I've bought an 08 Grande Punto 103,000 miles with no cam belt change.
£350 with 12 months ticket.
I was desperate!
Soooo... what are my chances?

Chances in term of the belt going?....pretty high id say..would it not be worth £200 to get a belt,pulley and water pump change?....

Which GP is it? As model/engine type determines whether cam belt or cam chain and whether it needs changing.
Of course you may have been told all this and know it needs a cam belt change.

If it has a cambelt then it is well overdue a change generally every 5 years and 72000 miles / 116000km

It's 2020! Nobody changes a cam belt & water pump for £200. People have kids to feed!
Or I'd get some youth that didn't have the experience & they wouldn't do that tension thing properly. Oh my goodness, no.
I need a man doing the job! A proper one.

It's definitely a belt. I can't see it, but I just know. I looked it up.
It's a 1.4 8v Grande punto.
My Corsa had a chain. Happy days.
I know the belt is gonna snap. It's just a case of when.
3 months would do me. Preferably 6.

So how's it made it 103,000 miles? Huh?
What's to say it can't make it another 5000?
So help me God it had better.
I will keep you informed.

MissPickle said:

So how's it made it 103,000 miles? Huh?
What's to say it can't make it another 5000?
So help me God it had better.
I will keep you informed.

Click to expand...

Belts seldom fail.. but the idler bearings do..

If you do regular decent journeys you may well be fortunate.

MissPickle said:

It's 2020! Nobody changes a cam belt & water pump for £200. People have kids to feed!
Or I'd get some youth that didn't have the experience & they wouldn't do that tension thing properly. Oh my goodness, no.
I need a man doing the job! A proper one.

Click to expand...

Did I say the price was inclusive?...maybe it was implied ...end of the day depends who you know,does it not? ATM Dayco timing kit(belt and water pump) reduced from £76 to £53.c/o Euro Car Parts..£150 labours not bad.

I had a 1.4 8v Grande which had over 100,000 miles and no record of the belt having been done, keptjj it for about 18 months then sold it on still without changing the belt. There is nothing to say it’s not been replaced, but is just lacking the relevant paperwork

I like your thinking Andy
You have to stay positive & take yerr chances when you get em.
When life gives you lemons...

Oh Nick... seriously?
Who quotes a price these days without labour?
Are you saying I need to make friends with the nearest mechanic, just because...?
You are, aren't you?
I'm not sure I could live with myself. It wouldn't be right

No Im saying find someone/a mechanic/service you trust and use them.
I'm an old man who has the luxury of knowing various people in the trade,for a number of years..
I have been going to one place for 37 years now. They supply tyres,exhausts and offer mechanical services.
Over the years you develop friendships and thus mates rates. And favours.The ages of these people range from 22 to my age,57 plus.And I trust them all.

My input in this is now over. Good luck with the car.

57? That's only 10 years older than me & I trust nobody.
I try to make friends but YOU won't be my friend, so why would anybody else?
If only I had your "input"
57 is not old btw. That means by the way, btw. Just in case you were so old you didn't know that.

Stop trying to argue with people, you made the post and they were entitled to their input.

My input is that it is stupid to risk being stranded, it would cost near enough £200 for the recovery and it would solve stress by just changing the timing belt.

Teirminator said:

Stop trying to argue with people, you made the post and they were entitled to their input.

My input is that it is stupid to risk being stranded, it would cost near enough £200 for the recovery and it would solve stress by just changing the timing belt.

Click to expand...

It’s seems it’s all meant in job humour.

Yes getting stranded is a pain but if budget it tight and let’s face it if you’re paying £350 for the car then the budget it tight, you wanna risk it then go for it, if you get stuck you can always call up a road side assistance company like AA or green flag, take out membership and get rescued there and then. If it doesn’t break down you’re quids in.

If the cambelt does break then scrap it as the car is not worth the repair.

I’m sure if they kept the car any length and then planned on keeping it they would get the work done.

Why waste money if the intention is to run the car into the ground?

So car is 11-12 years old with 100k+ miles. As 1st you can take off upper belt cover (3 bolts) and you can visualy check belt's condition. If you will see cracks on it or white stripes between each teeth, you should change it asap. If there are no cracks (even small) on belt's surface, I believe it can handle next few months till you save some money for changing it - price will be higher I think, because there is also tensioneer, water pump (that means also new coolant water + bleeding), new auxilary belt too, new bolt holding variator on camshaft, so price including job price will be 350 Eur/350GBP or more. Service must use proper fixing tools of crankshaft/camshaft, but those tools are cheap and every service have it I believe.
I bought 1.4 8V previous year, car was 6 years old with 55.000 miles, and I changed belts+pump immediately. Anyway my old belt looks good, it has only tiny white stripes between teeths...but I changed it because I wanna keep this car next 5 years