cambelt

[fiona.cordy]

My dealer suggest I should get the cambelt changed at 40,000 miles. What do people think?

[Dr Wu]

Rather depends on what make/model of car it is doen't it?

the recommended interval for cambelt change will be in the handbook.

[fiona.cordy]

Let me rephrase: I've never come across this before. Is this a normal period of time or is it possibly a ruse to get more money out of me? I've owned cars for 20 plus years, keep them a long time and our last car went to 100,000 without changing the belt.

[jake-the-peg]

It still depends on the ake and model of car.

Some have quite short periods - 40,000 seems quite short some have quite long 100,000 will be quite long.

If you don't change the belt and it fails most engines will get badly (expensively) damaged.

Because of this some people will advise changing the belt before the due time. This is especially true with certain makes that have a history of premature belt failure.

[shero101]

What age is the car. I recently had a cambelt replaced at 50,000 miles even though it is not recommended till 70,000 miles as the car was low mileage for 9 years old.

If you intend to keep the car and it is low mileage for the year, it's worth doing as a cambelt failure could cause expensive engine damage.

[derekpara]

Manufacturers usually recommend a mileage and/or time period for cam belt changes, whichever comes first. This is because some vehicles may do a fairly low mileage but have their engines running for long periods while stationary. Ford recommend 100,000 miles or four years for my Mondeo. I had the belt changed after four years at 50,000 miles and whilst the belt was still in good condition the adjusters was slack and the belt was very close to jumping off the rollers - with catastrophic results to the engine. Lesson: Don't take a chance !

[Toureman]

Well fiona as you refuse to say what make and year your car is nobody can give you the correct answer, only guesses.

As for your last car, perhaps it did not have a belt but a chain?

You were lucky Shero, Cambelt life is measured on age aswell as mileage, my car is 70,000 miles or 5 years, I will be renewing it next year at 5 years though the mileage will be nowhere near 70,000.

[mr rusty]

Your handbook may well give two mileages depending on the cars usage- go with what the manual says and what you consider your type of usage to be. if the book says something different to the dealers suggestion ask him why!!

40000 is short by todays standards but maybe you're a minicab driver, starting your car up 20 times a day, in which case it may be good advice!!

[fiona.cordy]

Not a minicab driver. The car is Vauxhall Zafira 2 and a half year old. My old man had to use it a lot for regular commutes - London-Birmingham but now he's not driving so much so the mileage is likely to be less. Thanks for advice, haven't looked at the handbook yet so will see what it says.

[bigboots]

40 000 miles is the correct milage for a 1600 cc petrol zafira and i have known these to go earlier than this