406 - Extortionate cam-belt quote

I need to have the cam-belt changed on my 2001 406 HDi 110.
Spoke to 3 dealers on saturday morning, none of which
had anyone who could speak to me at the time and said they
would call me back. Only one returned my call and his quote
was for £676!!

I know a mechanic and generally trust his work but am
worried if anything should go wrong I'd have more come
back against the dealer. Does anyone else think that this
quote is excessive and if so could anyone recommend a decent independant
in the essex area who will quote less
than my mortgage for a month?!

 

I can't help you re the Essex area but as a guide in Central Scotland I had
my timing belt changed and both of the smaller rear suspension mounts
replaced in my 306DT for a total of £300 at Hardie's of Larbert who are a
Peugeot main dealer but in their fast fit dept. I don't know if there is
more work involved in changing a 406 HDI timing belt but I would think the
price quoted is very excessive.

Jim

 

That's rediculous.
I'm having a major service and cam belt change on my 1.8, 16V 406 done for
£340 inclusive. This is with an independent Peugeot?Citroen specialist in
South Wales.
The local Peugeot dealer quoted me £450 for the work. (£240 for the service
+ £210 for the cam belt change.)

Andrew

 

I understand the HDI engines are the hardest timing belts to do on any
Peugeot Citroen

 

Two points..
First.. of course they're taking the piss. They simply don't want to do it.
Secondly.. You have no real 'come-back' against anyone with a cam belt.
If a dealer-fitted one snaps two days later there's no getting em to shell
for the repairs.. it's virtualy act of god as far as they're concerned.
My money would be on the trusted mechanic every time and get a view of the
old one.
Even main dealers grease monkeys have been known to take the covers off and
replace them without a sniff at the belt.

Rick.

 

Is it a gold plated one theyre fitting??
Thats way too dear, you'd be cheaper buying a new car at that rate!!
Maybe theyre giving you an new engine as part of the price to save them
changing the cam belt!!
Why not try in the autotrader mag for your area and see if there are any
peugeot specialists in your area? thats got to be worth a try?!
Sorry i cant help any more than that.
regards ,Mark

 

when you think about it even £200 odd is a bit much; i know its a far more
high spec engine on your car but, my bro' in law could change my escort
timing belt in about 10 mins and when he checked it with a timing gun, it
was perfect, no adjustment needed!! Cars are alot more tecnical these days
arent they??
i'm gonna ask my bro in law if he can do mine when the time comes, and if he
cant well at least he's being honest, and he wouldnt touch what he doesnt
know (which isnt much by the way when it comes to cars!). Failing that i'll
find a local specialist to do it, i can do this as i have no outstanding
warranty.

regards, mark

 

Thats pretty stupid TBH. I can get a timing belt changed on a Celica GT4
(try getting your hands down the sides of that beasty) including a genuine
toyota belt for 140 inclusive of vat, labour etc. Toyota garages quote
300ish for the job. And toyota are not known for being cheap on parts and
service.

J

 

I m a mechanic for Peugeot in Belgium...
Sorry for my bad English...

The belt on a 2.0 HDI should be changed every 6 years
or 93210 miles.

It takes 3 ours of work. The dynamo belt should be changed
at the same time.
price for 2 belts: 180 euro
price for 3 hours work: 100 euro

But...We don t take risks...we also check the water pump and
the belt fastener..and if nessesary we change them to...becouse
it isn t much work when the belt is off...


So probably the dealer didn t take a risk and made you the
price for changing everything... ( i suppose )



groetjes,


Tim

 

Subject: Re: 406 - Extortionate cam-belt quote

Jesus. 100 euro for three hours work. That's just over £20 an hour. I'm living
in the wrong country I think because dealers over here charge about 3 to 4
times as much.

Sounds like it would be cheaper to take a ferry and get your car serviced in
Belgium than have it done over here. Chance to buy cheap booze and fags on the
way over too.

Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines (www.pumaracing.co.uk)
I'm not at all sure why women like men. We're argumentative, childish,
unsociable and extremely unappealing naked. I'm quite grateful they do though.

 

Try this site http://www.speedways.co.uk/shop/index.html

this guy quoted me £117 inc VAT, for my PUG 205 deisel, two and a half hour
job, previously the main dealers quote was £200 and an independent was
£250. The garage is in yorkshire so obviously you wont be having it done
there, but you can get an online quote, including time it takes. It is a
very good site with lots of free info. I live in cheshire but may drive up
when my belt change is due. I have nothing to do with the site whatever.

 

Thanks for the replies. I reckon the easiest way is to get the belt and
bits from dealer and let the mechanic do the work.

Its just so frustrating that you spend all this money on buying
the car in the first place and then they treat you like a
cash cow afterwards. Makes you wonder how many mugs just trustingly
allow them to do the work and pay through the nose for the
privilege.

 

I had a cam belt changed on a 406 3.0 ltr coupe and although it's hard
to extract the exact price because a lot of other work was done at the
same time it looks as though it was around £250. They found that the
water pump was weeping and changed that at the same time.

I had the work done at a Peugeot main dealer and they warranty the
work for one year. I asked that if the cam belt broke in that time and
wrecked the engine what was the limit of the warranty and the answer
was that it covered any failure and consequence of any failure which
means a rebuilt engine. The dealer stated that 2 or 3 had failed and
Peugeot cover the costs irrespective of what is needed. It costs the
dealer nothing if they make a warranty claim off Peugeot.

I would suggest that you ring a main dealer and speak to a service
manager, as opposed to a Saturday morning mechanic who was passing the
telephone and knows nothing. Ask the service manager if the price
quoted is the Peugeot suggested menu price and if he\she will not give
a solid answer say that you will e-mail Peugeot UK and Peugeot head
offices (France).

As a Peugeot customer you have a right to expect that (1) a main
dealer will give a costing for the job (2) will show a willingness to
maintain the vehicle (3) treat you with the respect that a customer
deserves, and (4) will not try to profiteer from your ownership of a
Peugeot. Violation of any of these issues warrant a call\e-mail\letter
to Peugeot head office. Main dealers are under franchise from Peugeot
and Peugeot call the shots, so don't be palmed off by a Saturday
morning overtime working whoever he\she was.

Traduk

 

the dealers up where i am charge about £46 per hour!!

though.

 

Thats a cheap rate, even in Yorkshire. Manchester is more like £60 an hour!

 

Do it yourself, unless you have a well trusted mechanic that you know by
name. Too many of them rip you off and do a poor quality job. Dont know how
many TV programs have been created where the car has gone in for work and
come out having been wiped and botched. So far in my family alone, when
trusting dealers and mechanics we have had:

Wheel bolts left loose.
Rocker cover bolts ripped out of the head.
Radiator caps taken off while at full heat and pressure, then cold tap water
poured back into the system.
Manifold bolts left loose
Wrong gaskets bodged to fit
Wrong belts bodged to fit at max extremes of adjusters.

All at different mechanics/dealers. And not cheaply. Only one dealership
gets a good comment, and thats the main toyota one in Manchester - salford
area car spent a week being tested - ecu, all sensors etc, swaps made,
several hours alone with us there, never charged a penny as they couldnt fix
the odd fault that went away shortly afterwards anyway.

J

But thats just

 

My 406 V6 cambelt change cost me £246.00 inc VAT and the mechanic gave a
years warranty! The job took close to a whole day

 

I put a new cam belt in a friends 406 V6, belt cost £18.99p and it took me
less than 2 hours to fit, charged him £20.00p, the job is easy, give it to
your friend (mechanic) to do and buy the belt yourself from a motor factors.
Rs

 

Like i say, when the time comes, ill ask my bro' in law if he can do it, but
were talking next spring!! So i'm not going to worry about it till then, i'm
not heavy handed with my car so i've no fears of it going wrong and if it
does, an extended warranty will cover it.
Yes i know i wrote in another post earlier that i had no warranty, but i
read my documents today and found i have extended warranty supplied by the
dealer - i'm happy about that!).
regards, mark ;-)

 

Hi All

I know its not a HDi but just been to local Pug dealer for the price on a
2.0l GLX they said £149 inc parts. Surly it cannot be that much more work?

Regs Andy