Anyone else rather buy a car with a chain rather than belt?
Discussion
I just hate cambelt engines. It's ok if you're buying a car with 30k on the clock, but when you start buying cars with 70k+ on them, it just feels to me like your buying and sitting on that ticking timebomb waiting to go off.
It's something that really puts me off, and it irritates me that so few manufacturers use chains. The last thing i want to do is buy a car, then go and fork out even more money for a cambelt change straight away, because the previous owner couldnt be arsed.
Camchain master race reporting in.
It's something that really puts me off, and it irritates me that so few manufacturers use chains. The last thing i want to do is buy a car, then go and fork out even more money for a cambelt change straight away, because the previous owner couldnt be arsed.
Camchain master race reporting in.
stoocake said:
I'd much rather change a belt than change a chain! Have you seen how much work would be involved with a chain?
That depends...Changing the timing chain on a BMW M10 engine is a simple job that can be done with the engine in situ...
Changing the belt on a Fiat twin-cam 2 litre unit in a Lancia Beta/Trevi really requires the engine to come out...
Generally, though, a belt is a simple change even for a home mechanic...
Timing chains on the original VR6 engine need doing every 120k or so (sometimes more or less) mostly because the tensioners for the chains wear and can fail. Seriously expensive job.. would rather fork out for 2-3 cambelt jobs over the same amount of time it'd take to run up that sort of mileage.
BiL does this - utterly paranoid about this type of thing and eliminates a massive number of viable and great second hand car options because of it.
Me? Service records and background is the most important thing for me, and then I stick to the recommendations that are required. So doesnt really bother me too much.
Me? Service records and background is the most important thing for me, and then I stick to the recommendations that are required. So doesnt really bother me too much.
In my experience cam belts are largely easy to replace and have a set schedule which you can follow.
Chains have no such schedule and people believe they are indestructible, this is NOT the case and I have seen a variety of chain driven engines fail because the chain tensioner/guide system had fallen apart.
Chains have no such schedule and people believe they are indestructible, this is NOT the case and I have seen a variety of chain driven engines fail because the chain tensioner/guide system had fallen apart.
It really doesn't bother me as depending on the model, I'd probably change either if they were due or had no history. Will most cars in my league, cambelt kits are never over £100 and most I'll do myself so really, hardly a deal breaker if it needs doing. Chain kits are usually dearer and on certain models, can be pretty complex but so far I've only had one chain driven car and that was my old, hateful 2.2 Vectra which was sold within a week.
Not really - getting a belt replaced on the specified interval tends to cost maybe 50 quid a year, which is utterly insignificant compared to the total cost of running a car and if serviced properly I've seen no evidence to suggest that a cam-belt engine is any less reliable than a chain one.
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