Cambelt failure after 18 months

[S10GTA]

If you had the cambelt changed 18 months ago on a car, and then it failed, would you expect the garage who did the work to cover some, if not all the cost?

[POORCARDEALER]

No.

If the belt itself has failed then I would be going back to the manufacturer of the belt itself, only chance you have is if the manufacturer agree to pay for the labour, which rarely happens

[Ecurie Ecosse]

Yes, if it is within the changing guidelines around mileage and time.

Alfa did for me when my GTA's belt failed.

[750turbo]

Even if it is covered, proving that it was the cambelt that failed will be an issue.

Incorrectly tensioned, pulley failure, water pump failure, contamination from a third party etc...

What a ballache though

[VR46]

Garages often use the excuse of wilfull neglect/thrashing/abuse etc to get out of a claim. If it was a main dealer maybe; an indy definately no way.

What car and engine? I have friends who work as mechanics for pug & renault who say this is quite common

[Matt UK]

OP, what a ballache.

My first thoughts would be around what actually was done 18 months ago

[S10GTA]

It's a girl at work, its a Renault Megane. Not entirely sure what has failed at the moment, I suspect it will be a tensioner rather than the belt. It was done 11k miles ago, 18 months.

[rallycross]

No its too long and too many other factors could result in failure ie not their fault and impossible to prove either way.

[Couture]

Even if it is covered, proving that it was the cambelt that failed will be an issue.

[Deva Link]

Need a bit more info - who did the work, was everything suggested (cambelt, tensioner, maybe water pump) done at the same time?

If it was a Renault dealer then I would expect them to replace it without question, and a decent indie sgould do the same. At the end of the day there's a legal issue Sale of Goods act here - SOGA also applies to services as well as goods and the job should last for its service life.

[xreyuk]

I know VAG offer 2 year guarantee as well.

[E30M3SE]

Deva Link said:

Need a bit more info - who did the work, was everything suggested (cambelt, tensioner, maybe water pump) done at the same time?

This.

[Deva Link]

xreyuk said:

I know VAG offer 2 year guarantee as well.

It's a service item and if it failed within its service life then I'd expect a VAG dealership to replace it.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Deva Link said:

It's a service item and if it failed within its service life then I'd expect a VAG dealership to replace it.

... but it if the work was done under the railway arches by a monkey with a spanner you can forget it.

[Beeby]

VR46 said:

Garages often use the excuse of wilfull neglect/thrashing/abuse etc to get out of a claim. If it was a main dealer maybe; an indy definately no way.

What car and engine? I have friends who work as mechanics for pug & renault who say this is quite common

Well I'm getting my cambelt and waterpump changed at the independent VW Audi Specialists in Coventry next week and they offer a two year warranty. It's a bit of a journey for me but the two year warranty and good price have swayed it for me.

[S10GTA]

I don't think she has a leg to stand on. It was just done by the local garage. Poor girl

[VR46]

She was asking for trouble buying a renault and she got it.

[S10GTA]

VR46 said:

She was asking for trouble buying a renault and she got it.

Really, do you have nothing better to do on this site than French bashing? It's a bit tiresome.

Edited by S10GTA on Monday 18th June 12:06

[Deva Link]

S10GTA said:

VR46 said:

She was asking for trouble buying a renault and she got it.

Really, do you have nothing better to do on this site than French bashing? It's a bit tiresome.

Mrs DL ran a Clio for 5yrs and the only thing that went wrong with it was both rear springs snapped at 4yrs old. And Renault replaced them 100% free.

[xreyuk]

Beeby said:

Well I'm getting my cambelt and waterpump changed at the independent VW Audi Specialists in Coventry next week and they offer a two year warranty. It's a bit of a journey for me but the two year warranty and good price have swayed it for me.

The 2 year warranty comes on the parts, that's why. If it's a genuine cambelt, that's why you get the warranty.