PLEASE HELP how much does It cost to change head gasket in vauxhall astra 8v

Aneta

I just have been quoted for a repair of head gasket in vauxhal astra, they gave me the list of parts that need changing:

head set £45.00
head balbs (whatever that is) £33.00
cam belt kit £125.00 (do i really need to change that cos when i saw my cam belt it was looking alright)
water pump £39.00
anty freeze £16.00
Engine Flush solution £12.00
Oil change twice + filters £65.00
skim head £80.00
clips, ties etc £10.00
Auxciliery belt (not sure if i got the right spelling) £27.00
Labour £450.00

For some reason there is a problem with the water being mixed up with oil, I would appreciate if anyone could tell me if all that is necessary to be changed as I have feeling I am taken for a ride. Please help !!!

Thank you for anyone that replies.

mikey72

Don't know what a head balbs is, but I'd change the thermostat as well.

onejontwo

I'm afraid that quote seems to be about right . The reason the oil needs to be changed and flushed through is through the failure of the head gasket causing oil to mix with the water and so contaminating both. The head "balbs "is probably bolts as these are the stretch tyoe bolts and should only be used once. The cam belt kit seems a bit expensive (depending if it's genuine parts or not) but the kit consists of a tensioner as well as the belt. The belt adjustment is via the water pump, and after time this usually leaks once moved to enable adjustment. I think basically they've covered their backs by quoting everything that they suspect is needed to be on the safe side. I suggest you ring around some reputable garages for some other quotes as this is a fairly easy and simple job

mikey72

I would have thought the bolts would be in the head set at that price, but maybe not. Price of the cam belt kit seems ok though.

colino

The £450 labour alone is more that a good local garage would charge for the whole, completed job.

roysterer

Vauxhall again!!!!!!!
they are a load of S***
I should know, even a 2 yr old car is nothing but trouble.
Warning lights come on weekly, never again.

mikey72

I had to change the thermostat on mine once, and two of the bulbs.
But I have had it six years.
Oh, and there are a few stone chips on it.

Weirdlittleman

colino wrote: »

The £450 labour alone is more that a good local garage would charge for the whole, completed job.

What a load of tosh
Everytime someone posts on here about a job we get the usual amatuer mechanics saying they could do it for peanuts.

How exactly would you propose sourcing all the parts and labour for under £450 (including VAT) to repair this car so it lasts.

I'm intrigued.

vikingaero

The £125 is about standard Vauxhall prices for a cambelt. Most Vauxhall petrol engines need a new cambelt every 40k and the kit in includes new plastic tensioners and pulleys which are the pieces of junk that fail on these engines rather than the cambelt itself.

MadMalx

Weirdlittleman wrote: »

What a load of tosh
Everytime someone posts on here about a job we get the usual amatuer mechanics saying they could do it for peanuts.

How exactly would you propose sourcing all the parts and labour for under £450 (including VAT) to repair this car so it lasts.

I'm intrigued.

The last time I did one of these 8v head gaskets, it cost me just under £200 in parts,etc for the whole job and took about 4-5hrs maximum, so £450 labour sounds a bit much to me, but it could be that the garage's rates are higher than average. The parts prices quoted look about right though - the head skim is usually contracted out to a specialist engineering company.

petrolhead69

I think you will find the clue is in the name of the website you are on.
not just amateur mechanics, but there are plent of small garages that would do the full job parts and all for £500ish. The 8v astra is one of the easiest cars going to do a head gasket on and the parts prices quoted are a bit inflated. £125 for a cam belt kit !!!!!!. I'll give you a clue, it's not the 16v engine, no plastic tensioners included with the kit, just the belt. £9 retail last time I bought one.

Weirdlittleman wrote: »

What a load of tosh
Everytime someone posts on here about a job we get the usual amatuer mechanics saying they could do it for peanuts.

How exactly would you propose sourcing all the parts and labour for under £450 (including VAT) to repair this car so it lasts.

I'm intrigued.