Cam belt replacement?

[Pearls18]

Sorry random question, anybody had their cambelt done recently or know a mechanic? Just looking around for what is a reasonable price for replacing it (it hasn’t broken *touch wood* replacing it before it does!) we have a 2009 Ford Focus with 80,000 miles if that makes a difference (we drive a lot lol).

 

[amytrisha]

OH said it should be fine for a bit yet, but to get it done it'd be around £400/£500 - apparently it's a very big job

He said your best bet would be to go and part-ex your car and get a new one, he always tries to avoid getting a cam belt changed..

No idea if he's right

 

[Pearls18]

Oh no our cam belt hasn't actually broken, I know that's a massive job which is why we are getting it sorted before it goes lol, it just needs replacing as it's had a fair few miles on it, the quote we have had is £355 but that is very steep, managed to get it much cheaper thankfully now was just interested to see what others had paid. Thank you for replying

Replacing a cam belt is simple and shouldn't be too expensive, some cars should have it done around 40,000 miles, it's when they break that it's a big job and not usually worth keeping the car, which is why it's important to replace it

 

[mummylove]

Its a lot of money think they have to take the engine out cus its underneath we got ours done a year and half ago and was about £400

 

[Pearls18]

We've managed to get a quote for £200, pretty sure they only have to take the engine out when it actually goes? Either way a replacement isn't a big job, I think some mechanics are trying to pull a fast one, it was halfords who quoted us £355, thankfully a friend of ours who is a mechanic in the military referred us.

 

[mummylove]

Im not sure i just remember us paying a bomb lol. I dont think our belt completely wentn but wasnt far off

 

[Pearls18]

My hubby just said it can depend on the car, maybe that's why.

 

[MrsBop]

Halfords no nothing about cars, please don't take your car there. My husband is a mechanic (although he doesn't work in a garage any longer) and he said halfords should stick to bikes. My sister took her car once (before she got wise) because her back light wasn't working, they said the whole thing needed replacing, it didn't the bulb had just gone DH is out at the moment so can't ask him how much a cambelt would cost but labour alone is around £40 per hour in Leeds.

 

[mummylove]

yea the labor builds the price up more than the belt would cost

 

[Pearls18]

Yeah we're not going to Halfords after the quote we had, had some quotes in my hometown (mid Wales) was muuuuch cheaper, better off driving home and getting it done! Had a bad experience with kwik fit a few years back so had better avoid the chains.

 

[pinkycat]

Ours was 220 last month for belt & water pump. Hubby says both need doing at same time on a vectra x

 

[Jade--x]

I had to have mine replaced, it didn't break but a family friend who's a mechanic gave my car the once over when bought it and advised it. It cost me £60 including a service (I have an 02 Peugeot 206) but that's because he ordered the part at work and did it for me in his free time with no labour charge, just a cup of tea But if he can do it for that little, I wouldn't pay more than £200 from a garage.

 

[mummylove]

Ours was 220 last month for belt & water pump. Hubby says both need doing at same time on a vectra x

Yea now i remember we had to have new water pump to thats why it was so much

 

[Toms Mummy]

What ever price you pay it'll be cheaper than the belt going, which is what happened to us in a service station carpark 6hrs drive away from home!..... The repair job cost £1600! We had to have the whole engine refurbished!

 

[Pearls18]

What ever price you pay it'll be cheaper than the belt going, which is what happened to us in a service station carpark 6hrs drive away from home!..... The repair job cost £1600! We had to have the whole engine refurbished!

Oh goodness!! How many miles did you have on it? We're getting it done this week hopefully, car probably won't be driven again beforehand.

 

[Toms Mummy]

It's an 04 and had done 110,000 miles. We've had the car for a couple of yrs and it was changed about a yr before we had bought it. I said to OH that we shold look at getting it changed soon, that was a wee before it went

 

[suzib76]

Various cars and garages I have paid anywhere between 200 and 500 for a cam belt

I *think* fords recommended intervals are 10k or 10 years, but like you I wuld be looking to get done now as if it goes that's your engine knackered!

Also echo the water pump suggestion, it's a small part and as well done now as if it goes a month or so after your belt is done you will have the astronomical labour charges all over again

 

[Pearls18]

Thank you il get DH to ask about the water pump.

 

[lilmissdanni]

Our car is in for something else at the moment costing £265. We got a call today saying the cam belt is starting to.fray and needs replacing. It will bump our bill.upto £544 Inc Labour....over half my tax credit underpayment money. Needs doing though but it's bye bye holiday!

 

[Pearls18]

Thanks for everyone's comments, we booked the car in for today....got a call an hour later....we don't even have a cam belt lol, we have a timing chain we doesnt need to be replaced like a belt so after all that didn't need to worry. Now, if I was sensible I would put aside the money for next year's service.....na!!!