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It's done 218000 miles and it's time for another timing belt change, but perhaps I should get rid of it. It runs fine no major faults. It has never had a clutch change though and the alternator's done about 140,000 miles, the water pump about 90,000 miles. There could be expensive jobs approaching this year and therefore it really isn't worth spending spending on it. Should I risk spending £130 on having the belt changed and hang on to it for another 12000 miles?
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I would pay the £130 and see how things go - it's gone this far so what makes you think it will die in the near future? If you were to replace it what would that £130 get you? very very little apart from someone else's problems.
Providing the XU diesels get a regular oil and filter change they are a pretty tough old beast.
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It depends if you have the funds to replace it? I'd just run it until something goes wrong with it and sell spares or repairs.
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If you were to replace it what would that £130 get you? very little apart from someone else's problems.
Very good way of putting it.
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I always run old cars, never spend more than £500 on a replacement and usually run them into the ground. This current one has so many parts of high mileage on it, I fear soon that lots of things are going to go wrong in succession and then I end up throwing money at it. Of course I could just as easily spend on repairs on a replacement car but at least it would be a later model and I'd make sure the mileage was no more than 100,000 with a long MOT. I think I'll start looking for another one, perhaps a 306.
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I run 2 1.9 Pugs. The petrol 405 is on 230k, still on original alternator (starter changed at 100k) front shocks and springs etc, but with the antiroll bushes knocked out by the local speed bumps. The diesel is the baby, only having 184K up. All still original starter (alternator changed at 150k). I do have a FIAT punto diesel that I should use, which has 90k on, but have left that to resurrect for daughter in Summer as I prefer the 309 for comfort, usability and ease of repair (not to mention price of spares!). In fact SWMO has just gone off on a 200 mile trip in the 309 as it rarely drops below 50mpg
I'd spend the money and keep it. Did the belt last week myself, as it requires few special tools. £130 for a year's life is little
Only real hassle is the way the out door handles tend to seize on the steel shaft. Only a few pence of WD 40 needed to correct, but you have to take them off to do it.
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Err - if it cost you 130 pounds, does that mean that the 4.5 hours labour I was charged at my local independent on my diesel XUD might be a little unfair?
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It's supposed to be a 3.5 hr job according to the workshop bible.
I've had quotes from £70 - £180 and the price also depends on whether they change the tensioner pulley.
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Ah - I had the full job, belt, tensioner, water pump etc.
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The other option is to run it until either the belt breaks or some other problem kills the car off due to economies of repair. I wouldn't spend this much money on this car. The belts are quite reliable on these and so may go for a lot longer than the recommended change interval.
The only problem with doing this is the inconvienience at the time, and the need to get another car in a hurry.
Reggie
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I agree with what Reggie says and keep running it as it is. Sods law is you'll pay the £130 to have the belt done and the clutch or some other major item will go soon after. Should the belt or some other item go wrong- bin it and buy another. After all, 309's are worth very little these days so they don't justify major expenditure. Good cars though, I ran a 1991 1.9D for 2.5 years as my first car and covered 27k with no problems whatsoever, with only tyres, belts, an exhaust rear box and a battery requiring replacing. Reason for getting rid was due to a front end collison which was uneconomical to repair due to age and mileage. I'm currently running a 1994 306 1.9TD which, at 12 years old and with 176k on the clock is probably worth about £450-500 as a rough guess. Therefore my intention is to run it till it dies or until major expenditure is required. Cambelt change isn't due for another 20k whereby if I still have the car when it's on the 200k mark, I'll probably just leave it.
Martin
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The other option is to run it until either the belt breaks
I agree. Run it until the belt snaps... it will be useful experiment and everyone here will be dying to know how long it will last.
Should we open a spread bet..? How many pence per mile..?
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Thanks people excellent advice. I'll take my time looking for another motor and forget the belt. If it snaps or I bin the car when I get a replacement I'll post the mileage
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