400 euro asking price for a new timing belt set?

FrankC21

Hi last march I have bought a 2008 ford fiesta steel 2 zetec 1.2 petrol engine w/ 230,000km mileage from donedeal it was a green light ad. The guy told me timing belt was done.

But this was my first car and I have entirely no clues about buying second hand cars.

A week ago brought the car to a mechanic to get the car lights ready for my driving test i asked him about the timing belt he said that it was not done and that there aren't any marks indicating that the belt was done at all. Therefore, he gave me a price for 400euro to get the whole thing done including the water pump and labour.

I'd like to know if that is the average price? And if i did get the timing belt done how will I know that when I leave the car to the mechanic that they are not going to rip me off? What can I do to prove that they did install a new timing belt?

niallers1

Normally when the timing belt , tensioner and water pump is done the mechanic will write it on the engine with white paint marker. However, this does come off, it did in my case after I had it done so you may have been told the truth about it being done. I think in fords the belt needs to be done before 160km. they normally do the water pump at the same time as it's in the same ish area and it saves work/money down the road if you had to get your water pump done.

go to somewhere like micks garage or mr.auto and price a "gates" timimg belt kit and water pump. you'll probably find that 400 is not overly outlandish for it all to be done.

shop around you might get cheaper and you probably will if they use cheaper components.

Just checked there, components come to less than 90euro so I take it back. His price seems high. Try your local independent Polish mechanic. They will have lower labour charges. Usually 40 euro per hour as opposed to almost 80 euro an hour.

https://www.mister-auto.ie/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/gates-kp25433xs-1_g3096_a033KP25433XS-1.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uyq78Ki4gIVTbHtCh3fAwpGEAQYAyABEgIQm_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

corks finest

Seems not too bad tbh

is_that_so

If that is all the work, it seems fairly average these days. Even the €99 service deals have vanished and you'd do well to have change from €200!

Kimbot

In fairness for a timing belt kit 400 is a good price. I only paid 450 for mine the other day.

FrankC21

Thanks guys for the positive feedback appreciate it, yes that was he told me that the belt should be replaced before 160km, the mechanic seems honest enough for that price and I don't really want to go any cheaper and end up getting cheaper parts.

Isambard

niallers1 wrote: »

Normally when the timing belt , tensioner and water pump is done the mechanic will write it on the engine with white paint marker. However, this does come off, it did in my case after I had it done so you may have been told the truth about it being done. I think in fords the belt needs to be done before 160km. they normally do the water pump at the same time as it's in the same ish area and it saves work/money down the road if you had to get your water pump done.

go to somewhere like micks garage or mr.auto and price a "gates" timimg belt kit and water pump. you'll probably find that 400 is not overly outlandish for it all to be done.

shop around you might get cheaper and you probably will if they use cheaper components.

Just checked there, components come to less than 90euro so I take it back. His price seems high. Try your local independent Polish mechanic. They will have lower labour charges. Usually 40 euro per hour as opposed to almost 80 euro an hour.

https://www.mister-auto.ie/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/gates-kp25433xs-1_g3096_a033KP25433XS-1.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uyq78Ki4gIVTbHtCh3fAwpGEAQYAyABEgIQm_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

why do people accept a bit of tippex as evidence of the timing belt being done?

corks finest

Isambard wrote: »

niallers1 wrote: »

Normally when the timing belt , tensioner and water pump is done the mechanic will write it on the engine with white paint marker. However, this does come off, it did in my case after I had it done so you may have been told the truth about it being done. I think in fords the belt needs to be done before 160km. they normally do the water pump at the same time as it's in the same ish area and it saves work/money down the road if you had to get your water pump done.

go to somewhere like micks garage or mr.auto and price a "gates" timimg belt kit and water pump. you'll probably find that 400 is not overly outlandish for it all to be done.

shop around you might get cheaper and you probably will if they use cheaper components.

Just checked there, components come to less than 90euro so I take it back. His price seems high. Try your local independent Polish mechanic. They will have lower labour charges. Usually 40 euro per hour as opposed to almost 80 euro an hour.

https://www.mister-auto.ie/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/gates-kp25433xs-1_g3096_a033KP25433XS-1.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uyq78Ki4gIVTbHtCh3fAwpGEAQYAyABEgIQm_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

why do people accept a bit of tippex as evidence of the timing belt being done?

I wouldn't, oldest trick in the book,but if a mechanic from a reputable garage stands over it 🙂that's good enough for me

Isambard

DIY car maintenance an option too. Timing belt shouldn't be too difficult , I've done mine and I'm far from a mechanic (simpler vehilce thought maybe

swarlb

Is it common for people to leave cars in for work... and the mechanic simply charges for the work, but actually doesn't do anything at all, and simply pockets the money, literally laughing all the way to the bank !

FrankC21

That's what bothers me do i just wait at the garage the entire time or just leave the car at the garage having doubts if they did change the belt or not.

wotzgoingon

Tippex marks are no indication the timing belt was done. You can do it they proper way and line up all the marks by rotating the engine. So no tippex used and then numbers written on cover are no indication either any one could write that there.

Your mechanic should have checked the components if it was changed recently the belt water pump etc.. would look new.

FrankC21

The mechanic checked it, i left the car in his garage for 1 hour for him to check and after that he said that there were no signs that it was change, he mentioned something about a band/rubber not being altered or moved can't remember what it was, and he didn't charge me for the check.

naughtysmurf

€400 is an ok price, whenever I've had timing belts done, I got a receipt & it becomes part of the service history, did you get any service history / receipts when you purchased the car?

FrankC21

naughtysmurf wrote: »

€400 is an ok price, whenever I've had timing belts done, I got a receipt & it becomes part of the service history, did you get any service history / receipts when you purchased the car?

No, i did not, no manual either. But since i got the car (3 months) with 230km mileage i had no problem driving it runs perfect. I even drove it to glendalough. The only thing that is in my mind if the timing belt would snap because its a 10year old car.

naughtysmurf

FrankC21 wrote: »

No, i did not, no manual either. But since i got the car (3 months) with 230km mileage i had no problem driving it runs perfect. I even drove it to glendalough. The only thing that is in my mind if the timing belt would snap because its a 10year old car.

If I were you then & I was planning on keeping the car for a few years, get the belt & pump done, at least you will know for sure it's done, get a receipt for parts & labour, carry on motoring

uck51js9zml2yt

Got quoted 400 for a timing belt and pump on a car I bought from a main dealer last week.

Blueshoe

swarlb wrote: »

Is it common for people to leave cars in for work... and the mechanic simply charges for the work, but actually doesn't do anything at all, and simply pockets the money, literally laughing all the way to the bank !

No

Wildly Boaring

OP if the car has 230k km and has zero evidence of timing belt replacement just get it done.

€400 is cheap by any measure for this.

Do not take on doing yourself.

Not doing COULD lead to failure of the belt and catastrophic failure of the engine. Essentially you will be looking for a new car or a new engine.

corks finest

swarlb wrote: »

Is it common for people to leave cars in for work... and the mechanic simply charges for the work, but actually doesn't do anything at all, and simply pockets the money, literally laughing all the way to the bank !

Doubt the it v much,like me I'd say most folk use the same mechanic regularly

swarlb

corks finest wrote: »

Doubt the it v much,like me I'd say most folk use the same mechanic regularly

The OP seems to think it is...

pablo128

swarlb wrote: »

The OP seems to think it is...

The more likely scenario is a customer asking if a certain job needs to be done on their car.

The answer is likely to be yes, regardless of whether the job needs to be done or not.

uck51js9zml2yt

pablo128 wrote: »

The more likely scenario is a customer asking if a certain job needs to be done on their car.

The answer is likely to be yes, regardless of whether the job needs to be done or not.

I had a mechanic in Dublin who could be trusted to only do what needed doing
There's no long term business in fleecing customers. They don't tend to come back. Was with him 6 years until I moved.

pablo128

Guadalupe Teeny Second wrote: »

I had a mechanic in Dublin who could be trusted to only do what needed doing
There's no long term business in fleecing customers. They don't tend to come back. Was with him 6 years until I moved.

I agree. I wouldn't say it's widespread but if you were going to be shafted, that's the more likely scenario. I've seen it happen. It would be more likely in certain types of establishments like tyre shops.

corks finest

15 pc off timing belts Mick's garage code SERVIS15

Duffryman

Speaking of timing belts.....

I have a Kia Ce'ed Sportswagon 1.4 diesel. It's just coming up on 100,000 km so I thought would be time to change the timing belt soon, and seeing that Mick's Garage discount code above, decided to go have a look now.

However, it said 'no results found', and the Mister Auto site says the same.

So, I've now discovered that it seems the cars uses a timing chain rather than a timing belt (I didn't even know such a thing existed!). Also that a timing chain "generally speaking has a much longer service life" (quote from the Mick's Garage site). So, can anyone advise on life expectancy of a timing chain rather than a timing belt, or when it should be changed?

monkeysnapper

This thread might have saved me ...after reading this I looked into the family c4 grand picasso ... I know it's got a huge life span 150k ...which I feel is a tad bit much ...

Anyway our car has only 75k km which is way under but its over 10 years old so I decided to check cost with my mechanic....€350 .... so I nearly pushed it onto garage this morning ....

The wife was willing to just let it go on without doing ..... 4 cold starts a day , 7 days a week for 7 years we've had it.....eeeek

wotzgoingon

monkeysnapper wrote: »

This thread might have saved me ...after reading this I looked into the family c4 grand picasso ... I know it's got a huge life span 150k ...which I feel is a tad bit much ...

Anyway our car has only 75k km which is way under but its over 10 years old so I decided to check cost with my mechanic....€350 .... so I nearly pushed it onto garage this morning ....

The wife was willing to just let it go on without doing ..... 4 cold starts a day , 7 days a week for 7 years we've had it.....eeeek

You were right to get it done it goes by years as well as mileage which ever comes first. I wouldn't trust a 10 year old belt tbh.

Xodar

corks finest wrote: »

15 pc off timing belts Mick's garage code SERVIS15

Wouldn't go near MG for anything....

Duffryman

Xodar wrote: »

Wouldn't go near MG for anything....

Just wondering why not?

Genuine question. As you can tell from what I said above about not ever having even heard of timing chains instead of timing belts before today, I'm not exactly an expert on these things.

Anybody got an answer re timing chains, by the way? Saw somewhere else online that they're designed to last as long as the vehicle itself (i.e. never need changing), but I'd like another view or two as well...

Don't see anything in the owner manual. Definitely no entry under 'timing belt' or 'timing chain' in the index anyway, and none of the other headings look promising either...

wotzgoingon

Duffryman wrote: »

Just wondering why not?

Genuine question. As you can tell from what I said above about not ever having even heard of timing chains instead of timing belts before today, I'm not exactly an expert on these things.

Anybody got an answer re timing chains, by the way? Saw somewhere else online that they're designed to last as long as the vehicle itself (i.e. never need changing), but I'd like another view or two as well...

Don't see anything in the owner manual. Definitely no entry under 'timing belt' or 'timing chain' in the index anyway, and none of the other headings look promising either...

If you change the oil regularly they should last though the life of the car although there is some that stretch maybe cheap metal used I don't know. Certain models of BMW's had tendency. Though older models didn't so maybe they cheaped out on metal like Merc done one time with the car rotting away where are their older models lasted forever.

corks finest

Duffryman wrote: »

Xodar wrote: »

Wouldn't go near MG for anything....

Just wondering why not?

Genuine question. As you can tell from what I said above about not ever having even heard of timing chains instead of timing belts before today, I'm not exactly an expert on these things.

Anybody got an answer re timing chains, by the way? Saw somewhere else online that they're designed to last as long as the vehicle itself (i.e. never need changing), but I'd like another view or two as well...

Don't see anything in the owner manual. Definitely no entry under 'timing belt' or 'timing chain' in the index anyway, and none of the other headings look promising either...

Had 2 cars with chains no problems,last for yonks,may need to tighten

darragh o meara

Duffryman wrote: »

Speaking of timing belts.....

So, I've now discovered that it seems the cars uses a timing chain rather than a timing belt (I didn't even know such a thing existed!). Also that a timing chain "generally speaking has a much longer service life" (quote from the Mick's Garage site). So, can anyone advise on life expectancy of a timing chain rather than a timing belt, or when it should be changed?

Usually if you keep the servicing right the chain should last the life of the engine. On the other hand, if you have a BMW with an N47 engine, the chain is nearly a consumable item ☹️ but that’s a design flaw not a general expectancy of a timing chain life.

As for the OP, €400 wouldn’t be far off the mark, a lot of mechanics I know would only use genuine kits due to the higher quality standards their manufactured to and as such they tend to cost more. Did you price a kit in the main dealer? That’s not to say a spurious kit is no good though, there are plenty of reputable spurious parts manufacturers out there.

Duffryman

Thanks to all for the answers about timing chains!

swarlb

Duffryman wrote: »

Thanks to all for the answers about timing chains!

Given the general run of threads on Boards, it's surprising there was not more answers about clutch replacement, or the nocturnal habits of VAG drivers !!

twin_beacon

€400 is sounds about right.

swarlb wrote: »

Is it common for people to leave cars in for work... and the mechanic simply charges for the work, but actually doesn't do anything at all, and simply pockets the money, literally laughing all the way to the bank !

Well, they wouldn't be laughing for too long once they lose all their customers and go out of business!

swarlb

twin_beacon wrote: »

€400 is sounds about right.








Well, they wouldn't be laughing for too long once they lose all their customers and go out of business!

But they don't (go out of business) because people will always want a bargain...