My daughter in law has a five year old Clio 1.4 with 19k on the clock. The Stealer has told her it needs a 5 year service including 7.5 hours labour & £75 and hour this includes a cam belt change. total charge would all up £850 plus vat + antifreeze change ! i've told them to off, then they said they would negotiate ! sorry but i would now rather shoot myself first than deal with them, no wonder they made 30% of thir staff redundant last year..

In my humble opinion the bloody thing is hardly run in when something is on a 5 year or 72k mile schedule if the belt has done only 19k surely it will not be on the point of failure due to age, anyway, we will be doing all the fluids and filters ourselves, and having the brake fluid changed at the MOT next week, so I reckon most of the service for about £65 parts and £85 for the MOT and brake fluids. If the cam belt does need changing I'll find an independant 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

£850!! Ahahaha I hope you told them where to go...

Its only a 1.4 petrol do the service yourself easy!!!!

Cambelt should be ok for at least another year i do remember when my ex gf's went at 61k made a right mess of the engine but at 19k you shouldn't really have a problem but if you do get it done surely you know of a decent mechanic who won't charge you the earth. Full service and cambelt change you'll see change from £300...

Change it. Cambelts are notorious for failing early and I wouldn't trust one that age. A failed cambelt could cost more than the extortionate price they're asking for the service and you don't want to pay that. Had a cambelt go in an Astra and it was a toss up on getting it fixed or scrapping the car!

+1 think carefully ... I would try and negotiate with the dealer especially if it already has a service history. Cam belts can go at any time with catastrophic results and if you do not follow the service schedule you are on your own. If your dealer won't negotiate - go to your nearest indi and get it sorted properly - I know 19k may not sound much. It rubber deteriates with time. Ot just use. Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

martin cambelts do deteroate with age like most rubber products if renault say that at 5yrs it req changing then change it otherwise if the belt snapped it will cause serioud damage to the head and a new head will be a lot more than a belt if you can look for a gates cambelt kit this company makes most of the cambelt kits for the car makers in uk and europe as for lab cost shopround but remember if you do have any problems after the service its better to be done local than far away if you have to take it back also you may want to supply the parts yourself to keep costs down esp the price gararges charge for oil,here is a quick example my freelander is due its second service i will supply all parts and oils nessary parts cost me 80.00 inc vat lab quote was 199.00 inc vat so for 280.00 inc vat my freelander will be serviced by the dealer i recon ive saved 100.00 plus just for supplying my own bits and phoning round the dealers rainy-city
xs

Change change change
Belts deteriorate, often worse with less use ! After 35 years experience in Garages I have seen plenty fail due to deterioration.
!I wouldn't use the dealer but an independent specialist. I guess its a 16v model ? if its that dear ? If its a 16v find someone with the correct tools to fit.
If its an 8V the dealer is a joke.
Good luck.

oldgeezer wrote:

Change change change
Belts deteriorate, often worse with less use ! After 35 years experience in Garages I have seen plenty fail due to deterioration.
!I wouldn't use the dealer but an independent specialist. I guess its a 16v model ? if its that dear ? If its a 16v find someone with the correct tools to fit.
If its an 8V the dealer is a joke.
Good luck.

+1  John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

My sisters Clio had the cam belt fail on the M6 with less than 2000 miles on the clock. She then waited for 6 weeks while Renault sourced a new engine as it was completely written off, holes in pistons, valves bent, and bent con rods. So if renault suggest 6 years I would get it changed. As far as I remember you need some special tools for holding the camshaft while you change the belt - ensure that anybody who claims to be able to change the belt has these tools.

A neighbour of mine with a Renault went over the Cam Belt change by 2000 miles, he learnt the hard way, very very expensive lesson.

Ok guys, heres one for discussion.
We have an 06 plate 1.2 Clio that we use as a runaround. Wife bought it new.
Covering my ears and bolting the doors as I tell you that its now done 124,300 with the original cam-belt on!!!!!!
Come on guys, its only a Clio.............

20k a year and it's only a run around
Getting a cam belt done is a similar to insurance, pay a couple of hundred quid now, can save you £2k if it prevents a complete engine change which on an older vehicle can mean the difference of running it a few more years with a new belt or scrapping it if it breaks.

Ya pays ya money and ya takes ya chances. Alls fare in love and war

well as she needs to keep the car a couple more years the plan now is to change it in a couple of months at a decent local garage, I'd have a pop myself but i'm getting too old to lie on the garage floor !

If it was mine I think I'd take the chance run it a couple of years at 4k a year and flog it, but it's not.

so another question when is the belt changed on the Freelander ? 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Freelander2 cam belt change is around the 150k mark iirc.

MartynB wrote:

well as she needs to keep the car a couple more years the plan now is to change it in a couple of months at a decent local garage, I'd have a pop myself but i'm getting too old to lie on the garage floor !

If it was mine I think I'd take the chance run it a couple of years at 4k a year and flog it, but it's not.