Just had a quote from Jordan’s Fiat main dealer in Hull for a cambelt replacement on my 2013 1.2 ,...£443.57 , it’s a joke , my local garage want £250. The main dealer told me the interval was 4 years, which would have been 2017 and on only 11,000 miles, and should have been done prior to me buying the vehicle from them in March 2017.

Cameron1590 said:

I called the local fiat dealer here just out of interest £472 not including vat! Absolute joke!

They said it would take them about two hours.

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I just got a quote from these: http://www.mwtautomotive.co.uk/alfa-romeo-fiat-servicing.html

£431 +vat .

You supply the parts and I'll do it for £50 pocket money. £400+ is a total joke and a rip off. I'd be inclined to put figures like that in the press.

My local indy done it for £450. This was full cambelt kit, pump, tensioner, aux belt, antifreeze, brake fluid, oil, all filters, plugs, leads and all wipers, so full service. May have missed something of the list not sure but as it was 5 years old I got everything done so hopefully the next 5 years not so much to worry about

sandeel999 said:

My local indy done it for £450. This was full cambelt kit, pump, tensioner, aux belt, antifreeze, brake fluid, oil, all filters, plugs, leads and all wipers, so full service. May have missed something of the list not sure but as it was 5 years old I got everything done so hopefully the next 5 years not so much to worry about

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That's a reasonable price as it includes a full service as well. Don't forget though that the garage will get the parts at trade prices and they will charge you full retail prices so the profit margins are always reasonable. The 1.2 fire engine is easy enough to do timing belt, water pump, tensioner and serpentine belt. It's slightly fiddly due to lack of space but if a 64 year old with heart problems and spinal stenosis can do it with no problem then I'd say a bit of common sense anyone can, I don't even have a garage to work in.

But you may have 50odd years of practise

gr J

Ok chaps, 5 years since my cambelt was last done but only covered 12k miles, would it be cambelt roulette to stretch it out to a 6th year before it gets changed?

Leroypanda said:

Ok chaps, 5 years since my cambelt was last done but only covered 12k miles, would it be cambelt roulette to stretch it out to a 6th year before it gets changed?

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Likely it would but is it worse writing the engine off to save around £40-50 getting an extra year out the current belt?

Leroypanda said:

Ok chaps, 5 years since my cambelt was last done but only covered 12k miles, would it be cambelt roulette to stretch it out to a 6th year before it gets changed?

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We don't see many, if any, posts here from folks who've had a cambelt failure on the petrol engines (though we see quite a few reporting rough running after a belt change, so if you are going to change it, make sure it's done by someone who knows what they're doing). Diesels are another matter; there's a small but steady number of chain failures reported on the forum.

You'd be most unlucky if you left it and it failed, but it's an interference engine, so if it did, it won't be cheap and you'll be left stranded somewhere, possibly late at night in the rain.

My own view in cases like this is that a lot depends on whether you can do the job yourself. If you can, the parts are cheap as chips, so why take even a small risk? But if you can't, it's going to add another £300-£400 to your running costs next year to avert what is realistically less that a one in a thousand chance of spending perhaps five times that. It's a call only you can make, but this may at least help you to make that call based on a realistic assessment of the risk.

murphyv310 said:

You supply the parts and I'll do it for £50 pocket money. £400+ is a total joke and a rip off. I'd be inclined to put figures like that in the press.

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DEAL!!! Which one do you want first............

Mmm I think id even make it £100 each!!!

Hey I could round up loads and add a few quid on each and make a profit. We could then afford a new turkey this Christmas.

lennyt said:

I had my cambelt changed on the 7th of this month at 70,000 miles,i rang the main dealer and they wanted £440,i then rang Mrclutch and they wanted £320 this included the tensioner water pump and coolant change i then rang an independent fiat specialist and then paid £213 for belt tensioner water pump and coolant change.

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This is par for the course from anyone with a grain of reasonableness, I think I paid £187 +vat for my Bravo 3-4 years back.

Cameron1590 said:

The dealer was fiat nottingham (T.I.M Fiat) after speaking to them I called a reputable independent garage they said £230 for everything. I picked the car up today and the dealer has done it as promised and given me the old parts to prove it. Just can't believe people will pay that sort of money!

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I am glad to hear that dealer is reputable. Our latest car had its belt done at point of sale. For the seller paying mates rates to their own workshop makes it a reasonable overhead which I am sure they build into the price. I have a list of dealers to either use or avoid in each car. They can go on the OK list!
Good luck and happy Pandering!

Yea cant do it myself and my local trusted indie did it for £400 5 years ago so i was hoping to eek another 1500 miles/1 year out of it. In fairness the 5 year old one that came off originally didnt look old or cracked at all