Hi Everyone!
I need some help here. My daughter purchased a Vauxhall 1.6 zire MPV Club exactly one year ago. The cambelt snapped and it now needs a new engine around 2000 pounds of damage.
The garage where she purchased the car are not interested,becuase the guarantee is not valid now, neither the finance company are interested, they just want their money each month.
The way I see it, the problem seems to be the cambelt, its done exactly 8000 miles and snapped. Now the scenario is or was it a defect belt, or was the belt put on to tight.
We contacted the garage which did the service, they confirm they changed the belt, as documented in the service book.
The car service book shows a service done at 53.000 miles mmy daughter has done 8000 miles, before the cambelt snapped.
We have a real problem now! What do we do, go after the garage that serviced the vehicle or get them to document which cambelt they used, and sue the cambelt company for a defective belt.
Do we need to get a specialist to examine the belt! What next?
All help appreciated
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depends, did you also replace the cam followers and tentioners as well as these parts usually need replacing at this type of mileage did the garage suggest you do this or done what you ask them??
all vauxhalls use nylon rollers which are prone to wearing very quickly all garages do suggest replacing the cam as a kit rather than just the belt.
gary
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Rule 1)
never run a canbelt after 40K, that's my advice- after that you are praying each journey.
Rule 2)
never buy a motor with a rubber cambelt
Too late for above so - take supplier to Small Claim Court for selling item not fit for purpose.
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did you also replace the cam followers
You would not replace cam followers,sometimes called tappets.These are the operated by the cam lobes to open the valves and would require removal of the cam to get at.
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all vauxhalls use nylon rollers which are prone to wearing very quickly
I don't think it's so much the rollers that wear, but the bearing that it runs on.
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I am sorry to say that after 1 year with a second hand car you have no comeback
1/ The garage sold the car in good faith with a newish cambelt
and can easily defend themsleves in the small claims court. Its been a year after all.
2/ once the belt is broken you cant prove it was put on too tight.
3/ its going to cost you a fortune to prove the belt was defective.
so sorry - its all bad news I feel
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Hi,
Sorry to hear about your problems.
Did the dealer sell your daughter any form of warranty (eg: warranty direct). The book on my warranty (not from them but may be similar) specifically covers cam belt failure and ensuing damage.
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Hi, Sorry to hear about your problems. Did the dealer sell your daughter any form of warranty (eg: warranty direct). The book on my warranty (not from them but may be similar) specifically covers cam belt failure and ensuing damage.
Even with warranty cover I think it is unlikely that the full cost of engine replacement will be covered. Most warranties only cover the cost of replacing the failed part i.e the cambelt itself with only a token amount towards the total cost. My cambelt failure cost £714 to repair of which the warranty company paid £300 - grudgingly, and after many phone calls !
{Post amended. If you must quote the previous authors text, then please do so before you start writing your reply, not afterwards. Thanks. DD}
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The way I see it, the problem seems to be the cambelt, its done exactly 8000 miles and snapped. The car service book shows a service done at 53.000 miles mmy daughter has done 8000 miles, before the cambelt snapped.
But was the cambelt and tensioners changed at 40,000 miles (or 4 yrs - whichever comes sooner), as recommended by Vauxhall? If not, then the cambelt was 13,000 miles past it's sell by date.
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Onew other possibility to look at is the time between the 53000mile service and when you purchased the car ,is it possible for the car to have done a large mileage and then be clocked back.
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