cam belt or car dump?? dangerous?

bigspender55

Hello

I have a 1995 1.4 polo that hasnt been maintained much but still drives well. mot is due sept but should be fine. I bought car at 40,000 miles and its now at
114,000 miles but the thing that worries me is that since I have had it I've never changed the cam belt and I dont know if It was done before. The thing is, the car is probably only worth £300 so i dont want to invest too much
money in it.

if the cam belt was to go whilst i was driving would this be really dangerous or would i just come to a halt?

It could be that i fix the cambelt and the car continues for a few more years, i just dont know whether to fix it or allow it to come to its sad end - which would be a shame because it runs well, it just has little £ value.

Any input would be helpful
thanks

Rolandtheroadie

Is your MOT guy a local indy you trust? Would he perhaps do a "pre MOT" to let you know what it needs?

If another years MOT was cheap enough, I'd just leave the belt.

Strider590

I had a 1996 1.4 SEAT Ibiza (basically the same car as your Polo), it was in the family from new and we had it 9 years, it never went wrong, it only ever had new tyre's, a clutch and exhaust backbox. I swear I wish I still had it!! I've had fairly reliable cars in my time, but nothing compares to that little car!

Don't get me wrong though, I wouldn't touch the new VW's/SEAT's with a barge pole.

I would seriously consider keeping it.

Remember it may cost £300, but another car will cost you a darn site more.

bigspender55

Yes they are good reliable cars.

Could i wait till I've had the mot in september to check nothing else major is wrong or would I be putting my safety / life at risk? (if cambelt went while i was driving)?

Rolandtheroadie

I've had 3 transit ones go on me and a grand voyager on the wifes.

Normally when put under load. Voyager at a junction, transits twice exiting roundabouts, once on motorway about to overtake.

Belt breaks, engine cuts out, freewheel to side of road.

bigspender55

That sounds scary. i do most of my driving up and down m1. I dont want to be freewheeling on the m1 at 70-80mph eek :O

Rolandtheroadie

If the belt goes at 70 MPH, you've 70-0 MPH to get to the hard shoulder. Easy.

copier_guy

had my car break down on the m6 at rush hour.

was in the fast lane and lost all power - getting from lane 3 to hard shoulder with 2 other lanes of busy traffic is not easy - your speed drops quicker than you think, especially if your going up hill

I needed a new pair of boxers after

shortdog

My cambelt snapped on my old car in May, while driving down the M6 at rush hour, in the outside lane, at about 80mph. Managed to get across to the hard shoulder without too much trouble (mainly because all the trucks flashed me over when I popped on my hazards), it was a little scary, but the kids thought it was a great adventure!
I now own a P-reg Fiat brava, which is going in for a new cambelt next month, the car isn't worth much, but, if the cambelt snaps, I can't afford a new car.

jase1

scotsman4th wrote: »

If the belt goes at 70 MPH, you've 70-0 MPH to get to the hard shoulder. Easy.

Unless you're a MLM in which case good luck to you trying to get some good-will from others:A

Hintza

Better the devil you know.

Get the MOT done 30 days before the old one expires and then you will have a month to decide. If the car is bodily and mechanically sound I would probabl just get the belt done.

If it wasn't sound or I was itching for a change but couldnt quite bring myself to geting rid I would run it until the cambelt went. Might go for another 5-10 years you just never know.

Sounds a great wee car by the way and will be worth significantly more to you than the £100 - £300 you might get if you sold it.