Car vandalised now a free cambelt change

[dieselderv]

Well working away as I do my boss sacks two brothers for stealing money..all hunky dory till we arrive back to burton on Trent from County Durham ,,to find my Volvo and bosses Passat vandalised..unsure as it was the brothers that did it but hell of a coincidence ...anyway they snapped off my drivers side wiper,ripped out the door rubbers on two doors and dented the drivers door,,not so bad but still heart breaking on a mint car..anyway I said I would look out for a door the same colour and I've adjusted the passenger side wiper so it sweeps the drivers side until I can get a replacement...as a sorry my boss has booked me in at hallum and southern Saab/Volvo for a full cambelt change,,the belt is 98,000 miles old car is on 189,000 am I right in thinking the water pump will need changing aswell or will it still be ok as I know the originals were supposed to be bullet proof..als popped into them today to ask them to fit a new aux belt and tensioners and change the auto box oil (il be paying for those two)..we do outside bars and I'm more like a family member too them as its me and the boss that do all the driving and setting up all over the country..I would be lost and skint without them and they couldn't do half the events without me..(oldie can tow large stuff on my license) ...have any of you got any nice bosses that treat you well

[Dippydog]

Sorry to hear of the damage done,it does sound rather too coincidental about the sackings doesn't it?It is a very kind gesture by your boss though! My boss doesn't pay me very much-although it's as much as he can afford-and I get on with him better than anyone else I know but having said that I am self employed

[ma70]

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it!) not been in the working "game" for some years now, but when I was fit & able to do, in general building/mechanic-ing and skip hire, so my boss was more of a good mate & as well as paying very fairly he was also accommodating to my condition and my varying ability to come and work. In the end it was me who suggested He'd be better finding someone who could be more reliable as the skip business grew.

Over my short 15 year working life, that was the only job I stayed with for more than 2 years (somewhere around 7) & actually enjoyed going to. More's the irony really...

It does seem way too much of a coincidence that these brothers were fired and then your cars got done over, I suppose you've already asked around for any CCTV footage or witnesses that might tie them into it? Good of your boss to treat the car to a cambelt by way of reparation though, in many ways it's even better than him buying you a door and wiper arm since you can drive with a dent and one wiper but not with a failed cambelt, and it's due.

[Brendan W]

Very experienced heads have seen almost zero pump failures in a long long time.
Most people, your boss included, expect to see a pump as part of a timing belt job.
You probably don't want to stick him for something that is not needed.
If it was free and the second belt I would be tempted to replace. Nothing lasts forever.
Whatever way you go do not allow the fitting of a non Volvo genuine bulletproof never needs changing pump.
That would most like be a backward step and is implicated strongly in the small number of pump failures seen on here.

[BobS]

Hi,

I changed the pump on the second belt change (175k mls) and the old pump was as good as new. The bearings were just as the new pump no play and identical amount of bearing drag. Only down side is if during the belt change it is found to be worn it can take a day or so to order a replacement.

The only thing I can add is if you do change the pump go for a OEM Volvo pump.

Bob

[D5meister]

I changed my pump at 227


It had easily detectable play and had been weeping occasionally.


It may have gone for another 5-10k - but I didnt want unwelcomes while on Jersey recently.

[rabbitrr]

Having a distinct dislike to doing cam belt changes on transverse engines I recently got my local Volvo Dealer (Swindon) to change it on the XC70 and they did the aux as well as part of the package.

For me, old habits die hard and all that so I got them to change the water pump as well while they were in there, something that I would always do when changing a cam belt myself.

[ma70]

I think for how often the cambelt needs changing, and how much the pump would add to the job, plus knowing that the whole job needs doing again if the pump fails after the fact, I'd go for replacing with genuine either every time or every second belt.

As said before, nothing lasts forever & what price peace of mind? (I suppose the other route to go is to have the pump ordered up & check the old one when the covers come off then return if it's not needed?)

[dieselderv]

Turns out they've fitted a gates cambelt kit at a Volvo indi ..is this normal practice..is it a bad thing..will it last as long as a genuine Volvo belt

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by dieselderv

Turns out they've fitted a gates cambelt kit at a Volvo indi ..is this normal practice..is it a bad thing..will it last as long as a genuine Volvo belt

Heard plenty of non genuine failures.
Never heard of a genuine kit failure.
No idea why they would fit a non genuine kit seeing as they're less than £90 and paying any difference would be pennies.
What a prime opportunity missed.