Mitsubishi cambelt change -- tensioner and water pump?

jase1

I'm going to get the cambelt changed on the Mitsubishi (Space Star, 4G18 1.6 engine, nothing too exotic), and priced up the belt/tensioner/pump at around £100 or so. Asked my local garage about it and they agreed that the tensioner and pump should be done at the same time, and quoted about £220 which is exactly the kind of money I was expecting (possibly a little less).

Just out of curiosity I called the local Mitsu dealer and, predictably, got a slightly silly quote of £460, including £104+VAT just for the pump. One thing that took me aback a bit was that they didn't seem to think that the tensioner and pump were necessary.

Sure enough, on looking back at the previous cambelt change (at 54K, the car is currently 108K so at the point where it's required again), at that point the belt was replaced but the pump and tensioner were not. This work was done by a main dealer (not the one I called today).

I did not ask, but I suspect that, given the prices I've been quoted for parts, the dealer would end up charging around £200 for the cambelt by itself.

The tensioners on these cars are metal so I can appreciate that they may well last rather better than the mid-90s Vauxhalls for example.

Now the question I'm now asking myself is, do I listen to my gut (and my local indie), or are Mitsubishi correct on this one?

I'm inclined to pay the extra £70-80 or so to get everything replaced but am curious now.

Hammyman

At 104k, I'd definitely be changing the pump and tensioner. Even if they don't need doing, they aren't going to have a lot of life left in them. For the extra few quid it costs in parts, you might as well. If I had a high miler car that needed the gearbox removing to change a faulty slave cylinder, I'd get the clutch done at the same time to save the labour costs in future.

jase1

Yeah that's what I thought -- I approached the dealer asking specifically for the work to be done. Their attitude surprised me though, and led me to believe that perhaps they know something I don't.

Perhaps it's this same attitude that led to the recent Chevrolet Tacuma incident on here.

It'll be sorted -- in fact it could be argued that these parts are 50k overdue now...

atrixblue.-MFR-.

jase1 wrote: »

Yeah that's what I thought -- I approached the dealer asking specifically for the work to be done. Their attitude surprised me though, and led me to believe that perhaps they know something I don't.

Perhaps it's this same attitude that led to the recent Chevrolet Tacuma incident on here.

It'll be sorted -- in fact it could be argued that these parts are 50k overdue now...

buying the parts yourself would save you money through a motor factors.

i hate it when dealers dish out bad advice, or even worse dont fit all the parts that are with the timing kit like idle tensioners etc.

it would be good practace to change all tensioners, and water pump.

mikey72

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

buying the parts yourself would save you money through a motor factors.

i hate it when dealers dish out bad advice, or even worse dont fit all the parts that are with the timing kit like idle tensioners etc.

it would be good practace to change all tensioners, and water pump.

I'd never buy a cam belt unless I was fitting it.
If it went wrong, it would be too much hassle to prove fitting, the garage would be blaming the parts supplied.
For a few quid more you've get a complete warranty.

jase1

I trust my local garage completely, and I know that he only takes a small amount of profit from supply of parts.

So unless he comes back and says that he can't find the bits for less than £200, I'll let him sort it

atrixblue.-MFR-.

mikey72 wrote: »

I'd never buy a cam belt unless I was fitting it.
If it went wrong, it would be too much hassle to prove fitting, the garage would be blaming the parts supplied.
For a few quid more you've get a complete warranty.

fitting rarely goes wrong with timing kits done through garages, it wont matter if you or they supply them the kit or not,
the garage should inspect the belt before fitting for defects (as would be in the fitting instructions) and all parts, if it broke and damaged anything 95% of the time its due to ill fitting, too tight too slack wrong alignment etc. 5% you could argue that it was due to the manufacturer of the belt poor design, etc.

but the fact remains that if in the event of the 95%, the garage would have to strip PROVE it wasnt ill fitted as first step, then you would take the belt kit to the motor factors and ask them to send it off under warenty for testing to the manufactrer of the belt, they can tell if it was overtightened, under tightened from tell tale marks left on the teath or ribs and edges of the belt and the tensioners marks, the would then report this back to motor factors in written proof, you then go back to the garage to have it done and any damage rectified because they had ill fitted.

in the event of the 5% as above but if it was the belt quality or defect the company would have to honour any costs incured and any labour in full amount.

jase1

Yeah I do hear what you are saying but if it goes wrong badly you're looking at a potentially enormous bill to put right, and you have to do a fair amount of legwork yourself and remain patient before you see your money back.

Unless the price difference runs into the hundreds I'd rather not take the (very small) risk with a cambelt.

Plus, with a car like this, the aftermarket parts aren't especially common, so they're all roughly the same price. Anything that is markedly cheaper could be a snide copy, and then you've no chance of getting money back. Not like say a Ford or a Vauxhall where parts are available all over the place, and conversely not like older Daewoos either -- which were a special case; as anyone who has owned one will tell you the parts can be ridiculously expensive at times for what are just GM parts, but if you buy from factors in Poland (where the late-90s cars were built) they're as cheap as Vauxhall bits are here (cheaper actually).

atrixblue.-MFR-.

jase1 wrote: »

Yeah I do hear what you are saying but if it goes wrong badly you're looking at a potentially enormous bill to put right, and you have to do a fair amount of legwork yourself and remain patient before you see your money back.

Unless the price difference runs into the hundreds I'd rather not take the (very small) risk with a cambelt.

Plus, with a car like this, the aftermarket parts aren't especially common, so they're all roughly the same price. Anything that is markedly cheaper could be a snide copy, and then you've no chance of getting money back. Not like say a Ford or a Vauxhall where parts are available all over the place, and conversely not like older Daewoos either -- which were a special case; as anyone who has owned one will tell you the parts can be ridiculously expensive at times for what are just GM parts, but if you buy from factors in Poland (where the late-90s cars were built) they're as cheap as Vauxhall bits are here (cheaper actually).

the kits and water pump the OP needs are available in ADL Blue print, buying from any ADL supplier (most jap part motor factors and now more and more motor factors) wont have any problem raising a warranty claim through their supplier, the wating game will be present even if the garage supplied the part that fail, only difference being is that you collect the belt kit and pump, take it to motor factors, they ring XX manufacturer for a warranty claim number then give that to customer, the manufacturer will arrange collection of parcel from motor factors, you then wait like the garage would have to if they sent it back. theres no hard effort involved.

you allways take a risk with ebay bought parts, hence why you only purchase through a reputable online trader (usually a motor factor) or you local motor factors.

jase1

The OP is me

I realise that the parts are readily available, what I'm saying is that there is insufficient competition for the prices to vary markedly on this car.

As I've said though, if anything my regular mechanic rips himself off, far too honest for his own good, if he buys something in for £100 he'll only charge me that because I know him. He doesn't like dealing with online places though, so that is one area I've been able to save cash in the past.

I'll leave this one in his capable hands