Advice needed! Cambelt/Water Pump for a Peugeot 306 1.9 GLX TD.

pivotalgubbins

I need some fairly urgent advice from you nice folks. I have my car booked in for a MOT and service on Monday. I got a call from the garage today stating that, from the information I had given, I probably need a cambelt change as well. I have done 45k of miles since the last change, but this was done 5.5 years ago, so their opinion was that it needed a change.

Strangely, they asked made reference to the fact that they would refuse to MOT it if the cambelt was over 5 years old and I refused to have it changed. Is this normal?

I asked for an estimate and the lady went away and came back with a price of £452 - this is to include a water pump change too as I understand that it is easier to do the things at the same time. Anyway, do you lot reckon this is a fair price, I think it might be a bit steep I could be wrong as I know very little about cars? Any other advice appreciated on the above.

Thanks!

goldspanners

the price they have quoted is a bit steep,i wouldnt expect to pay any more than £250 at the very most for this job.
they have probably done an MOT on a car previous and during the emissions test the belt has snapped and resulted in a huge repair bill and an extensive arguement between the garage and the customer,so they are probably saving themselves a lot of hassle.
this happened to someone on here recently with a fiesta i think,they claimed the garage broke it,when in reality it broke while it was with the garage.

Thunderbird_2

Hi

Does the £452 qoute include everything? MOT, full servic, cam belt and water pump change? If it is only for the cam belt change, then it is a bit steep.

What do you think goldspanner?

P.S They are right to ask you to replace the timing belt before the MOT as explained by goldspanners

goldspanners

Thunderbird wrote: »

Hi

Does the £452 qoute include everything? MOT, full servic, cam belt and water pump change? If it is only for the cam belt change, then it is a bit steep.

What do you think goldspanner?

P.S They are right to ask you to replace the timing belt before the MOT as explained by goldspanners

if this includes MOT,full service,cam belt and water pump then it does sound a bit more realistic.try and haggle it down a bit seen as they are already doing the cam belt it wont take much effort to spin the filters while they are there ( i know a full service should entail a lot more than spinning a filter but you get what i mean)

jeannieblue

I'm not sure it would need the water pump this cam belt change... surely better they have a look when they are in there, and if signs of leaking do it, if not leave it? I'm not sure re Peugeot's, but generally, we find water pump more likely to be needed to be replaced on second cam belt change.

Customer's call at the end of the day?

Be interested to know if they are fitting a cam belt kit or just the belt. Is the kit genuine or pattern?

blue_haddock

Most garages show warnings regarding the state of cambelts for diesels as they have to rev the engine hard as part of the emmissions test. If car is close/overdue a cambelt change then they can refuse to test as there is a risk of the cambelt snapping.

the actual job is fiddly on these vehicles but not massively difficult. I personally would always recommend a new water pump at every belt change. The pump should only cost about £30 so not a massive cost. If you change just the belt and in 6 months time the pump goes you need to re-do the cambelt so its a false economy.

Also they should use a cam belt kit not just change the belt as again if a tensioner isn't replaced and that goes you are back to square one.

goldspanners

jeannieblue wrote: »

I'm not sure it would need the water pump this cam belt change... surely better they have a look when they are in there, and if signs of leaking do it, if not leave it? I'm not sure re Peugeot's, but generally, we find water pump more likely to be needed to be replaced on second cam belt change.

Customer's call at the end of the day?

Be interested to know if they are fitting a cam belt kit or just the belt. Is the kit genuine or pattern?

this isnt the first belt according to op.change the pump,it isnt just about leaking,ask any skoda octavia owner!

mr_accountant

Change the water pump, ive had a cambelt kit done last year (car is Citroen xantia 1.8 16v- so similar mechanics to the Peugeot) and last week the WP has started leaking this despite it being fine when the belt was changed. Now im probably looking at another 100 to change the wp. Lesson learned was changed the WP at the same time, this was the second timing belt change at 100k miles.

mr_accountant

btw, if you can get to leicester i know an excllent ex-citroen/pug mechanic. i am going to him to get the WP changed, he is very knowledgeable on pug/cits from the 1990s era.

Thunderbird_2

goldspanners wrote: »

if this includes MOT,full service,cam belt and water pump then it does sound a bit more realistic.try and haggle it down a bit seen as they are already doing the cam belt it wont take much effort to spin the filters while they are there ( i know a full service should entail a lot more than spinning a filter but you get what i mean)

I think £400 ,everything included, would be about right.

anewman

It's especially important on a diesel the belt is in tip-top condition for the MOT, and it's their prerogative really, and also yours to take the car elsewhere.