What an interesting thread...
I may (and stress the may) have one of the higher mileage 4200's around...
you see, I bought my beast to drive her, as and when I could and boy have I... my beauty now has a veritable 75,595 on the clock... she is a 52 plate 4200 CC...
I bought her in September 2007 (at the tender age of 3 years) with 26,000 miles on clock, and I have deliriously enjoyed adding nearly 50,000 miles in that time...
I need to re-visit all the earlier paperwork (in her first 3 years) to see whether the history (which is full) shows clutch replacement..., but I can tell you she remains on the same clutch in all the time I've owned her...
It's true to say that I will be looking to replace the clutch soon, but anyone who knows me knows I have never driven like a Sunday driver, and thoroughly enjoy (more often than not) exercising the horses...
I know (from many posts/replies on the same subject on another "broader" petrolhead forum) that there are always exceptions (i.e. comments meant to marginalise mine, as in I was the exception), and I cannot comment on other's experiences, and only share mine... but for me... I've never thought about driving to preserve my clutch, anymore than I've thought about counting the pennies spent on fuel and consumption...
Anyway... I hope others have such longevity... perhaps the answer is to drive hard and often?
Regards,
John