babbo_umbro said:

While I have no truck with dealers taking the **** on spares prices, I have to fess up as a radical haggler that the dealers make very little profit on many of their new car sales so they need to make up the loss of profit somewhere else, though you'd think they'd realise that they would actually do better overall if their prices were seen to be reasonable.

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OldPopwithNewPop said:

Found a independant online (hampshire) that will do cambelt for £160 plus VAT !!
http://www.alfacare.co.uk/Servicing/timing_belts.php

Don't know if they are any good but surely worth investigating ?

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8valver said:

if i was close id do it for £200 to help someone out rather than to make money from them

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jnoiles said:

I've had an idea in the back of my mind for a while now about renting a couple of bays at pitstart for a day. Each bay has a 4 post lift and air/hand tools. Find a guy handy with spanners such as yourself and lure him along for the day with offers of money and all the pizza he can eat and coffee he can drink. Have a general 'learn how to do car stuff day'.

Devote one bay to simple things like oil changing and brake pad/disc, spark plug replacement etc. Use the other bay for the more involved water/oil/belt changes.

Declare it a "no stupid questions" event so people at all levels of experience can ask the group about bits they don't know. Everyone coming along orders the parts they need from one of the forum suppliers at the discount price and brings them along.

If we had 10 people @ £50 I reckon we could cover costs. It'd be a great chance to learn stuff and share stuff you know. And a good excuse to arse about with cars for a day and avoid housework

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