Williams service/cambelt done

[Roamer]

Well, I dropped the car off yesterday morning, and today at about midday I got a phonecall saying my car was ready.... great, so went down to get it...... £636 all in - but I was expecting it........and they even gave me a free gift!

I drive away and the engine whines..... talked to the guy who did the work, and he says that the cambelt willbe a bit tight but it should be ok within a week, if its not go back and hell sort it, so, fine I think, then I drive on a bit and theres a strong smell...... I pondered what this was for a min then I got it..... it was my free gift....... a fuel leak!

So, I opened the bonnet and there it was, just underneath the front plastic cover.... fuel pissing out..... as quick as fook I drove back got a mech to come out and see where it was leaking, and sure enough fuel pissing all over the place, in the service bay it went and a few minutes later - job done.......

Im just now keeping my fingers crossed that the whining isnt the sign of impending doom and that it will be ok in a week or less, otherwise its back to Renault once more..... <sigh>

 

[Tom]

Spose its worth it. but still £636 is alot of money.

 

[James20VT]

ahhh... good old R5GTTs... they have chains instead of rubber belts, so last for ever

 

[Bennyboy]

holy sh*t, £636!! how come its only about £150 to do a cambelt on a normal valver and that much for a williams?!! does the belt go up over the roof, underneath the car and then back to the engine or what!!

 

[Roamer]

Thats renault prices mate.... but I wasnt going to risk anywhere else doing it

 

[Essex_Lad]

y is it so much for a cambelt? i thought mine was expensive at £150!

is it an engine out job for the williams?

 

[Bennyboy]

no offence but its sounds like you cant trust Renault to do it either, you could have ended up with your car burnt to a crisp if you hadnt smelt the petrol pissing out..

 

[aaronc]

gotta comment as i think that price is just madness, if youve got money to give away then cool, but then you probably wouldnt own a clio if you did.

Theres quite a few garages near me renault specialists which charge 30-40quid an hour and are very trust worthy, if not better than Renault itself, i just cant help thinking youve been completely ripped off on nearly a ten year old car.

 

[patty]

service today cost me £75 my uncles garage!!

 

[jimbo1]

that whining noise, is the cambelt put on too tight. or either tensioner or idler pulley bearing worn. tite belt sounds like a supercharger whine. the cambelt wont stretch over time, itl snap within a few hundred miles.

seems to me renault dont know there arse from there elbow. charge 600quid then cant even do it rite.

jimbo

 

[Clart]

Quote: Originally posted by Roamer on 12 September 2003

Thats renault prices mate.... but I wasnt going to risk anywhere else doing it

Surely u cant trust Renault to do it either!

 

[Daz.]

Picked mine up today ABS fixed and Cambelt Replaced With A k-tec competition jobby - £205 all in.

Chuffed with the aftercare and proffesional job done.

Renault and Pug specialists they claim - I believe em now!

 

[Daz.]

***Update*** I presume new belts are supposed to whine a bit untill they settle in? makes my car sound like a 1.0l at the moment!

 

[jimbo1]

nope, there should be no whining on a new belt

jimbo

 

[Infinicar]

Roamer - the whining is indicative of the belt being too tight. If its too tight, theres a risk of it breaking.

Bit of adivce - Renault are the last place you want to trust with a 10 year old car - they know nothing about them anymore.

Paul

 

[Bennyboy]

sounds too tight thats for sure. take it back, demand to talk to the service manager, tell him youre not happy with the work, especially about the petrol leaking out (very dangerous) get them to do it properly AND give you major discount for all the hassle..dont take any sh*t off em! they f**ked up well and truly!

 

[weight]

talking to him yesterday, hes gonna give em some sh*t alright! hehe!

Thing is because of what it is (Williams) you just have to have documented renault work receipts and service history!

 

[wonderpupp]

no offence, but I take my williams 1 to my local rally place - Triton Motorsport.



~Its a 10 year old car, and Renault aint got a clue anymore, but these rally people know what they talking about!!

Just had gearbox overhauled, all bearings replaced, and new clutch while they did it, £948. Phew! But at least its guaranteed work, and itll do me another 10 years (even though I only had the car since last may)



Oh yeh, and as long as they stamp my book, its a service history.

 

[Ben H]

The Willy engine is the same as the 16V engine to service - the price difference will be down to which garage you take it to.

 

[Alex M]

Roamer, did they change the tensioner and idler when they changed belt, as sometime they get really noisy after a belt change, could be them, think its best if they get changed also

 

[u33db]

I had new cams and pulleys fitted to my valver - this included a new cambelt and i was only £320!!

 

[Scribbler]

I know its a seperate issue but when i changed the power steering pump belt on the mother inlaws R5, Renault Ilkeston co-op parts department gave me a belt that was 40mm dia. to small, even though i gave them the old belt as a reference. Its also the same dealer that sold me an import as a registered uk car and then tried to forge the paperwork when i asked for a refund. That should give you and idea of the level of incompetence of some dealers. Luckly one of the mechanics at ilkeston branch warned me what a mickey mouse outfit they are and advised i went to Gordon lamb Renault dealers - his previous employers. I have had an excelent level of service from Gordon Lamb (chesterfield) and trust them totally, good value too.

My advice is shop around the varous renault dealers until you find one that you are happy with even if it means travelling its worth it in the long run.