156 GTA Cambelt - should I change it?

[pdV6]

Viper_Larry said:

Good grief - try as they might, the dealer cannot get hold of the 'special' tool required for the GTA. To be fair, they seem to be trying (including borrowing) and have one on order, but no-one can advise when it will come in. They've postponed twice and now recommended I go elsewhere or wait until they get the tool.

Alfa Workshop have them in stock

http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/parts/156_Cam_Lock_T...

[JR]

pdV6 said:

Viper_Larry said:

Good grief - try as they might, the dealer cannot get hold of the 'special' tool required for the GTA. To be fair, they seem to be trying (including borrowing) and have one on order, but no-one can advise when it will come in. They've postponed twice and now recommended I go elsewhere or wait until they get the tool.

Alfa Workshop have them in stock

http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/parts/156_Cam_Lock_T...

Ah, I see the problem now: 3.0V6 £60 for the tool, twin sparks - £less, 3.2V6 £211.50. Sorry but your dealer doesn't want to do the work.

[AC Motors]

I had a 1.8 veloce and the Alfa recomendation was 72K miles, I always had the car serviced bang on time and always at an Alfa dealer, then at 60,090 miles, the cambelt snapped, checking the warranty, it was only covered to 60K miles!!.
After some heated discussion, it was agreed to be repaired under warranty but was never the same again, the first day i got it back I noticed it was getting hot, opened the bonnet and it was like the trevi fountain, water spraying from everywhere, the car was then in for 3-4 more days. It never seemed the same and I finally got rid. After this exeprience I would never gamble with cambelts, I recently got an MGF VVC and changed all the belts straight away as no history of any previous change had been supplied.

[Alfahorn]

Viper_Larry said:

Good grief - try as they might, the dealer cannot get hold of the 'special' tool required for the GTA. To be fair, they seem to be trying (including borrowing) and have one on order, but no-one can advise when it will come in. They've postponed twice and now recommended I go elsewhere or wait until they get the tool.

So what would happen now if the cambelt went tomorrow? Would Alfa shoulder the blame?

Take it to Jamie Porter, just do it, stop trying to be so loyal to the dealer, they are not necessarily going to be loyal to you.

[Viper_Larry]

Alfahorn said:

Viper_Larry said:

Good grief - try as they might, the dealer cannot get hold of the 'special' tool required for the GTA. To be fair, they seem to be trying (including borrowing) and have one on order, but no-one can advise when it will come in. They've postponed twice and now recommended I go elsewhere or wait until they get the tool.

So what would happen now if the cambelt went tomorrow? Would Alfa shoulder the blame?

Take it to Jamie Porter, just do it, stop trying to be so loyal to the dealer, they are not necessarily going to be loyal to you.

Good call

[Viper_Larry]

I went away for a couple of weeks on business and when I got back the Alfa dealer had left a message that the tool was in. The car's been in this week for new cambelt, water pump and a 12 month unlimited mileage warranty on the work - picked it up today.