Advice needed
Author
Discussion

Boris.D

Original Poster:

1 posts

31 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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Hello guys and gals,

I am new to PH so please go easy on me. To keep a long story short, I have a 2015 Ford Focus titanium X 1.0 125hp which has done around 49K miles I got it 2 years ago as a replacement for my trusty 2001 Toyota Celica 190 which was sadly taken from me at the low mileage of 160K. As far as the focus is concerned, I would place it at the upper tier of whitegoods cars. It does the job of taking me to and from work everyday, it's relatively comfortable, the sound system is alright and the creature comforts it comes with are decent too. This is where it gets interesting, in early Feb, my pressure plate decided that it didn't like it's current job so it disintegrated itself but in the process of doing so, punched a hole in the gearbox housing, destroyed the clutch and flywheel. Lucky for me I got the Ford protect extended warranty when I got the car and said warranty already paid itself off last year when it covered the replacement of a clutch slave cylinder and it will further pay for its self as they just agreed to cover the £4500 bill that Sandicliffe Ford quoted me for the repair which includes a brand new gearbox, clutch and flywheel.

This is where I need the advice. I should be getting my car back by the end of the week, it would have had its yearly service which will keep the full ford service history up to date but this means that next year I am going to have to look at replacing the infamous wet cambelt as the car will be turning 10 years old. None of my local mechanics want to touch it with a 10in pole and I don't really trust them to do a good job anyway so it will unfortunately need to go back into Ford where they quoted a colleague of mine who has an identical car to mine £1600 to have the belt and water pump replaced. My warranty runs at the end of April 2025 so by the time I get the belt changed it will no longer be covered. I am eyeing up either a 2017+ GT86, BMW 340i or a Audi S4 as I am happy for my insurance to double to around £1000 per year and I am wondering if I should sell the Focus and save myself the £1600 to add to the deposit and get one of three suggested.

What would you guys recommend? I will be turning 32 this year so the BMW and Audi are more appealing to me but I do like the look of the GT86.

Thanks in advance

sherman

15,239 posts

245 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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Cough up now and getvthem to change the cambelt whilst the engine is in pieces.

carinaman

25,195 posts

202 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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sherman said:
Cough up now and getvthem to change the cambelt whilst the engine is in pieces.
Perhaps the OP will pay less than £1600 their colleague paid if it's done now?

Put it on an interest free credit card and worry about paying it off later?

Gad-Westy

16,582 posts

243 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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I can’t really see why it would be any cheaper doing it while gearbox is getting attention. There might be the odd obstruction removed but otherwise I would think the two jobs are unrelated. Personally the GT86 plan sounds the most interesting if it’s practical enough.

stevemcs

10,321 posts

123 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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Providing you have the right tools there is nothing special about them.

There is no cross over work between gear box and cambelt, people charge different amounts, we are £1299, we only use genuine parts. That is both belts, sump off, wash the pickup pipe, replace front cam seal, replace water pump, replace cam cover gasket, replace aux belt, oil and filter change. Depending on where you are you may find it cheaper or more expensive - but only use genuine parts as Ford are usually changing them for newer designs.

Mr Tidy

31,513 posts

157 months

Tuesday 5th March 2024
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I'm a BMW fan as I'm on my 7th and 8th now!

So I'd favour the 340i, not least because it has a cam-chain. smile