Cam Belt Renewal
30 replies
SeasideBill replied on 23/12/2021 18:30
kenexton replied on 23/12/2021 18:58
Posted on 23/12/2021 18:58
Prices quoted for a good kit,like a Gates kit,are in the area of what I have paid -fitted and with a full service at our very reliable local garage.I know this as we kept both of our previous MHs to 6 years and swapped the cam belt and pump at 5 years.At five years you may also need to factor in approx £500 for a new set of tyres -Michelin/Continentals etc.
As a proportion of the high residual value on a MH at that age,it is not too much to lay out -IMHO.
Like TDA I know of a very trustworthy garage in SY - all our Family and friends use them; 40 years plus in our case.
Ask if you are near SY and I will supply details.
1 person likes this
EmilysDad replied on 23/12/2021 19:53
Posted on 23/12/2021 18:30 by SeasideBillWhatever…
SeasideBill replied on 23/12/2021 20:21
Posted on 23/12/2021 19:53 by EmilysDad... can you expand on that?
You mentioned dealer ... CY used a local garage. You added the the belt & service together ... the task is a mixture of both.
Posted on 23/12/2021 20:21
Happy to…. CY used a ‘commercial’ garage - is that ‘local’? Who knows, it’s a garage. In any event I don’t think labour charges are much different these days between good, trusted, popular ‘local’ garages and dealers. I had the cambelt replaced on my Golf by my local trusted garage and it cost slightly more than the local VAG dealer quote. I was happy to pay more because the VAG dealer is rubbish. I’ve also had my Ducato first service at a Fiat Professional dealer and subsequently by my local, trusted garage - circa £300 in both cases. Dismantling the front of an engine and replacing water pump and belts etc is not something that would be included in any routine service schedule.
EmilysDad replied on 23/12/2021 21:37
Posted on 23/12/2021 20:21 by SeasideBillHappy to…. CY used a ‘commercial’ garage - is that ‘local’? Who knows, it’s a garage. In any event I don’t think labour charges are much different these days between good, trusted, popular ‘local’ garages and dealers. I had the cambelt replaced on my Golf by my local trusted garage and it cost slightly more than the local VAG dealer quote. I was happy to pay more because the VAG dealer is rubbish. I’ve also had my Ducato first service at a Fiat Professional dealer and subsequently by my local, trusted garage - circa £300 in both cases. Dismantling the front of an engine and replacing water pump and belts etc is not something that would be included in any routine service schedule.
Posted on 23/12/2021 21:37
I see what you're saying .... I've no idea of Fiat's labour rates, but I know that local garages are cheaper than Merc's £120-ish labour rates. I'd expect coolant flushes in a major service ??? If the water pump does get replaced with a cam belt change, there's some kind of cross over.
We'll wait for CY to confirm one way or the other as to whether a 'commercial garage' is a local garage or main dealer .... 😉
I know that I'd be very reluctant to pay £800 for a cam belt - I'd do it myself first ..... the last car I had with a cam belt was my V6 Omega & I know that the dealer's charge was no where that - despite it being a fairly complex set up.
SeasideBill replied on 23/12/2021 22:31
Posted on 23/12/2021 21:37 by EmilysDadI see what you're saying .... I've no idea of Fiat's labour rates, but I know that local garages are cheaper than Merc's £120-ish labour rates. I'd expect coolant flushes in a major service ??? If the water pump does get replaced with a cam belt change, there's some kind of cross over.
We'll wait for CY to confirm one way or the other as to whether a 'commercial garage' is a local garage or main dealer .... 😉
I know that I'd be very reluctant to pay £800 for a cam belt - I'd do it myself first ..... the last car I had with a cam belt was my V6 Omega & I know that the dealer's charge was no where that - despite it being a fairly complex set up.
Posted on 23/12/2021 22:31
I don’t think they’ve made an Omega in 20 years? Prices have increased a bit since then🥴
I like to think I’m fairly handy with cars having owned and maintained quite a few classic cars over the years. However, I wouldn’t tackle a cambelt change - tried it in a Fiesta Zetec once, but gave up as it was a struggle without special engine timing tools - cheaper to get a mobile mechanic to do it.
EmilysDad replied on 24/12/2021 05:42
Posted on 23/12/2021 22:31 by SeasideBillI don’t think they’ve made an Omega in 20 years? Prices have increased a bit since then🥴
I like to think I’m fairly handy with cars having owned and maintained quite a few classic cars over the years. However, I wouldn’t tackle a cambelt change - tried it in a Fiesta Zetec once, but gave up as it was a struggle without special engine timing tools - cheaper to get a mobile mechanic to do it.
greylag