Fiat Stilo - Timing Belt replacement ?

Dick_here

All help welcomed.

I've a 5/6 yo Stilo, I phoned to book a service with the main dealer and they said it's recommended to have the timing belt changed at this age. If it isn't done it could snap and damage the valves. This means v little to me, but they said it'll cost around £300 for this alone inc 2.5 hours labour @ £60ph. So with the service and MOT that I need I'm looking at around £500.

Any thoughts on keeping the cost down, or is it something I just have to swallow ?

anewman

Get some quotes from independent garages. Also ask how much it would be if you supply parts. Get a quote on parts from dealers, you could also shop around on parts and check ebay and independent places, but I would be wary about ending up with an old stock belt off ebay which may be more prone to snapping than the current one.

Then basically choose the cheapest option of the lot.

I think if you shop around you should be able to get it done for £200 or less.

Hope this helps, and let us know how you get on to illustrate the savings made compared with just paying what the dealer asks :cool:

BTW if the valves end up damaged, it basically means a *much* bigger bill than the cost of replacing the belt.

Iamthesmartestmanalive

anewman wrote: »

Get some quotes from independent garages. Also ask how much it would be if you supply parts. Get a quote on parts from dealers, you could also shop around on parts and check ebay and independent places, but I would be wary about ending up with an old stock belt off ebay which may be more prone to snapping than the current one.

Then basically choose the cheapest option of the lot.

I think if you shop around you should be able to get it done for £200 or less.

Hope this helps, and let us know how you get on to illustrate the savings made compared with just paying what the dealer asks :cool:

BTW if the valves end up damaged, it basically means a *much* bigger bill than the cost of replacing the belt.

Get the water pump done at the same time too as it saves the engine being stripped out again when thats due

jeannieblue

£200 including service and MOT? Thats one hell of a good bargain...

Water pump prob ok for first cam belt change - get them to just check it first. They'll be able to have good idea when they're in there - but get quote to include it, and if not required thats great and if it does, you're prepared.

anewman

jeannieblue wrote: »

£200 including service and MOT? Thats one hell of a good bargain...

Water pump prob ok for first cam belt change - get them to just check it first. They'll be able to have good idea when they're in there - but get quote to include it, and if not required thats great and if it does, you're prepared.

Was saying £200 for belt change only. I'm under the impression that OP has taken car in for MOT already? I think I have seen somewhere someone paid £100 for a cam belt change, so an extra £50 for MOT and an extra £50 for minor service probably isn't all that unrealistic. But all you can do is shop around.

jeannieblue

£200 for cam belt, ah I misread - sorry.

They vary so much don't they? Some cars only take a couple of hours and then you get something like an Audi A4 and its - oh poo!

jeannieblue

£200 for cam belt, ah I misread - sorry.

They vary so much don't they? Some cars only take a couple of hours and then you get something like an Audi A4 and its - oh poo!

Red_Cat

What mileage has your car covered? You should be able to look up in your Stilo book (or online) what fiat's recommended cam belt change is for this car.
I'd personally follow the miles rather than age, unless the car was about 10 years old.
The garage is right that, that a failure would most likely cause bent valve stems which would be costly to fix.

jeannieblue

Cam belt is rubber - it perishes - must do it within age. Tensioners wear and cause cam belt to go. Not worth the risk - false economy. Sorry to be 'doom' like but its horrid if they go, the damage they can do. Some engines are not too bad, but really not worth chancing it.

Still rotten with at this time of year and the pennies are scarce.

Red_Cat

I know how cam belts age - I work for a diesel engine manufacturer. Ours are rubber compound with nylon for strength. They don't perish in the same way that windscreen wiper blased do at all, but they will go eventually, which is why I wrote if the mileage is low, I'd go up to 10 years on one and then change it. tensioners move with use i.e. mileage and not age which is why Fiat must supply some guidance at the mileage (and perhaps age) at which these things should be changed.

jeannieblue

I've seen the state of an IS200 engine when cam belt went at 85k. recommended at the time by Lexus to change at 100k or 10 years - it was under both those. Since been changed by Lexus to change at 60k or 5 years due to this happening.

Rubber/nylon - the rubber will still perish. Personally, I wouldn't advise the risk of chancing it due to the bill one could end up with. Better to be cautious and fork out £200 or so now than be landed with a hefty bill later.

I've not always been cautious - learnt it with age - bit like a cam belt!

Long journeys and lots of mileage one could argue would not necessarily put more strain on a tensioner that lots of short trips?