36K Service, Cam Belt & Brakes

[Thunk]

Hello,

I'm new to all this, so I hope to call on your experience.

Took my 172 exc, which I bought at xmas, into City Motors in Bristol for its 36K (currently at 31K, but 2 years has past). Found out that the rocker gasket had perished and leaked oil over the cam belt. So I had to replace the cam belt etc which cost £700. Anyone else paid a similar amount?

The other thing they pointed out was that my brakes and discs need replacing in a few months. I was quoted around £600 inc fitting but I imagine I can get some performance stoppers for that so any ideas? Not too sure how it will effect my insurance though!

Lastly, can anyone recommend a tuner / garage near Bristol as I am going to try and avoid Main Stealer prices from now on!

Cheers,

Thunk

 

[edde]

Try Mike at Rentech he lives Portsmouth which isn't that far away and much cheaper.
the servicing rules are here but you'd not need the car to be sertvided when you did but if the cambelt could have work its best you got it checked early.
£600 for brakes is silly new pads are £40 for the front and disk are £55 for the front. Fitment you can do youself its very easy.
As for the back well its very unlikly yours will have worn they never wear. New disks and pads are £165 from yozzasport (cheapest I can find as you need bearings etc which makes them expensive).

 

[zack40]

7oo for the cam belt sounds a lot.i just got quoted 260 at my local garage including the belt they says it a 5 hour job .so cant realy moan at that price....

 

[thedoc]

£600 for discs & pads is a pi55 take.
You can get front & back discs & pads yourself for under £250. I'd not go to that place that quoted you that.

 

[ChrisR]

Id' say supplied and fitted, new brakes all round, cam belt with full cam kit and 36k service should weigh in at £800.

 

[Djw Dave]

front disks are about £15ea and pads about £25-30
rear disks are about £10ea and pads for the back about £20

i'd never pay main dealer prices for anything for that exact reason

disk and pad change on the front is an hours work tops
same for the rear

they're wanting £600 quid for £100 worth of parts and 2 hours labour? tell them where to shove it and do the stuff yourself

and i also fail to believe that both front and rear disks n pads all need changed at the same time

 

[Fred@BTM]

front disks are about £15ea and pads about £25-30
rear disks are about £10ea and pads for the back about £20

i'd never pay main dealer prices for anything for that exact reason

disk and pad change on the front is an hours work tops
same for the rear

they're wanting £600 quid for £100 worth of parts and 2 hours labour? tell them where to shove it and do the stuff yourself

and i also fail to believe that both front and rear disks n pads all need changed at the same time

i'd like to see where you can get those parts (for a 172) for those prices!!

 

[Djw Dave]

trade account at my local factors and www.buypartsby.co.uk both offer similar pricing, and their brake parts are either delphi or mintex, both of which ive had no problems with to date

 

[ChrisR]

trade account at my local factors and www.buypartsby.co.uk both offer similar pricing, and their brake parts are either delphi or mintex, both of which ive had no problems with to date

Having a trade account can't really be a fair comparison tho!

But as they aren't renault discs on the back you also have to sort the rear wheel bearings, so that's either buy new ones and have them pressed or remove old and do it.

Still not terrible prices from that site even after adding the VAT, but the stock items are pretty good so would be interesting to see how these held up.

 

[stoddie]

i paid £650 for a cam belt change too mate.

 

[Thunk]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your comments - certainly won't go back to City Motors wihout bargaining again. Apparently all the discs need replacing as they are corroding which is an MOT failure even though they are only half worn- they aren't that bad, so it sounds like they were hoping for a quick buck.

Will get some quotes from other places first!

Thunk

 

[172 Dave]

i paid £650 for a cam belt change too mate.

:S 650 notes!!!!!!!!!! mike at rentech did mine +48k service and aux belt for way way way less than that and im talking hundreds!! all genuine kit too!!

 

[Andy GDI]

£400 tops for cam belt and tensioner kit and aux belt.

 

[Thunk]

Cheers guys- I have learned a lesson the hard way!

By the way, does anyone with an exclusive know where the car number badge is? I believe it is located inside the drivers door sill, near the tyre pressures, but I can't find 'owt!

Cheers

 

[172 Dave]

should be on the sill protector - sure its an exclusive then? whats the colour?

 

[Mike@Rentech]

Between GDI, Yozzasport, Carlton Garage and me you gota have a place that can do the jobs a lot cheaper than you have been quoted, whichever is near to you.

Looking at around or near 400 for the belt and tensioners from me as well.

 

[172 Dave]

^^Him speaketh the truth^^ top bloke

 

[Thunk]

Yep, its on the registration docs etc, is scarab green, BBS wheel, leather interior etc. no sill plates unless I'm being a spanner. Mystery!