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[Sir Tigger KC]

My Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi is due a new cambelt and recently my local garage told me it would cost about £250-£350.

The other day I saw an advert for a website that gets quotes for repairs servicing etc, so I thought nothing ventured nothing gained etc and popped in the details of my car and the work required. 

I've had one quote back..... from Halfords Autocentres......     £530.91!!    I don't think so! 

www.MyCarNeedsA.com
 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

My Tata and the mighty Signum both come with a chain. ......as does the  Corsa.

[deviator]

My Tata and the mighty Signum both come with a chain. ......as does the  Corsa.

It's nice to see they provide you with towing equipment as standard. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

[STEMO]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

Modern vauxhalls state 100,000 miles or ten years. People on here will no doubt say that they wouldn't wait that long, but I never keep a car long enough to find out.

[Sir Tigger KC]

The Mondeo is 10 years/125,000 miles.  It's an 08 plate and has done about 123500 miles. 

So I'm OK for a few months/miles until it self destructs!   

[Kevin Wood]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

.. because a chain isn't compatible with telling people it'll do elevently million miles between oil changes, as they do.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

Modern vauxhalls state 100,000 miles or ten years. People on here will no doubt say that they wouldn't wait that long, but I never keep a car long enough to find out.

If memory serves Vauxhall originally claimed 80,000 miles between cambelt changes for he Omega, which they later revised to 40,000 miles.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

.. because a chain isn't compatible with telling people it'll do elevently million miles between oil changes, as they do.

Yes....oil changes every fifty million miles as prescribed by some manufactures can lead to problems.

Service intervals on cars from the sixties and seventies was often as low as every 3000 miles.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

.. because a chain isn't compatible with telling people it'll do elevently million miles between oil changes, as they do.

Yes....oil changes every fifty million miles as prescribed by some manufactures can lead to problems.

Service intervals on cars from the sixties and seventies was often as low as every 3000 miles.

Back in the days when a car with 60,000 miles was a high miler!   

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

.. because a chain isn't compatible with telling people it'll do elevently million miles between oil changes, as they do.

Yes....oil changes every fifty million miles as prescribed by some manufactures can lead to problems.

Service intervals on cars from the sixties and seventies was often as low as every 3000 miles.

Back in the days when a car with 60,000 miles was a high miler!   

Yep.....a rebore and oversize pistons was quite common on cars at that mileage or less.

[TD]

The Mondeo is 10 years/125,000 miles.  It's an 08 plate and has done about 123500 miles. 

So I'm OK for a few months/miles until it self destructs!   

As my mondeo did at 150k .... 

[Kevin Wood]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

We thought we'd go over everything to give it a good service. On removing the rocker cover to adjust the tappets, we couldn't find any. Just a mass of black jelly that wobbled a bit when you started the engine.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all and chunks kept plopping out of the drain plug when we drained the oil.

A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

[deviator]

A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

That bad? 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

[Bigron]

Oh, I still LOVE to do that, Doctor! 

Ron.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Oh, I still LOVE to do that, Doctor! 

Ron.

At your age, Ron.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

It was 'Y' reg estste and badged 1300S. I can still recall the number plate, TNT 85Y.

It was finished in a repulsive shade of orange. Deffo had points.

[Kevin Wood]

A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

That bad? 

I wondered if I'd get a bite.

[TheBoy]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

.. because a chain isn't compatible with telling people it'll do elevently million miles between oil changes, as they do.

Yes....oil changes every fifty million miles as prescribed by some manufactures can lead to problems.

Service intervals on cars from the sixties and seventies was often as low as every 3000 miles.

The BMW tractor lump when first released was 4500 miles, and that was mid 90s.  Obviously, the marketeers got that changed to double that by the late 90s

[TheBoy]

Why do manufactures use a belt that needs to be 'expensively replaced' every forty thousand miles when a chain 'should' last the life of the car?

Modern vauxhalls state 100,000 miles or ten years. People on here will no doubt say that they wouldn't wait that long, but I never keep a car long enough to find out.

I'm always happy to go to what the manufacturer states with belts, but start getting nervous when going significantly over.

The Jag is something like 100k on the belts change as well.

[ians]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

It was 'Y' reg estste and badged 1300S. I can still recall the number plate, TNT 85Y.

It was finished in a repulsive shade of orange. Deffo had points.

I had one of those.  W Reg finished in a lovely shade of grandad brown.

Actually I loved it but always hankered after a GTE.
Still have the Haynes book somewhere!

[henryd]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

that was the old Opel Kadett engine wasn't it 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

that was the old Opel Kadett engine wasn't it 

My 1.3 Astra was OHC and had points.

[ians]

I think that cars today 'go out of tune' far more slowly than cars of yesteryear.

Carbs have gone.......as have points which would wear and change the timing. I remember seeing the air filter from a Cortina 2000 GXL MK3.

The car was returning about 14 MPG and the filter which was as black as Obama's arse had never been changed. The points were black and pitted, and the plugs which were supposed to be changed each year/12000 miles were wet and black.

Couldn't get it to rev above 3500 RPM.

I remember going with a mate to buy a Chevette.  It was in reasonable condition but the engine was as rough as a bear's @rse and the owner clearly clueless. We took a punt on the fact that it just needed some TLC.

I drove it home and it was barely drivable.

\.

The air filter had totally clogged with oil from the breathers, the points were barely opening at all 
A new set of filters, plugs, points, oil and coolant change, check the timing and adjust the mixture and it drove like it had just come out of the factory.

Not good.

The last car I owned with points was a 1982 Mark 1 Astra 1300.

There are whole generations of mechanics who have never had to slide a feeler in to see if it is a nice snug fit.

Must have been the 1.2 pushrod, the 1.3 OHC had electronic ignition from day 1 (what a sad git I am)

that was the old Opel Kadett engine wasn't it 

My 1.3 Astra was OHC and had points.

+1