Timing / Auxiliary Belt
Timing (cam) belt and auxiliary belt replacement — done on schedule to avoid major engine damage.
The timing belt is the quiet hero of your engine. Hidden away behind a cover, it keeps the top of the engine and the bottom turning in perfect time so the valves and pistons never meet when they shouldn't. It does that job thousands of times a minute, every minute the engine runs — and then, if it's neglected, it snaps without warning.
On most modern "interference" engines, a snapped timing belt means the valves and pistons collide, and what was a routine belt change becomes a ruined engine and a four-figure bill. That's why manufacturers set a replacement interval — usually somewhere between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, or every few years — and why it's one service item you really don't want to gamble on.
While the belt is off
It almost always makes sense to replace the water pump at the same time, since it's driven by the same belt and getting to it is most of the labour. Doing both together saves you paying for that work twice. We'll also check the auxiliary (drive) belt that runs your alternator, power steering and air-con, and replace it if it's perished or cracked.
Not sure when yours is due, or whether it's ever been done? Bring it in and we'll check the history and the belt itself. Call 01282 424262.