cam belt or car dump?? dangerous?

Stigy

Even if it snaps and doesn't cause severe engine dame (not all engines to, it all depends on whether they're interference engines or not), you've got the inconvenience of having to find another car or have that one repaired, all the time being carless!

If you bought the car at 40,000-miles and it was over 5-years old when you bought it, it should have been replaced due to the year as opposed to the mileage. However, I wouldn't bank on that being the case if it hasn't been maintained much as you say.

Lum

The car may only be worth £300 but if it's reliable for you then ask yourself, is any other £300 car I buy likely to be as reliable?

If the answer is no, get the cambelt changed and carry on enjoying your hassle free motoring. It shouldn't be that expensive from a decent independent garage.

pendulum

If you've got a car you know is good you'd be stupid to let it fall to a snapped cambelt.
If that happens you will have to find another cheap car and that could have loads of problems which is why the last owner got rid. You'll wish you looked after yours a bit more then!

Strider590

pendulum wrote: »

If that happens you will have to find another cheap car and that could have loads of problems which is why the last owner got rid.

Pretty much what I was going to say!

With newer cars, people get rid of them because the ashtray is full.
With older cars, people get rid of them because theirs something wrong or because it's "starting to cost money".

^^ Not a rule of thumb exactly, but i'd say it's true at least 75% of the time.

vax2002

The hardest part of changing that cambelt is getting the cover off, it has a veneer pulley so you can undo the bolt and the cam pulley freewheels, cut of the old belt, put the new one on and tighten the tensioner to half belt turn tension and fit a new stretch bolt to the pully and tighten back up.

pendulum

stevenc75 wrote: »

You can buy the belt yourself from a motor factors and ask while you are there for a recommendation for someone that does homers.

Haha! Buying a rubber belt and at the same time asking for a guy that does homers? :rotfl:
Sounds like something you'd send the work experience boy in for :rotfl:

Stigy

pendulum wrote: »

Haha! Buying a rubber belt and at the same time asking for a guy that does homers? :rotfl:
Sounds like something you'd send the work experience boy in for :rotfl:

Like a long weight or skyhooks? Polkadot paint? I've been there...Although not to that extent, lol.

getmore4less

With old cars you have to change the way you think about costs.

with say a £5k car and a £200 job you just do it because it is worth it.

the following year you have also lost £500 in depreciation so it has cost £700 that year in total.

With an old car worth £300 you only spend the £200 and with the new MOT it is worth £300 again so £200 for the year.


I recon if you have a motor that is not falling apart it is probably worth £300-£500 over normal replacement parts to keep it on the road for another year.

anything newer will be losing that or more in depreciation

missindecisive

i'd get the cam belt done. it may cost u in the region of £300 but you couldn't buy a new motor for that price with the peice of mind you have now:beer:

jase1

One more for the "get it done" pile.

As long as you're confident that the car will manage another couple of years, it's worth doing.

If not, and you feel this may be its last viable MOT, then run it into the ground.