Cam belt change. How much?

[foto2021]

My 1997 Arosa 1.4 MPi Auto will soon have covered 50,000 miles and I'm thinking about changing the cam belt.

When the car was new, SEAT recommended that the cam belt should be changed at 60,000 miles, but this was later reduced to either 40,000 or 45,000 or six years, whichever came first. My car has 50,000 miles and is still on the original cambelt, which is over 14 years old.

I'm sorely tempted to leave it for another year because I expect it will cost a lot of money to replace and the car is probably not worth much more than the cost of a cambelt job. I know that I would be risking a failure.

So how much have people paid for a new cam belt kit and fitting? Any recommendations for a cheap but competent independent garage in or near Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire or North or West London?

 

[neil72]

2 words ,BORROWED TIME . Even if the car hadn,t done 40k in 6 years it still needs to be changed. Honestly,get it changed asap.
As for the cost, I would say in the region of £150 is fair,but budget for a new waterpump as well,easy to renew when doing cam belt,as they have to remove everthing anyway to renew belt,and they have a tendency to fail if not renewed with cam belt. Say £200 tops including waterpump.

Sorry, can,t help with a garage but good luck.

 

[foto2021]

2 words ,BORROWED TIME . Even if the car hadn,t done 40k in 6 years it still needs to be changed. Honestly,get it changed asap.
As for the cost, I would say in the region of £150 is fair,but budget for a new waterpump as well,easy to renew when doing cam belt,as they have to remove everthing anyway to renew belt,and they have a tendency to fail if not renewed with cam belt. Say £200 tops including waterpump.

Sorry, can,t help with a garage but good luck.

Thanks Neil.

Borrowed time is about right. But the car cost me just over £600, and the only quote I have had so far for the cambelt is £390 including the cambelt kit, water pump and labour.

If I could find somewhere that would do it for £150, I would book it in on Monday!

Tony

 

[Boo]

Prices vary really. Most people will suggest that you change the waterpump at the same time as the cambelt as they run together and the waterpumps are prone to breaking. I bought a waterpump and cambelt kit with the tensioners from Seremotors for £130 I think and then paid £120 to get it all fitted. Its not a cheap job but, a vital one.

 

[foto2021]

Prices vary really. Most people will suggest that you change the waterpump at the same time as the cambelt as they run together and the waterpumps are prone to breaking. I bought a waterpump and cambelt kit with the tensioners from Seremotors for £130 I think and then paid £120 to get it all fitted. Its not a cheap job but, a vital one.

Thanks for the advice, Boo.

I don't mind paying £250. That would be money well spent.

You're right about the water pump. The pumps on early Arosas had a plastic impeller that is prone to fail. Later Arosa water pumps had a metal impeller. I'm probably more concerned about the water pump than the cam belt!

I have found some very reasonably priced parts on eBay, so will probably buy those then cast around for someone to fit them. I would have a go myself but I think it needs some special tools.

 

[Boo]

Try Dave at SereMotors. The delivery from Ireland is pretty quick.

 

[allallyouyou]

Thats mental, you must get it changed ASAP.

The car may not be worth a lot of money but you need to maintain the thing!

My sport is 11 years old with over 150K on the clock and it on the 4th cambelt kit!

Get it changed.

 

[allallyouyou]

Eurocarparts do a cambelt kit for approx £50, Water pump £30 so thats £80ish.

I would guess £100 labour from a back street garage so call it £200.

Im sure if you shop around to some smaller garages they will do it lots cheaper. Avoid big dealer rip off places, the cars old and not worth it like you say but if you want piece of mind you have to invest.

good luck.

 

[foto2021]

Eurocarparts do a cambelt kit for approx £50, Water pump £30 so thats £80ish.

I would guess £100 labour from a back street garage so call it £200.

Im sure if you shop around to some smaller garages they will do it lots cheaper. Avoid big dealer rip off places, the cars old and not worth it like you say but if you want piece of mind you have to invest.

good luck.

Thanks. It's not remotely "mental" to hesitate about spending £400 on a cam belt for a car that I could replace for £600.

The only quote I had was just under £400 from an independent VAG specialist (not the stealer). I have a friend who just paid £340 to have the cam belt replaced on his Skoda Fabia 1.4 MPi Auto which has the same engine as my Arosa.

Now if I can have it done for £200 parts, labour and VAT, that makes the decision a lot easier. I have located parts on eBay for slightly less than £80, so what I need is a garage that will do the work for £120. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[allallyouyou]

Thats sport on, well done. You can always source parts cheaper even if you get the
''we get trade discount ' speel.

Im sure you can find somewhere to do it for cheap in this climate. £400 was a joke tho!

 

[foto2021]

Thats sport on, well done. You can always source parts cheaper even if you get the
''we get trade discount ' speel.

Im sure you can find somewhere to do it for cheap in this climate. £400 was a joke tho!

I finally managed to get the parts from eBay for a little over £50 - it was worth being patient and doing a little research.

I can't afford to have the work done this month or next, but in the meantime I'm hardly clocking up any mileage on the Arosa. I'll post here when I have had the job done and let you know how much it cost.

Thanks for your help.