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Ford Focus 1.6 Style 2008 - Cambelt - Delysher

Hi guys

Have a 2008 Ford Focus 1.6 Style.

Been to four small size car engine repair garages. Not sure about how much I should be looking to have to pay to have the Cambelt changed and how big or time wise the job would take.

One garage said they need to loosen bolts and to raise the car engine to access the Cambelt.

My questions are as follows:-

1.Have you any idea how long it should take a small size garage with three ramps to change the cambelt on the above car.

2.Told by my local car repairs garage / MOT test station that they would need to change water pump at same time as cambelt.

if water pump not changed and changed later date in future means removing the replaced cambelt again ? Another garage said no need to change water pump and its not behind the Cambelt ?

3.Another small garage repairs said its about a five hour job to replace Cambelt on this car at £60.00 an hour plus VAT.

Think because female they may believe I am stupid.

4. Why am I being given different advice on what actual work is required and how long it shall take ?

5.None of small size garages been to so far arte prepared to give my a written quote/estimate to do these jobs.

6.This car was just bought on 23 October 2018 from an Official RAC Warranty Car Dealers and they lied and told me the above work had been done, when in fact it was not done.

I contacted former car owner ( female whom had owned car from Feb 2015 and last 3 years ) who sold car to "We buy any cars" back in August 2018. The female was paid less by We buy any Cars because she told them that the Cambelt was not changed and had high millage of 114,000 on clock.

Most grateful if you can guide me on this guys.

Ford Focus 1.6 Style 2008 - Cambelt - Railroad.

Following on from the other thread you've started. Replacing a cambelt is not compulsory. Doing so will not make your engine run any better. It will not prolong the life of your car, nor will it add to it's value. The only thing you're buying is peace of mind in that you're less likely to suffer cambelt failure, which if did happen would cause internal engine damage and would then be expensive to repair. Bearing in mind that even changing it doesn't come with a cast iron guarantee. It's your call. You have to weigh up the cost of replacing it against how likely you think it is to break, and the eventual cost if you don't do it. No one can tell you for sure either way, but most people would recommend you do it.

Ford Focus 1.6 Style 2008 - Cambelt - John F

1.Have you any idea how long it should take a small size garage with three ramps to change the cambelt on the above car.

Just over two hours if done properly by a competent mechanic, less if either very good or short cuts taken.

2.Told by my local car repairs garage / MOT test station that they would need to change water pump at same time as cambelt.

Not necessary. The 'reason' for this is because one of the cambelt pulleys sits on the water pump housing and if the water pump fails soon after a cambelt change, Ford say you can't re-use the cambelt.

if water pump not changed and changed later date in future means removing the replaced cambelt again?

AFAIK there is no good scientific reason not to 're-use' the cam belt after disturbing it. I once had to change a failing tension pulley at around 150,000m, the original cambelt was still doing its job when we disposed of the car at 242,000m

Another garage said no need to change water pump and its not behind the Cambelt?

No need, and yes it is.

3.Another small garage repairs said its about a five hour job to replace Cambelt on this car at £60.00 an hour plus VAT. Think because female they may believe I am stupid?

Yes, but the correct word would be 'ignorant' as much of the garage trade assumes the fair sex, even with an IQ of 130, knows nothing about how a car works. They are either trying to fleece you or are very slow workers.

4. Why am I being given different advice on what actual work is required and how long it shall take ?

Because the knowledge, capability and integrity of mechanics vary enormously.

5.None of small size garages been to so far are prepared to give me a written quote/estimate to do these jobs.

It's not usual, but a reputable one should oblige, I would think.

6.This car was just bought on 23 October 2018 from an Official RAC Warranty Car Dealers and they lied and told me the above work had been done, when in fact it was not done.

I contacted former car owner ( female whom had owned car from Feb 2015 and last 3 years ) who sold car to "We buy any cars" back in August 2018. The female was paid less by We buy any Cars because she told them that the Cambelt was not changed and had high millage of 114,000 on clock.

Most grateful if you can guide me on this guys.

Sadly, not worth pursuing IMHO. Always check the service history and walk away if there isn't one - or offer much less money. However, see my post in your previous thread. An unscrupulous mechanic might take short cuts, use tippex instead of locking tools, omit replacing the tension pulley (which is much more likely to fail than the belt) and possibly provide a cheap substitute for the high quality original belt which should last the life of the car because, if all the pulleys and cogs it drives run smoothly, it does hardly any work. I sometimes wonder if there are many Focus owners out there who suspect their engines are not running quite as well after a cambelt change because the cam cogs are now slightly out of synch.

Ford Focus 1.6 Style 2008 - Cambelt - SLO76
If the car is otherwise decent and you plan on keeping it a while I’d spend the £300 to change the timing belt and water pump. Shop around for a quote and don’t let anyone con you. These aren’t that hard to do. If it’s tatty and only running local I’d just run it til it drops. They’re not bad for eating timing belts these but like any ten year old rubber timing belt it could snap today or in years, the idea of changing it is to eliminate the worry of this.

Don’t let anyone tell you the belt has been changed on any car you’re looking at without showing proof in the way of an itemised receipt. No one changes it shortly before selling or part-exchanging so especially on older motors like this regard it as needing done and price it in when offering.


A good Mk II Focus 1.6 petrol can do well over 150k with care but a neglected example with little sign of frequent oil changes isn’t worth spending the money on.

Edited by SLO76 on 27/11/2018 at 21:23