"What?" you ask. I'll tell you - the cambelt.
Ford reckon 100k. Many of you reckon 50. I'm on 70k now and have taken it as far as I dare. I know realistically Ford would never pay out in the event of a snap but I didn't want to be changing it at 50k - I think it's a bit too early.
It goes in tomorrow for that and a service. The question is, will it snap en route?
If it did, you have my permission to be smug.
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Adam
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Got mine done for first time at 95602! So Ford weren't too bad on the estimate for mine!
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That's very good. The most I'd heard someone on here stretch it to was 60k.
Isn't yours newer than mine though? (T reg)
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Adam
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Yeah mine's a 2001, but that's a good point, I suppose there's an age-change-requirement too, just to guarantee Ford get their £££ within however many years...
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It's unusually high at 10 years actually. 5 is the recommendation though from here. I wouldn't put 10 years worth of trust into a piece of rubber.
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Adam
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100k or 10 years in my case...
madf
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Really? How generous of a manufacturer...see the Focus is clearly made from quality parts...
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"What?" you ask. I'll tell you - the cambelt. Ford reckon 100k. Many of you reckon 50. I'm on 70k now and have taken it as far as I dare. I know realistically Ford would never pay out in the event of a snap but I didn't want to be changing it at 50k - I think it's a bit too early.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=29853&...f
The service advisor at my Ford dealer is adamant that Focus cambelts can be trusted to last as long as Ford claim, and also that the SHORTEST mileage to failure that their dealership has seen was 120k. But.......it's your money.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The service advisor at my Ford dealer is adamant that Focus cambelts can be trusted to last as long as Ford claim,
I've heard of Alfa dealers who say the same about TS cambelts, and the perceived wisdom for them is about half the claim too.
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Well - didn't Joe90 or whoever he was on here have his snap at 60 odd thousand on an X plate?
Let's just say, I'm glad I'm getting it done now no matter what Ford say.
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Adam
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What's a cambelt change cost? And when you divide that between 5 years and compare to general servicing, maintenance, petrol, road tax et al, how utterly insignificant does it become?
I'm with you all the way Adam.
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I can think of many other ways to spend £100 or however much. A Navigon PNA 150 GPS Satellite Navigation System for example. But you are right - over the lifetime of the car, it's nothing. I can't say I'll sleep easier tomorrow though - it hasn't been weighing on my mind.
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Adam
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Mine was changed at 114000 miles, eeek, etc.
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1.9TD XUD. Manual says 80k or 8 years. Haynes say 45k. Warranty company will pay out on any damage if it goes before this. Car is 8 years old next year but is on 76k now. I don't think I'll be doing 3000 miles before Christmas, so will be leaving it till next year.
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Do the warranty company not stipulate it has to be serviced by Citroen or some other ridiculous clause?
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Adam
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They're not allowed to do that any more. But you'll probably have an easier time claiming on the warranty if you opt for main dealer servicing.
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Hmmm. I'd be amazed if my cambelt snapped now if Ford said "Mr Littler - here's 2 grand for a brand new engine. Take it. It's our fault for making substandard engines".
It could happen though...
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Adam
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It's probably been said before but I'm gonna say it again anyway....
It's very very rare for an actual cambelt to break. What actually happens is that generally the tensioners collapse and it's that that causes the belts to jump , untime the engine and thus allow Mr Piston to say hello to Miss Valve and thus create lots of little engine bits :)
:)JaB
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I don't care how it happens I just don't want Mr Piston and Miss Valve to be on anything more than occasional postcard terms and perhaps the odd letter. ;-)
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Adam
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That is very true, but to inspect the tensioners one has to do a fair bit of dismantling anyway. So while it's all stripped down, I would put a new belt on.
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It's getting done as we speak and getting a service too so hopefully, all will be well until I have to pay.
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Adam
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So they're doing the tensioner as well or just the belt?
I'd ask them to do the tensioner as well if they're not otherwise it sounds as if Mr Piston and Miss Valve may still have an illicit liason. ;-)
I know when I had the belt done on my Mondeo whilst I still worked at the dealership the lads told me I was wasting my money just doing the belt unless I got the tensioners done as well as these are often the source of a failure. As I was paying cash it only cost me about £20 to have the tensioners done as well IIRC.
Blue
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Ford told me that a tensioner change is not essential with the blacktop Zetec engine. The tensioners are visually inspected and changed only if they are showing signs of wear.
Essential with the silvertop though.
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Between this and the earlier thread on this subject there have been 48 posts from 20 Backroomers. Of these 20 only one Backroomer reported cambelt failure at less than the manufacturer?s recommended mileage/age for changing the cambelt and that was on a Peugeot 405 and a Vauxhall Carlton. In fact no other Backroomer has reported experience of a cambelt failure at all, regardless of mileage or age.
I am yet to be convinced that there is any reason to disbelieve Ford's recommendations. Unless you know different.........
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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They are doing the tensioner too. I can only pick it up at 11 tomorrow though so I'll let you know all the details then.
There is no way I would take a a Ford belt past 90. In hindsight, I've probably had it done a bit too early. I must confess - I thought I was going to get slated for leaving it so late!
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Adam
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Hmmm. I'd be amazed if my cambelt snapped now if Ford said "Mr Littler -
Well, they might not actually address you as Mister. It might depend on how well they know you ~ or not as the case may be!
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The way I was treated last time they'd probably call me "sonny" or "oi - you!".
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Adam
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The bloke did have a look of Capt. Mainwaring about him.
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Adam
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Just thought I'd close off my cambelt change part of this thread.
All done - car's running as sweet as ever. Probably won't need to worry about the cambelt again.
Thanks for everyone's input - appreciated as always.
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Adam
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" I can only pick it up at 11 tomorrow though so I'll let you know all the details then."
When I first saw that, I thought 'someone's taking it home tonight for a bit of a drive round.'
Then I remembered what it was!
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Trusted garage frosty regardless of the colour!
Oh - and har har. Yes - very funny. (Wouldn't want you to think you weren't liked!)
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Adam
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Well
Now the elastic band has been replaced and wound up on Adams noddy car. Will he get more than 23 pedals to the mile?
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Why you little...
::shakes fist vehemently::
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Adam
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Very Ian Dury of you RF. Tut tut.
So Adam, what's Big Ears really like in person?
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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But he is a good listener ;o)
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Boooo - get him off ;o
Tell you something though - the car seems to feel very tight now. I don't know what's been done or if it's like a placebo service but it definitely feels better!
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Adam
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might be worthwile checking the economy (or lack of it) now you've had it serviced and cam belt changed
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might be worthwile checking the economy (or lack of it) now you've had it serviced and cam belt changed
Over a reasonable period of, say, a month. None of this single tankful nonesense.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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You mean I have to spend even more money!?!
Very well - I'm on it.
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Adam
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