Broken timing belt, which car next?

mondeo-owner

If you are happy with the car, why not just buy another Clio for around £1500 and make sure it's had the timing belt done (or get it done). No need for spending £7000 on something really.

edit - don't know where you are, but for example there is a 2003 Clio 1.4 16V with full history for £1495 here...
edit of edit - cant add link, but its ebay and item number - 121222401225

spacey2012

Which Engine, some older renault petrols are belt safe engines.

Richard53

guestman wrote: »

you WILL have bent some valves if the belts snapped,

Not true. If the engine is not an interference design (and I haven't a clue if it is or not), then there is no reason that the valves would be bent. On an interference engine, it's almost certain that they will be. This why getting the head off to investigate is vital. The mechanic may find no more than a broken cambelt - as happened to my colleague's Golf mentioned above.

The noise (or lack of it) at the moment of failure is the big clue. Spinning it on the starter is another. If it spins smoothly with no rattles and bangs (and no compression), then the valves are likely to be OK.

From here:

However, some non-interference designs have retained belts due to the risk of engine damage from a belt failure being minimal.

colino

What car have you seen/been in that you really, really liked? Post it on here and then half the posters will tell you it is rubbish and the other half will tell you they will buy nothing else.

gilbert_and_sullivan

BungalowPrincess wrote: »

The sad thing is I have had it serviced every year the timing belt should have had another year and 10,000 miles but it didn't. I've had it looked at and the com rods and something else are bent it needs a new engine and the mechanic said its uneconomical to repair. It's going to the great car graveyard.

So it's now to the matter of a replacement car any thoughts?

I didn't think you were having the engine fully stripped.

Is Superman using his X Ray vision to inpect the con rods.

If the rest of the car is in good condition then its probably worth slinging a good used engine in.

If the mechanic who diagnosed bent con rods without stripping the engine offers to buy the car from you, cheaply, then i would suspect another sort of con.

Mankysteve

could have removed the valve cover to have a quick look.

greatgimpo

If you go for a cam chain car, here's your options:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/chain-cam/

Dieselman

The Clio scrap it £150.00 in your hand.

Then you may want to buy Japanese like Toyota, Honda, for your £7k you will get a nearly new model and if you went to the auction you could pick one up still in warranty.

The choices are of course yours, 3 or 5 door hatchback or boot?

Petrol or diesel,

What do you like?

Horizon81

BungalowPrincess wrote: »

So it's now to the matter of a replacement car any thoughts?

I've given you a shortlist of decent options already! Feel free to ignore and go for a Clio, Pug 207, Citroen C3 instead.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Mankysteve wrote: »

could have removed the valve cover to have a quick look.

At the bent con rods?