General Punto JTD cambelt

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General Punto JTD cambelt

JTD Monkey

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Wotcha

I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

I have a Punto JTD ELX which is due it's 60,000 mile service soon. I want to get the cambelt changed but my regular dealer (DBS Desira in Hertford) wants £670 for the service (at £185) and cambelt (the other £485). At least Dick Turpin wore a mask :mad: . I know it does not need doing until 72,000 miles, but I want to get it done early, just in case.

Just wondering if anyone knows of a specialist with a good reputation in the Bedfordshire/ Hertfordshire/ Buckinghamshire area who could do the job. I know there used to be a specialist in Stevenage, but I don't think they trade anymore

All advice welcome

Cheers

Monkey
 
Someone is having a joke with you, £485??? (gold plated cambelt perhaps)

Our other car, a Vectra, had the cambelt and idler renewed, the cylinder head removed to have two exhaust manifold studs helicoiled and all refitted and generally tuned up at a local garage and they did an excellent job and that was only £330 inc.

Thats where my Punto Sporting will be going when the warranty expires.

Sorry its not near you but you must be able to find somewhere with a more realistic price

Good luck
 
i heard that as they finally got rid of block exemption a few years back, your car does not need to go back to the dealership to get services done. As long as you can prove that the work was done on time and competently then you should be alright. May need to argue lots with uneducated service staff but ah well... life wouldn't be fun without a few arguements.

Does anybody know if this is true or not?
 
Hmmm I will be watching this one with interest !! My JTD could do with a Cam Belt..... My mate is a Mechanic took one look and said it's an easy one with plenty of space !!

If he knackers it though and it snaps a belt, replacement engine might come from something a little bigger !!
 
Thanks for the comments guys, and the welcome :)

I am pretty sure the removal of block exemption only applies to the 1st and 2nd year of the warranty as this is a Fiat warranty. The 3rd year is a dealer warranty and requires a full Fiat Service History to apply (i.e. a service by a.n. other will not invalidate the warranty for the 1st and 2nd year, but the 3rd year warranty will be void). I think this is correct :confused:

I am happy for DBS Desira to do the 60,000 mile service, but I was just looking for another party who could do the cambelt. The car is out of warranty on March 30th anyway, I just want to keep the FSH as I'm sure it will make the car worth more ( :D ).

I will try and ring DBS again, if I speak to someone different the story may change... I really wanted them to do the work as they buck the trend (in my experience) of a typical Fiat dealer (despite having about 3 other dealers who are closer) and have always given me great service.

Perhaps I should chance not doing the cambelt as I am going to buy a new car in September anyway (anyone want a 54,000 mile Punto JTD ELX 5dr in Teseo blue, FSH, great car just fancy a change ;) )
 
Well, spoke to a different chap at DBS Desira today who quoted me £145 for the service :confused: and a total price of £505 for the service + cambelt which is pretty expensive but alot better than I was previously quoted. I have taken his name for reference, as the last time I had the car serviced they quoted me £225 but tried to charge £280 :bang:

He did mention the spark plugs were not included in the price :D as long as he gets nowhere near the car I shan't worry :)
 
my bottom pulley broke up on my jtd at 43k miles and 9 days out of warranty....... main dealer wouldnt put through as a warranty claim........ i had bottom pulley replaced, and had cambelt/tensioners replaced too as it seemed stupid not to......., for that anda an oil/filter change, it came to nearly £400!!!!!!!! to put this in perspective, my last car was a cavalier v6, at a VX main dealer, to have the cambelt alone changed was £125, with all the tensioners and rollers, it was £180, and remember a cavalier v6 has 4 camshafts, and far more ancilliaries in the way (air con compressor etc) . im quite happy with my punto (especially after fitted a small box to the engine management........), but very unimpressed with dealers, the prices i have been quoted for servicing are incredible......... maybe I should have had an LPG conversion on my cav???
 
bloody good motor the v6 is (had mine for 7 years), even in standard trim they are noticeably quicker than the vectra v6 esp with 3ltr omega inlet cams, scorpion exhaust, cav 4x4 turbo seats...... if petrol wasnt so bloody expensive (I do 400 miles plus per week just getting to work and back) I'd still have it, 170k miles and running crisply.............. thats not to knock the punto tho, its not a bad car, and with a tuning box, it goes well, but its not the not the same as the cav ......... (tho 58mpg over 34mpg, group 6 instead of group 17 insurance, and not spending £150 every 6 months on front tyres does sweeten things lol)
 
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