i have a 1993 mazda 626 es (6 cyl engine) my clutch died and i am told i need to completly replace the clutch. the place where i bought my car is telling me 1500 to fix but the parts at advance auto (everything but tools) are only 120 so i know im being jipped. well to get to the point i'd like instructions on what needs to be done to fix it. like detailed...the tools needed and step by step instructions and an estimated time it will take, so i can work on it or find someone to do it and estimate in my own mind how much i should pay someone to do it. id really apreciate this. thanx have a good day

Answer
Hi Ruthanne thanks for asking
Replacin a cluch on any vehicle needs a person with a high automotive skill level. But if you feel you are camapble then there are alot of procedures you will have to follow and alot of tools you are going to need. This job with proper equipment and tools and AIR TOOLS this job should take about 5-6 hours working at it very slowly.
1-lift and support vehicle
2-remove tires
3 remove ball joints
4-remove bot CV shafts
5-disconnect battery
6-remove air cleanedm batterym battery tray, and any toher components over the transmission
7-remove the startor, remove all ecectrical and grounds on transmssion.
8-remove shifter linkages to transmission
9- if it has across member on the botton remove that, get a peice of 4*4 and run it along the vehicle under the hood ancor it somehow to the top of the strut towers or in that general area where nothing will get damaged, and use a peice of chain and a bolt and hold the engine up with that
10- remvoe all the motor mounts
11- remove all the transmission bolts and slide it out on a jack and remove it from the vehicle.

Now when the transmission is out you have to remove the fly wheel of the vehicle and send it to a machine shop for a resurface. IF this is not done the new cluch will NOT last very long or will not work at all. when that is done install the cluch, the clush usualy comes with a pladtic clutch alignment tool. it just helps line up the cluch before you tighten the pressure plate, When you buy the parts you are going to need more then just the clutch, you are going to need the clutch, pilot bearing, release bearing and a new pressure plate, they usualy sell these in a kit. And it comes with the tool. Then all you have to do now is install everything in reverse order as i have shown. I usual charge about 200 dollars cash to do a transmssion for somebody at home, But 1500 dollars for that repair at a shop is around average, it does involve alot of work, parts and tools. If you have any other questions you know ehere to find me.
Good luck
Chris P