Yet another warning about local garages and belt changes!

[blambert]

My 182 has a really complete service history from the first owner.. the second had the 72k service done at a local garage and I didn't notice they hadn't done the aux belt... I didn't know much about 182's when I was looking.

Looked at the invoice...Local garage... just the timing belt kit... charged 8 hours labour. Total cost for 72k service without an aux belt kit was like £600. Poor guy got ripped off.

Anyway... took the 182 down to Rentech today to have the Aux belt kit done. (6 years and 90,000 miles old, probably time to get it changed) and asked for the timing belt to be checked.

Turns out the garage hasn't used any locking tools AT ALL. The covers you remove to get the locking tool in showed no signs of ever being removed and there were painted marks on the pulleys that they'd done to mark the timing. That right, theyd painted lines to mark the timing, removed the belt and put the new one on... with no locking tools at all. Decided it was best to check the timing properly as although it has done 10k since the change it could still be out by a degree or so.

By complete luck rather than skill.. they'd managed to get the timing correct.

Another example of local garages charging far too much and doing a shoddy job!

Use specialists!

 

[Fred@BTM]

see it all the time

 

[Silent_Scone]

I trust my local garage with mine all the time, but I'd never let them touch my timing on the 172!

 

[BoroGTI]

I presume these locking tools are only available to main dealers?

 

[sidey]

I presume these locking tools are only available to main dealers?

Don't think so but at over £200 for tools specific to the f4r engine very few non-specialist places will have them/ get them for your job.

 

[f0xy]

Only about £130-140 to buy the lot from Renault, I bought my own set

 

[blambert]

Ha f**k me. Noticed something whilst cleaning the sills in the engine bay. A Gates Powergrip sticker. They charged £207.45 for a non-genuine kit. Hah!

Time to name and shame. I might even call the previous owner and tell him to never go near them again.

How are the powergrip kits by the way? Should I worry? God knows what discs and pads they put on. Time to get some new front discs and pads I think (front right is squealing like a pig anyway)

 

[Daniel]

So someone paid £580 for a cambelt kit, discs, pads and change the oil and filter. The timing was spot on and theres nothing wrong with the car....

Just how did this guy get ripped off exactly???

 

[Cooksport]

So someone paid £580 for a cambelt kit, discs, pads and change the oil and filter. The timing was spot on and theres nothing wrong with the car....

Just how did this guy get ripped off exactly???

Sounds pritty good to me, but 25 quid for pads! They must be good

 

[Tom@JMS]

Powergrip is gates - same as OEM, so at least that is correct!

 

[JonniP]

what is the issue with marking the pullies? your slating this garage and what have they done wrong? not used the locking tool? surely its preferable to use one and not essential. It was probably their skill rather than lack of skill that ensured the timing remained spot on.

 

[MikeB]

So someone paid £580 for a cambelt kit, discs, pads and change the oil and filter. The timing was spot on and theres nothing wrong with the car....

Just how did this guy get ripped off exactly???

This :S

 

[ForceIndia]

Whilst I agree I would never go to a none specialist, in this case they seem to have done a good job? Maybe luck, maybe not.

 

[blambert]

So someone paid £580 for a cambelt kit, discs, pads and change the oil and filter. The timing was spot on and theres nothing wrong with the car....

Just how did this guy get ripped off exactly???

Cheap parts & 8 hours labour.

Sure, the jobs been done okay (by complete chance)... but when you could go somewhere proper and get genuine parts for the same money (and probably the aux belt kit for not much more) its worth telling people about is it not?

 

[Alastair.]

£580 for a cambelt kit, discs, pads, rear pads and change the oil and filter, thats a bargain, and the timing was spot on, mechanic says fuk the tools and haters lol

 

[JonniP]

how was it by complete chance? complete chance would be lets pop the belt off do a dance and whack the new one in never mind how the pullies were before.

you're a fool

 

[Daniel]

Cheap parts & 8 hours labour.

Sure, the jobs been done okay (by complete chance)... but when you could go somewhere proper and get genuine parts for the same money (and probably the aux belt kit for not much more) its worth telling people about is it not?

Well a cambelt kit and auxbelt kit from a specialist on here is what, £450?

So this guy has paid £130 extra for discs and pads and an oil and filter.

I just think its a little unfair to call this garage rip-off merchants when you don't know that. Its someones livelihood you're slagging off.

 

[ForceIndia]

Cheap parts & 8 hours labour.

Sure, the jobs been done okay (by complete chance)... but when you could go somewhere proper and get genuine parts for the same money (and probably the aux belt kit for not much more) its worth telling people about is it not?

The belt kit is genuine, isn't it?

 

[Tom@JMS]

I just think its a little unfair to call this garage rip-off merchants when you don't know that. Its someones livelihood you're slagging off.

Welcome to internet forums!

 

[blambert]

Christ sorry nobody said a thing after my first post except agreeing with me, so I think 'cool maybe posting the invoice would be an idea seeing as they charged £207 for the £108 gates kit and took 8 hours to do it'... I post the invoice and everyone goes nuts. The price might be good but personally I care about quality of the job, and parts used, as well!

I was only going on what I've read here about labour times and what belts to use and the prices in the trader forum. It seemed a bit excessive that's all. Sorry to have caused offence. 'Name and shame' was the wrong phrase to use from the outset anyway.

 

[AlexS]

Oil looks abit cheap... Can't have been anything decent.
Gates belt kit is ok though.

 

[ForceIndia]

Christ sorry nobody said a thing after my first post except agreeing with me, so I think 'cool maybe posting the invoice would be an idea seeing as they charged £207 for the £108 gates kit and took 8 hours to do it'... I post the invoice and everyone goes nuts. The price might be good but personally I care about quality of the job as well!

I was only going on what I've read here about labour times and what belts to use and the prices in the trader forum. It seemed a bit excessive that's all. Sorry to have caused offence.

In all fairness, in the op you didn't mention that the pads/discs/oil etc had been done as well. As I said, I agree that I wouldn't use a specialist, but these guys seem to have done a good job. Giving a negative impression of someone, with only half the info, when they've done a good job, is a bit harsh!

 

[blambert]

Yea that was unclear I said '72k service' but then 'just the timing belt' as in... not the auxiliary belt.

 

[172Ben]

not bad for a 72k service.

Top bombing!

 

[blambert]

Must be karma!