IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201502271284946/sort/default/body-type/hatchback/price-from/500/engine-size-cars/1-4l_to_1-6l/usedcars/page/4/postcode/ws79at/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/transmission/manual/radius/20/price-to/1500?logcode=p I have found this car and it seems like a really good price. However, I am worried that the cambelt may need replacing as it is at 76000 miles. Most cars need them replaced at 60000, right? (Sorry, I don't know cars). Is this car good value? And will the cambelt last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Looks very tidy. If it's the same, and I think it is, as mine Ford did say 10 years or 100,000 miles whichever came first, they have put this down to 8 years now, so if it hasn't had one it is over due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Looks very tidy. If it's the same, and I think it is, as mine Ford did say 10 years or 100,000 miles whichever came first, they have put this down to 8 years now, so if it hasn't had one it is over due. So if I bought this car I would need to get it replaced straight away then to prevent even higher maintenance fees if it broke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 yeah, unless it's been done already? You never want a cam belt to break! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 It hasn't been done before as far as I am aware. How much would it be to replace? Because, if it were £300 for example, I would have to view this car as being £1250 rather than £950. This would therefore affect how it compares against other cars. Would this car still be a good deal for £1250? This is a first car and I am a student, I want something that will cost me the least. The only thing I know that is catastrophic and breaks down at this many miles is the cambelt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1987 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Even at £1250, providing it had good service history, new (ish) MOT and drove ok it's still a good price. 76k miles is relatively low for a 11 year old car. Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1987 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 And if not already done the cambelt, aux belt and tensioner are musts. Consider water pump too while you're at it Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 And if not already done the cambelt, aux belt and tensioner are musts. Consider water pump too while you're at it Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC I have no idea what these things are (I know nothing about cars). Are they expensive to do and are they vital? If I don't do them, will the car be likely to break down on me and needing an expensive repair? I only plan to have the car for about a year or two (and do around 5000 miles per year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Even at £1250, providing it had good service history, new (ish) MOT and drove ok it's still a good price. 76k miles is relatively low for a 11 year old car. Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC The last service was in 2012 (50k miles). Prior to that, it was services every 10,000 miles. The MOT is until August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmurray01 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 If the car is in good condition then I would say definitely get it replaced as soon as you buy it. That said, our 2000 Ford Focus 5 door (1.8 Zetec) has never had the cam belt replaced in its 15 years/180,000 miles and it is still going strong! Before that our 1997 Ford Fiesta 5 door (1.25 Zetec-S) got up to 16 years/80,000 miles on the original belt before we sold it due to undercarriage corrosion. Thing is though, I'm not about to spend £300-400 on a car that would cost less than that to replace outright if the belt were to snap, but in your case I would definitely be more vigilant due to the purchase price. Cam belts are very unpredictable though, there are some vehicles on the road that are over 20 years old and in excess of 200,000 miles on the original belt and some that snap as soon as you hit 100,001 miles. I think a lot of it comes down to the way the vehicle has been treated. If it was driven by a "boy racer" then the life will be dramatically decreased, but if just driven at constant speeds without being revved regularly above 3,000RPM I think the belt has a good chance of going on indefinitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmurray01 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The last service was in 2012 (50k miles). Prior to that, it was services every 10,000 miles. The MOT is until August. In that case at the last service it would not have been due, therefore not highlighted or replaced. With regard to the MOT, that has nothing to do with the belt - all that states is that as of August 2014 the car was structurally and mechanically safe to be on the road, a snapped cam belt does not form a safety hazard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 If the car is in good condition then I would say definitely get it replaced as soon as you buy it. That said, our 2000 Ford Focus 5 door (1.8 Zetec) has never had the cam belt replaced in its 15 years/180,000 miles and it is still going strong! Before that our 1997 Ford Fiesta 5 door (1.25 Zetec-S) got up to 16 years/80,000 miles on the original belt before we sold it due to undercarriage corrosion. Thing is though, I'm not about to spend £300-400 on a car that would cost less than that to replace outright if the belt were to snap, but in your case I would definitely be more vigilant due to the purchase price. Cam belts are very unpredictable though, there are some vehicles on the road that are over 20 years old and in excess of 200,000 miles on the original belt and some that snap as soon as you hit 100,001 miles. I think a lot of it comes down to the way the vehicle has been treated. If it was driven by a "boy racer" then the life will be dramatically decreased, but if just driven at constant speeds without being revved regularly above 3,000RPM I think the belt has a good chance of going on indefinitely. I am a very cautious driver, definitely not one to rev it highly - however I don't know about the previous owners. It would be driven mostly in towns (Cheltenham to be exact) with the occasional 100 mile trip to visit my mom a few times per year. Do you think I should get a cambelt for this car or not if I were to purchase it in these circumstances? Is there a way for a mechanic to evaluate the need for a replacement prior to actually going ahead with the change (thus saving money if it doesn't need to be done)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmurray01 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I am a very cautious driver, definitely not one to rev it highly - however I don't know about the previous owners. It would be driven mostly in towns (Cheltenham to be exact) with the occasional 100 mile trip to visit my mom a few times per year. Do you think I should get a cambelt for this car or not if I were to purchase it in these circumstances? Is there a way for a mechanic to evaluate the need for a replacement prior to actually going ahead with the change (thus saving money if it doesn't need to be done)? Unfortunately there is absolutely no way of telling if the belt is going to snap imminently or not, as it is not down to the rubber on display but rather the fabric reinforcing in the centre which prevents stretching and breakage. That can go at any time when past 10 years/100,000 miles. Please do not follow my example, I am indeed taking the risk and am not that worried, but bare in mind that my car is worth around £300 whereas you are looking to spend over £1,000! The bottom line is that I would definitely get it changed if you have the finances to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1987 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The cambelt, auxiliary belt and tensioner usually form part of a 'cambelt kit' that get done at the same time. As a minimum get these done - often even if the belt is ok the tensioner can fail and cause subsequent belt failure. I would get those done plus a quick service (oil & oil filter, air filter and spark plugs) and you should be good to go. I reckon all up (service and cambelt kit) could be done for around £400 at an independent garage. Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDontKnowCars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 The cambelt, auxiliary belt and tensioner usually form part of a 'cambelt kit' that get done at the same time. As a minimum get these done - often even if the belt is ok the tensioner can fail and cause subsequent belt failure. I would get those done plus a quick service (oil & oil filter, air filter and spark plugs) and you should be good to go. I reckon all up (service and cambelt kit) could be done for around £400 at an independent garage. Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC £400 is half the value of my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1987 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Accepted, but if you choose not to get the belt done and it snaps it'll be a write off and worth £100-200 to a scrapper. Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamweb Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Hi there,my advice is,for peace of mind get the belt and water pump replaced .But before you buy, take somebody that knows about cars to give the car a good inspection .Good luck. Sent from my iPad using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmurray01 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 £400 is half the value of my car Think yourself lucky, £400 is MORE than the value of mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 £400 is cheaper than the cost of the car when the belt snaps wrecking the engine and a lot less than the cost of a new car on top when it does why dont you negotiate a deal with the seller since the belt is needing done even 100-150 off is better than nothing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmurray01 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 £400 is cheaper than the cost of the car when the belt snaps wrecking the engine and a lot less than the cost of a new car on top when it does why dont you negotiate a deal with the seller since the belt is needing done even 100-150 off is better than nothing Hear hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simcor Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Either ask the dealer if they are willing to put a cam-belt kit on it for the advertised price, or factor in the cost of having it done. Or risk not having it done, it could last you 2 days from buying or 12 years anything is possible. Problem is cars of that age and value are getting expensive to do maintenance on unless you have the tools knowledge to DIY, and a sub £1000 car is banger money realistically on any car. It's a 10 year old car at the end of the day and if cost and repairs are an issue then maybe it is worth looking at something cheaper and simpler and cheaper to have work done on, also use a decent Indy garage as their rates will be cheaper than more upmarket garages. It never ceases to amaze me how many people don't look at things like tires, clutch etc etc costs to service a car as most people never take that into account when buying a car. Money is important to everyone but I have downsized from a car that was £23K when it was new, but tires cost a lot more than for my Focus and generally parts are more expensive than the Focus. I also got the Focus for economy and cheaper road tax. A 10 year old car is not going to be plain sailing and not need repairs, low mileage is not always that good and neither is high mileage there are always pro's and cons. Hence why I went from this and after 6 years it was going to cost a fair bit to sort it for it's MOT and that is with me being able to do all the work on it myself. To this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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