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Cam Belt change



emma5

emma5

Hi all, I am due a cam belt change and I got quoted from a trader around £600 for everything, The normal garage where I go I just saw the guy and I was talking to him about it as its the first time he has seen my new car,
He said he would do it for £250, I know people say local garages might not do it properly, but I don't understand why if they are a garage surely they are qualified enough to do the job properly? They do it on every other car so why is it this car that's so different?
I not long ago started a new job and had to take a pay cut so before spending £600 on the car wouldn't have been an issue but at the moment the £250 sounds very tempting and I could afford it, If it needs doing as desperately as everyone suggests is it worth just going with my local garage so the job has been done?

Thanks
Emma
 
Budgie

Budgie

  330i. E30 Touring.
Nope. Wait and have it done by someone who knows what they're doing.

Why's it £600 though? Plenty of traders on here do a cambelt and auxbelt service for ~£450..

Your quote of £600 include a dephaser?
 
D

Dan@SJM

Put it this way, I've yet to see one done by a local garage that I haven't had to correct.

People do not know how to do these properly, and the correct tools cost best part of £150, so he won't be buying them just to do the work.

If it helps, I charge £425.
 
emma5

emma5

Yeah the £600 included the dephaser, I dont think my dephaser actually needs doing but a lot of people seem to think i should have it done at the same time.

If he does have the correct tools then would it be worth taking it there or is it still a no no?
 
DrR

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
1*2 means 172/182.

If you're in the midlands go to Birchdown or BTM.
 
emma5

emma5

Dan@SJM said:
Put it this way, I've yet to see one done by a local garage that I haven't had to correct.

People do not know how to do these properly, and the correct tools cost best part of £150, so he won't be buying them just to do the work.

If it helps, I charge £425.
Click to expand...

Trouble is your to far away! im in nottingham lol

I think it was £390 for just the cam belt and £600 for the cambelt and dephaser
 
emma5

emma5

Dan@SJM said:
Nottingham, go straight to diamond motors.
Click to expand...

That is who I was in touch with and gave me them quotes! He was very helpful and like I say if I had the still got the old job I would have been straight there and getting it done at diamond motors.
 
emma5

emma5

Yeah the guy at my local garage said he uses genuine parts too... I'm guessing what you guys are saying is the tools to do it with.
 
D

Dan@SJM

emma5 said:
Yeah the guy at my local garage said he uses genuine parts too... I'm guessing what you guys are saying is the tools to do it with.
Click to expand...

So he's doing the job for free?

Yeh, the tools are 150% vital that they are genuine. Not just the cheap laser equivalent.

There are 3 tools that are needed, most garages use 2.
 
MartinR

MartinR

  182
emma5 said:
Trouble is your to far away! im in nottingham lol

I think it was £390 for just the cam belt and £600 for the cambelt and dephaser
Click to expand...

There is more to the dephaser than what most think, like oil and filter change and seal kit. Not just the pulley itself.

The correct tools are a must!
 
emma5

emma5

Ok, so I'm I right in thinking you are suggesting to wait until I can afford to go to a specialist? Even though it is past being due!
Thanks
 
C

Carlv8415

  FF Clio 182
Garages like SJM and BTM charge £600 for a reason, if they could do the job properly for £250 then they would probably do it for that. Parts like Cambelt/aux kit, seals and dephaser come to about £300 as it is. So yeah I would wait or ask somebody nicely for the money...
 
Budgie

Budgie

  330i. E30 Touring.
Just get the belts done without the dephaser tbh.

It's only of late that people have been convinced to get them done with the belt.
 
D

Dan519

  DON'T SEND ME PM'S!!
I had one in this week, that had been done by a guy who builds massive power Mustangs and other muscle cars, drag cars, circuit racers, all sorts. He couldn't have got it more wrong. Shows that it doesn't matter how good you think you are, if you don't know these engines then you are back to day 1 of school.

FYI, full retail list price on a dephaser pulley is £181, cambelt kit £150, Aux belt kit £72. How is he going to do it all for £250?
 
C

Carlv8415

  FF Clio 182
Budgie said:
Just get the belts done without the dephaser tbh.

It's only of late that people have been convinced to get them done with the belt.
Click to expand...

But for the sake of £130 I would get the dephaser done. No point spending £450 getting all the belts changed then 4 months down the line your car sounds like a tractor and you have to rip it all off again... One thing on a car you never want to skimp out on...
 
D

Dan519

  DON'T SEND ME PM'S!!
Budgie said:
Just get the belts done without the dephaser tbh.

It's only of late that people have been convinced to get them done with the belt.
Click to expand...

I agree. I only do them when they're noisy, and i've had 2 come back ever. I let them soak in the part washer for as long as I can and it seems to help extend their life by getting all the old crap oil out
 
C

Carlv8415

  FF Clio 182
Dan@519Automotive said:
I had one in this week, that had been done by a guy who builds massive power Mustangs and other muscle cars, drag cars, circuit racers, all sorts. He couldn't have got it more wrong. Shows that it doesn't matter how good you think you are, if you don't know these engines then you are back to day 1 of school.

FYI, full retail list price on a dephaser pulley is £181, cambelt kit £150, Aux belt kit £72. How is he going to do it all for £250?
Click to expand...

Plus oil and filter...
 
emma5

emma5

Just in two minds about what to do, either wait until I can afford to go to a Diamond motors or get it done because otherwise im risking it snapping...
 
D

Dan519

  DON'T SEND ME PM'S!!
without wanting to sound condescending, if you can't afford to service it then you can't afford to run it. best to not use it until you can afford what needs doing
 
emma5

emma5

Dan@519Automotive said:
I had one in this week, that had been done by a guy who builds massive power Mustangs and other muscle cars, drag cars, circuit racers, all sorts. He couldn't have got it more wrong. Shows that it doesn't matter how good you think you are, if you don't know these engines then you are back to day 1 of school.

FYI, full retail list price on a dephaser pulley is £181, cambelt kit £150, Aux belt kit £72. How is he going to do it all for £250?
Click to expand...

I think it was £250 without the dephaser
 
emma5

emma5

Dan@519Automotive said:
without wanting to sound condescending, if you can't afford to service it then you can't afford to run it. best to not use it until you can afford what needs doing
Click to expand...

As said before I had the car and then took a pay cut not long ago which wasn't expected as I got a new job, Otherwise I wouldn't have bought a car I couldn't afford to run simple as.

Anyway thanks for the advice everyone has given I will get it down to a specialist asap
 
C

Carlv8415

  FF Clio 182
Well according to certain members on the forum the belts don't ever perish so you could just reuse them as long as they been serviced correctly... ;)
 
D

Dan519

  DON'T SEND ME PM'S!!
emma5 said:
As said before I had the car and then took a pay cut not long ago which wasn't expected as I got a new job, Otherwise I wouldn't have bought a car I couldn't afford to run simple as.

Anyway thanks for the advice everyone has given I will get it down to a specialist asap
Click to expand...

I know, don't worry I've been there and had to take a car off the road for a few months when circumstances changed, on more than one occasion. IT happens unfortunately. You'll be better off in the long run if you can manage without it for a short time :)
 
emma5

emma5

Dan@519Automotive said:
I know, don't worry I've been there and had to take a car off the road for a few months when circumstances changed, on more than one occasion. IT happens unfortunately. You'll be better off in the long run if you can manage without it for a short time :)
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks for your advice and help! :)
 
T

The Fatty

  AB182, Audi A5 3.0
Just putting this out there, others will have to confirm if this is viable or not...

As you tight on money at the moment, could you net get the guy to do it for £250, then if he gets it wrong take it to diamond motors to be timed correctly? I don't think you would need a new belt if it was done in a short space of time? That's way, you might get it done alright for £250 by luck, and if not you can get the timing corrected for another £150ish, bring you to the same price as what's normally charged?

dan etc will confirm if this is a really bad idea or not.
 
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