[babybearuk]

So yes, my car made it through the last few days so it could get to the garage safe and sound. Annoyingly the noise coming from my alternator / cam belt had dissapeared AGAIN!!! Making me out to be a liar or someone who was far too paranoid.
Luckily window was still shockingly stuck, so he's going to look into that too...

Anyways, I had a call from him a while ago and here is the listing damage:

Front passenger suspension coil snapped (this is apparently where the "rattling" was coming from when I was going over the cobbled streets last week). He is going to change both the front ones for me.

Asked him to check out the cam belt on the car and naturally his response was there was nothing really to check. It would be wiser for me to replace it. I explained that Ford had done their 120 point check, to which he informed me, that doesn't mean tey replaced it (was quite scared by this point). We agreed that it was better to replace it than screw around with "possibilities" and "maybe's".

Front driver side ABS sensor is the one thats gone. Thats being replaced too.

Due to the amount I am spending with him, he is going to change the air filter and oil filter free of charge. I am aware that these are fairly cheap. But thought it was still a nice gesture.

I am a little concerned over the clutch at the moment too. So he is going to check that for me and let me know.

I feel relieved that my car is FINALLY getting sorted and that when it returns to me it will be a little healthier. I am more looking forward to the TC and ABS lights FINALLY GOING OFF YAY!!!
Also the cam belt will give me a big peace of mind that its now done...

So far the price of all the above comes in at £500 inc VAT (scary!!!). But he did make that price seem a lot better when he said:

"pay a couple of hundred pounds for the cam belt replacement now, or pay £1000 to get it sorted when it all goes horribly wrong". DAMN RIGHT!!!

[AndyW]

That's a really good price for all that work

[Midnight Blue]

"pay a couple of hundred pounds for the cam belt replacement now, or pay £1000 to get it sorted when it all goes horribly wrong". DAMN RIGHT!!!

That's if you can find a replacement engine, of course!!

Glad everything is sorted for you.

[shyann]

That seems a very reasonable price
I 'm glad you're getting your Kat sorted

Ann

[BenF]

We agreed that it was better to replace it than screw around with "possibilities" and "maybe's".

agreed - it is fundamentally insurance to change it but the penalty for getting it wrong is not worth the risk!

[babybearuk]

Indeed, its funny because I always thought that when it came to the CAM BELT I may be over reacting and that there was nothing wrong with it. Yes in these times of recession etc. A couple of hundred pounds "just to be safe" is really something you could do without. But then rational thinking kicks in and I have been in a situation FAR too many times before where I have thought "if only..."
I reccomend to anyone who is not sure about their cam belt status to get it changed promptly. No one wants to part with a couple of hundred pounds but also no one wants to part with near enough £1000 either!!!

Its fast approaching 4:30pm and I am desperately wanting him to finish the car today, so that I can go pick it up. But if not, I will pick it up tomorrow. I just miss it! How worrying is that?! An attachment to a car!!! I am going to spend the day cleaning it inside & out afterwards... yep... need to seek professional help here!

[happy-kat]

that's great
hope he did use a kit though at the very least (please do not only change the belt)

[babybearuk]

Yep was a complete kit because I remember thinking "cam belt KIT?!?!". Though the bad news is that it wont be ready till tomorrow approx 9 - 10am... AN EVENING WITHOUT MY CAR!!!! <<<insert horrendously tearful face here>>>

[Midnight Blue]

Never mind, it will be worth waiting for

[DaveMM]

Just like you, I'm relieved to have delivered my Puma to the garage for the cambelt change! Got a 1.25 Fiesta courtesy car 'til tomorrow.

I mentioned to the person behind the desk, that I'd had the car from new, so why hadn't Ford contacted me to inform me they'd changed the cambelt service interval? They just shrugged their shoulders and said "Ford are good at that!"
But I have documentation that clearly states the old interval, so if the unthinkable had happened Ford should be held responsible - surely all original owners should have been informed?
Doesn't put me off Puma ownership though, and I'd still recommend a Puma to anyone!

[happy-kat]

nope
all Dealers were notified, so your bug bear is with your Dealer (if you use a Ford Dealer) for servicing your car in the mean time and not telling you the work was needed

it was not a recall, that is when owners are contacted directly

[RED IMPACT]

Yep was a complete kit because I remember thinking "cam belt KIT?!?!". Though the bad news is that it wont be ready till tomorrow approx 9 - 10am... AN EVENING WITHOUT MY CAR!!!! <<<insert horrendously tearful face here>>>

An evening?!!

Try 2 weeks...thats how long mine is away for... *sobs*

[babybearuk]

Two weeks Red? My heart goes out to you at this very awful time!!!

I cant explain the relif I feel that my car is being fixed. I am almost expecting to pick it up tomorrow and for it to run like a brand spanking new car. I am sure that wont be the case. But I will treat it as such. I said that my car was a little big sluggish compared to our other Puma. The other Puma feels like its packing a punch when it accelerates and thats when he reccomended the new air filter which he is doing free of charge. Can't hurt can it?

[pumapilot]

Sounds like you got a good deal - cambelt on its own costs in the region of £250-300, and a new(ish) engine is £3000+ so you'll be right.

Another helpful tip - if its not been done already is to pay for an Auxillory belt, it needs to be removed to replace the cambelt = no extra labour charge.

[DaveMM]

Update....
Rang Skipton Ford this afternoon, to check if my Puma was ready for collection after they'd changed the cambelt etc.
They informed me, something was wrong with a 'core plug' in the cylinder head, but as the engine was running ok, and not 'missing' they wasn't going to do anything with the 'core plug' today, but if it did start running badly at a later date, they'd know what the cause was!!!! (apparently it's a cylinder head off job! meaning expensive!).
Also, the auxilary belt needs changing, new disc's and pads too.
So, I gave permission to go ahead and do whatever it needs......................dreading the final bill.
Should get it back tomorrow, fingers crossed.

[babybearuk]

*UPDATE*
So i picked up my car today and all is good... the lights re: TC and ABS have gone off (YAAAAY!) the cam belt has been changed, window is now sorted, suspension coils have been replaced, oil, air filter etc etc. So everything is lovely. Though the price he gave me the day before was NOT inclusive of VAT. So was a little higher than initially expected. Just over £600 but for the relief of having a car which is nice and sorted, that doesn't bother me too much at all.

But... the noise that was coming from the Alternator area seems to still be there. I was peeved when I took the car to him initially because the noise had gone away again!!! I then thought that the nise COULD have been the cam belt etc and that it might go away. Apparently not... GRRRR!!!
So I caled him this afternoon after I picked up the car and he explained that he HAD replaced the auxillory belt. The car was then taken back to him again this afternoon and by the time I got there? The sound hand gone away again (ready to kill myself by this point). We had a bit of a laugh about it and how annoying it was. So he sprayed some sort of lubricant on the alternator, and funnily enough, said noise has not come back, though I am fully aware this only a temporary measure.

His advice was that if the bearings on the alternator are indeed starting to go? The noise would be intermittent. Sometimes, it will be there and bloody annoying and in other instances, like when your taking it to a friggin garage, it will go again!!!
MOT is due in about a months time, so when it goes in for that? I am going to ask him to replace the alternator for me then too. HOW INFURIATING THOUGH?!?!?

Good news was that after he had gone all over it, he said that there wouldn't be a problem with it passing its MOT (if of course it were done that day).

Last but not least, I have noticed something re: Revs. If I GENTLY rest my foot on the accelerator and it JUST goes over 1100 rpm's its very touch and go. The revs will drop to 1000 and then back up to 1100. Its not anything to worry about, but when I am just casually driving through town or something, I can almost feel the car struggling if I am in 4th gear with low revs. Anyone else had a similar problem or know what it could be?!

[DaveMM]

Glad you got your car back ok.
WD40 (or similar) works wonders eh?
It could be a wise move to have the alternator replaced like you suggest.

[DaveMM]

OMG!
Wallet took a bit of a hit today!
Collected Puma and a bill of £517.45p ...................& had the service log stamped up for the cambelt change!

[happy-kat]

did he replace the auxillory belt pulley? (something else that can rattle)

driving through town should not be in 4th really anyway assuming you mean like in town rather than ring road

[babybearuk]

lol I just mean when I am in cruising in a high gear at a steady speed is all with low revs? No I dont really drive through town in 4th gear!

No I dont think he did change the aux pulley. The big problem is that it makes this noise, and then when I take it over to him? The noise seems to go!!!!!

ITS BLOOMIN ANNOYING!!!