Broken Cambelt
Discussion
My buddy dropped off his car at the garage for a service and cambelt this morning. It was fine when he drove it around to their lot and left it there with the keys. 7 years old 59k miles.
They've just called to say the belt snapped and it'll be 1500 quid to repair it, maybe more depending on the damage...
Where does he stand?
SM
They've just called to say the belt snapped and it'll be 1500 quid to repair it, maybe more depending on the damage...
Where does he stand?
SM
sadako said:
So he brought it in for a replacement cambelt, and the one they just fitted snapped? I would have thought that some warranty on their components is in order.
It's not clear, but I'm guessing the old one broke on the way from the car park to the ramps.I can't help wondering if they gave it the old "italian tuneup". Only a people carrier though so no particular reason for going out for a bit of fun.
If he sued them, how far would he get?
SM
What would he be sueing them for?
He took it to be serviced expecting the cambelt to need changing, cambelt snapped and now definately needs changing.
Surely all they have to do is produce his snapped cambelt and indicate any damage caused when it went.
I would also be very dissapointed if I took my car for a service and it wasn't driven further than the ramps and back.
He took it to be serviced expecting the cambelt to need changing, cambelt snapped and now definately needs changing.
Surely all they have to do is produce his snapped cambelt and indicate any damage caused when it went.
I would also be very dissapointed if I took my car for a service and it wasn't driven further than the ramps and back.
Can he prove cambelt wasn't on its last legs when he stopped?.
Can he prove the garage were negligent in their approach to the vehicle and that they were in some way responsible through abuse?.
If he can then sue for cost of repair.
I would suspect that to get evidence he would need the vehicle to be examined by an independent Motor Vehicle Technician to prove one way or other at some cost and which may prove neither way.
Life is a bummer.......
dvd
Can he prove the garage were negligent in their approach to the vehicle and that they were in some way responsible through abuse?.
If he can then sue for cost of repair.
I would suspect that to get evidence he would need the vehicle to be examined by an independent Motor Vehicle Technician to prove one way or other at some cost and which may prove neither way.
Life is a bummer.......
dvd
Dwight VanDriver said:
Can he prove cambelt wasn't on its last legs when he stopped?.
Can he prove the garage were negligent in their approach to the vehicle and that they were in some way responsible through abuse?.
If he can then sue for cost of repair.
I would suspect that to get evidence he would need the vehicle to be examined by an independent Motor Vehicle Technician to prove one way or other at some cost and which may prove neither way.
Life is a bummer.......
dvd
He could have a try at the 'it was fine when I left it here' approach. Especially as he left it there to get the cambelt fixed.Can he prove the garage were negligent in their approach to the vehicle and that they were in some way responsible through abuse?.
If he can then sue for cost of repair.
I would suspect that to get evidence he would need the vehicle to be examined by an independent Motor Vehicle Technician to prove one way or other at some cost and which may prove neither way.
Life is a bummer.......
dvd
But there's too much information missing here. The cambelt was fine when he left it. Was it the old one or a newly fitted one that snapped. When exactly did it snap - being driven onto the ramp or at some other point.
If it snapped as they were driving it onto the ramp, you have to have sympathy for the garage - was driving it onto the ramp reasonable? I think so. If they were doing the shopping in it (and having worked at a garage you'd be amazed how much even a sh1te old banger can be used as an F1 car if the mechanics are bored) then trouble should ensue.
Ask for the snapped belt and you will easily be able to tell if it was the old one which snapped or the new one which they messed up putting on. It seems a very suspect situation so worth investigating. If they have no proof or say they threw thebelt out, sue them.
I was amazed when a friend of mine checked if the belt he had fitted was on right by cranking it over haha.
Dave!
I was amazed when a friend of mine checked if the belt he had fitted was on right by cranking it over haha.
Dave!
Apparently he'd asked them to tell him if it needed doing and if so how much, but it broke when they were backing it off the ramp.
Why was it on the ramp? What'd they done already? Since backing it off the ramp would suggest work had been done, wouldn't that tilt the balance of probabilities?
I've suggested he gets the old belt off them but I don't think he was listening, lol.
SM
Why was it on the ramp? What'd they done already? Since backing it off the ramp would suggest work had been done, wouldn't that tilt the balance of probabilities?
I've suggested he gets the old belt off them but I don't think he was listening, lol.
SM
Hi 
Having changed hundreds of cambelts. a little more information is needed...
1. WHAT car is it, with model etc ??
2. HOW LONG after he dropped it was he rung ??
If I had to guess ,I "think" the garage changed the belt and got it wrong then turned the key and BANG....
He NEEDS the old belt !!!!!!!!!!!!!! or the broken NEW belt !!!!!
Thats his proof for any technical Engineers report....
All the best Brett
Having changed hundreds of cambelts. a little more information is needed...
1. WHAT car is it, with model etc ??
2. HOW LONG after he dropped it was he rung ??
If I had to guess ,I "think" the garage changed the belt and got it wrong then turned the key and BANG....
He NEEDS the old belt !!!!!!!!!!!!!! or the broken NEW belt !!!!!
Thats his proof for any technical Engineers report....
All the best Brett
DPX said:
Make sure that it was not a "putting new one on error" , new belt and static timing not set correctly .
Attempt to start ...... whats that noise ?
This is what I think probably happened, but prooving it will be hard without the evidence.Attempt to start ...... whats that noise ?
The chances that the origional belt broke when the garage drove it is much much less than the chance that they made a mistake fitting the new one IMO
Another reason that I do all my own servicing, at least if something breaks i have nobody to blame but myself (although no damage done yet :P )
Good luck getting it sorted, if it is there fault then they should be paying, not you.
So what they are saying is the belt snapped as they drove the car in for the service?
Well, this could be the case, although the odds would seem to be extremely low. I'd certainly ask to see the broken belt.
Also, why such an outrageous bill when they don't even know what's wrong beyond the cambelt? Is you car about 10 times as tricky to repair as all others?
I don't know...it is hard to believe them. Customer tells them the belt needs changing...presto, it breaks....we'll throw a 1500 quid figure at him....
Nah, as said above, this is one hell of an ad for DIY servicing.
Truth is many of us are best off using the original belt for yonks, as unless you get a patient and proper professional to change it, one who takes care with adjusting/cleaning/replavcing tensioners, checking and re-checking the timing etc, your car will run badly and....the belt will snap.
There are good mechanics out there, of course.
But with a belt 'snapping' curiously minutes after you warned of your worries, then being thrown an 'about 1500 quid, mate ' estimate....
Nah, what about getting the car towed to another place and then taking the fight up with them. I would not want any of this place's spanners within light years of my car.
Surely a new belt ( admitted, so long as it hasn't taken engine components out ) is less than 200 quid to fit?
Well, this could be the case, although the odds would seem to be extremely low. I'd certainly ask to see the broken belt.
Also, why such an outrageous bill when they don't even know what's wrong beyond the cambelt? Is you car about 10 times as tricky to repair as all others?
I don't know...it is hard to believe them. Customer tells them the belt needs changing...presto, it breaks....we'll throw a 1500 quid figure at him....
Nah, as said above, this is one hell of an ad for DIY servicing.
Truth is many of us are best off using the original belt for yonks, as unless you get a patient and proper professional to change it, one who takes care with adjusting/cleaning/replavcing tensioners, checking and re-checking the timing etc, your car will run badly and....the belt will snap.
There are good mechanics out there, of course.
But with a belt 'snapping' curiously minutes after you warned of your worries, then being thrown an 'about 1500 quid, mate ' estimate....
Nah, what about getting the car towed to another place and then taking the fight up with them. I would not want any of this place's spanners within light years of my car.
Surely a new belt ( admitted, so long as it hasn't taken engine components out ) is less than 200 quid to fit?
It's a 2002 renault people carrier (smaller than espace IIRC). They're saying it broke when they were reversing off the ramp.
What had been done on the ramp we don't know, but it was dropped off around 8am and the call came in just before midday. The instruction left for them was to find out if it was due a replacement and if so to call with the price, so theoretically they shouldn't have changed it.
I think they're quoting 6 hours for the simple job but seem to be suggesting in their larger figure that they'll take off the head to see if anything's damaged.
My mate's Calvalier SRi130 used to break its cambelt regularly (for some reason) and each time he'd just retime it and was on his way.
Surely since the advent of toothed belt camshaft drive petrol engines were desgined not to grenade when it snapped?
More today -- I think last night he gave them the authorisation to go ahead.
SM
What had been done on the ramp we don't know, but it was dropped off around 8am and the call came in just before midday. The instruction left for them was to find out if it was due a replacement and if so to call with the price, so theoretically they shouldn't have changed it.
I think they're quoting 6 hours for the simple job but seem to be suggesting in their larger figure that they'll take off the head to see if anything's damaged.
My mate's Calvalier SRi130 used to break its cambelt regularly (for some reason) and each time he'd just retime it and was on his way.
Surely since the advent of toothed belt camshaft drive petrol engines were desgined not to grenade when it snapped?
More today -- I think last night he gave them the authorisation to go ahead.
SM
jondude said:
So what they are saying is the belt snapped as they drove the car in for the service?
Well, this could be the case, although the odds would seem to be extremely low. I'd certainly ask to see the broken belt.
Also, why such an outrageous bill when they don't even know what's wrong beyond the cambelt? Is you car about 10 times as tricky to repair as all others?
I don't know...it is hard to believe them. Customer tells them the belt needs changing...presto, it breaks....we'll throw a 1500 quid figure at him....
Nah, as said above, this is one hell of an ad for DIY servicing.
Truth is many of us are best off using the original belt for yonks, as unless you get a patient and proper professional to change it, one who takes care with adjusting/cleaning/replavcing tensioners, checking and re-checking the timing etc, your car will run badly and....the belt will snap.
There are good mechanics out there, of course.
But with a belt 'snapping' curiously minutes after you warned of your worries, then being thrown an 'about 1500 quid, mate ' estimate....
Nah, what about getting the car towed to another place and then taking the fight up with them. I would not want any of this place's spanners within light years of my car.
Surely a new belt ( admitted, so long as it hasn't taken engine components out ) is less than 200 quid to fit?
I don't think they are quoting £1500 to change the belt!!! They are quoting that to fix all the broken bits as a result of the belt snapping.Well, this could be the case, although the odds would seem to be extremely low. I'd certainly ask to see the broken belt.
Also, why such an outrageous bill when they don't even know what's wrong beyond the cambelt? Is you car about 10 times as tricky to repair as all others?
I don't know...it is hard to believe them. Customer tells them the belt needs changing...presto, it breaks....we'll throw a 1500 quid figure at him....
Nah, as said above, this is one hell of an ad for DIY servicing.
Truth is many of us are best off using the original belt for yonks, as unless you get a patient and proper professional to change it, one who takes care with adjusting/cleaning/replavcing tensioners, checking and re-checking the timing etc, your car will run badly and....the belt will snap.
There are good mechanics out there, of course.
But with a belt 'snapping' curiously minutes after you warned of your worries, then being thrown an 'about 1500 quid, mate ' estimate....
Nah, what about getting the car towed to another place and then taking the fight up with them. I would not want any of this place's spanners within light years of my car.
Surely a new belt ( admitted, so long as it hasn't taken engine components out ) is less than 200 quid to fit?
I'd have been down there immediately to have a look at the damage. The longer you leave it, the longer they have to "hide" their damage (i.e. find a "used" belt, remove the new tensioners and put the old ones back in etc.....
But surely if backing off ramp - they had already checked out this belt per instruction? 
It a tricksy one. If I knew belt due the change.. I'd leave instruction to replace whilst on the job as this reduce the overall labour charges.
marginally admittedly 
But every little penny saved matter 
It a tricksy one. If I knew belt due the change.. I'd leave instruction to replace whilst on the job as this reduce the overall labour charges.
marginally admittedly But every little penny saved matter WildCat said:
But surely if backing off ramp - they had already checked out this belt per instruction?
Exactly - by admitting that it broke while driving off the ramp they overplayed their hand. I bet they f_ed up the belt replacemnt - according to Gates 90% of belt failures is due to faulty installation. Anyone take a WAG at how high a percentage of workshops still checks belt tension with 'finger pressure' against manufacturers' recommendation?Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff