Timing Belt Change On Astra £450?? Is this overpriced?

EdGasketTheSecond

worried_jim wrote: »

A water pump is about £30 and to fit you have to do the same amount of work as you would a cam belt on it's own so it makes sense to put a new one whilst you can get at it.

The water pump will be extra work as you are obviously changing it so have to take the old one off, clean area, new one on PLUS drain the coolant and presumably replace with fresh. So I'd say bumps the price up somewhat; maybe by £80

DoaM

I think what was meant was that you have to do (pretty much) the same amount of work to strip down the engine to access the water pump area as you do for the cambelt. Thus if you're doing the cambelt you may as well do the water pump at the same time.

Rodders53

May be worth going back to a Main Dealer for the Vauxhall fixed price repairs, to include the water pump. It may work out cheaper than you've been quoted so far?

Ford do a similar thing (Motorcraft) and the pump adds £100 to the timing belt price. https://www.ford.co.uk/owner/service-and-maintenance/motorcraft/repairs/timing-belts

Mercdriver

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

The water pump will be extra work as you are obviously changing it so have to take the old one off, clean area, new one on PLUS drain the coolant and presumably replace with fresh. So I'd say bumps the price up somewhat; maybe by £80

Just to be clear, you're not suggesting the OP doesn't have the waterpump done at the same time?

esmerobbo

Assuming it is the 1.7 Cdti the water pump is not driven by the timing belt.
However while everything is made easy it would be wise to change it.

EdGasketTheSecond

Mercdriver wrote: »

Just to be clear, you're not suggesting the OP doesn't have the waterpump done at the same time?

On a Vauxhall, I would definitely get it done. On some other cars with better quality; e.g. Honda, the waterpump does not need changing with every belt. I was just explaining that there would be extra cost for doing the pump over and above the cost of the pump.


If you are only changing the belt due to its age rather than mileage then again, it might not be necessary to change the water pump. e.g. 4 year old belt but only done 20K miles since last change of belt and pump then the pump should still be fine.

DoaM

But if it has plastic impellers then the plastic may well deteriorate with age, irrespective of use.

EdGasketTheSecond

Well I only ever fit metal bladed pumps.

DoaM

But you're not Vauxhall, VW, Audi, BMW, Seat etc. etc.

VFR

IMO the price is around the correct amount (try and push for £400) as a Gates timing belt kit + water pump is around the £110/120 mark.
Gates is best & yes change the water pump at the same time as its foolish not to.