I've now done over 60k in my 2.5 litre 1997 R-reg Vectra. It now has a Vauxhall main dealer warranty (Hartwell's "Assist") . At the 60k service the dealer said the Cam Belt should be changed. However the handbook I got with the car when I bought it new states cambelt change at 80k. The service inspection sheet given to me after the 60k service also states in print that the Cam Belt change is required at 80k. I declined to have it changed but they still stamped my service record book.
Question is... "Would this invalidate the warranty should the cam belt go before it reaches 80k?".
I don't think the garage knew it was under warranty so they didn't comment.(The car has always been covered, since I bought it new, by various kinds of Vauxhall or Hartwells warrantee.)
Thanks, Richard
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I think I would have been inclined to have had the belt changed, I'm naturally cautious about timing belts and have always tended to change them at 75-80% of the manufacturers stated life, working on the basis that I've never known a belt change to cost more than an engine rebuild.
I think I would ask the question of the warranty company now and take action depending on their answer. As has been mentioned on some earlier threads some of these warranty companies appear to spend a lot of effort wriggling rather than paying out and it could end up being an expensive way of finding out what they think they cover as opposed to what you think they cover.
Cockle
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Does Vauxhall specify a maximum age for the belt? I know that Renault say 5 years or 72k - as the car is over 5 years, I would get it done not only because of the mileage but also because of its age.
Also, on certain Ecotec engines (I think the 16 valve fours, rather than this 24v V6), Vauxhall reduced the interval for the timing belt change to 40k. This means the handbook could be providing out of date information.
Some warranties actually would cover you for the belt, if it failed, but not the consequential damage. This means you'd get £20 off the cost of a new engine...
My advice is to do it now to avoid hassle. If your warranty company says anything, make sure you get it in writing, otherwise any assurance could be as good as useless as, if anything goes wrong, they may say that the person who said it simply wasn't authorised to make promises like that.
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From what I've read in other places, I think that despite what it says in the Handbook that Vauxhall issued revised guidence
to have it changed after 40k because so many went "ping" before the 80k. I think if you read anything on this site about cam-belts the most common advice is if there is any doubt get it changed.
I think you might have a battle on your hands if the engine disembowelled itself as a consequence. The garage would turn round and say "sorry mate should have had the belt changed"
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Vauxhall change their minds about when a belt should be changed more often than the weather. Current suggestion is 40k due to things like tensioner pulleys and other associated pulleys not lasting the 80k distance.
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Vauxhall are getting very twitchy regarding belt change intervals as so many have failed prematurely for a myriad of reasons. So much so that a customer of mine had a letter from the local main dealer (Stevens, West Sussex) advising him to have the belt changed on his Corsa 1.2 16v. Problem is it has a chain!
If it were my car it would be getting close to its second belt change (36K intervals in my book) You have been warned!!
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
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Eeeek! Get it changed ASAP!
The belt and/or tensioners will be living on borrowed time. Should they let go and trash the engine your warranty probably wouldn't cover you.
I had a long communication with Vauxhall on this matter and they led me to believe that all Ecotec belts have a 40K/4Year change interval now since Jan'02 when their recommendation changed. The lack of publicising this change meant I sucessfully negotiated a contribution towards rebuilding my engine.
A call to their Customer Assistance Centre would confirm the change interval.
HTH
Charles
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Uh Oh, You'll not be too pleased when you find out the cost of a cambelt change on a V6 Vectra! I reckon on £270 - £300 ish.
CavV6 and cavWeb fan.
www.cavweb.co.uk
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True, but how much is a new engine? And would you say that a 6 year old belt is really going to be safe past 80, 100k?
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The main dealer wanted £355!
In fact they wanted
£355 Cambelt change
£67.32 Spark plugs (cos of less than perfect starting)
£43.90 Bulb behind heater controls on dash
£192.04 Trailing arm bushes (not sure if this is both sides)
£278.48 Rear silencer
Total £936.74 (+£150 for the 60k service)
(spark plugs had been changed by them at 40k service)
Paid for the service but declined the rest until funds allow. I guess the cambelt is the priority (silencer sorted by a friendly welding expert).
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I see from your 1st post in this thread your Vectra is over 3 years old. Not sure if you know this or not, but see if you can find a Masterfit local to where you are. It's the same technicians, same genuine parts, but a lot cheaper. www.masterfit.co.uk
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I e-mailed Vauxhall (via Vauxhall website) last night. Got a call back today. They said that all cam belts should be changed at 40k. When I questioned this he said this was a recommendation only and that if my vehicle handbook says 80k then that remains the official (& "legal") mileage for change in order to satisfy the requirements for the Warranty. (My warranty covers consequential damage if the cam belt breaks).
I will now confirm this with the warrantee company tomorrow (as previousy suggested by DAVIDHM).
I'd like to think I'm entiltled to take a risk and to some "peice of mind" having paid £450 for a two year warranty!
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Richard, If you're prepared to let the belt go the full distance, remember that "if" it does break, it will do so at the most inopertune time. Such as overtaking a vehicle, or an emergency trip to hospital for instance. I'm not trying to worry you, but personally I would get it changed sooner rather than later.
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I do take your point but having owned a **** Vectra for so long I am used to the engine cutting out at the worst possible moment (like approaching & driving onto a roundabout); it took Vauxhall 4 years (& the replacement of many other components under warranty & numerous "Tech 2" tests)to determine that it was intermittently cutting out due to faulty electrical connections at the mass air flow sensor.
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I had a 1997R Vectra 2.5 and the belt either broke or came off and did a very good job of destroying the engine Formula 1 style on the M25. Vauxhall replaced the entire engine under warranty, but I ended up selling the car back to the dealer as this was just the final straw.
My advice is get it changed or, atleast be very very cautious if it makes a strange ticking noise on start up - mine did this a blew up 3 days later. Good luck.....
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Yes,I can see it now.. Beetling along in the fast lane of the motorway in the lashing rain then BANG off goes the belt at 60k miles, BANG goes the car following you into the back of you and the one behind him.....
Is it worth it?
Sorry
Andrew
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