GTA Cam Belt - When did your's snap?

I think it may be of some use to start making a note of when cambelts fail as I think the book time of 70k is way too optimistic.

So when did yours fail?

Miles and age required for this to be usefull.

43,000 - 2003 - 147 Gta (Hillp)
49,639 - 2003 - 147 GTA (PetrolHead)
51,000 - 2003 - 147 GTA (Ecurie Eccose)
51,000 - 2004 - 147 GTA - Failed Dec 07 (Graham)
46,000 - 2003 - 156 GTA - Failed Feb 08 (Nick GTA)
43,000 - 2003 - 147 GTA - Failed Feb 07
49,000 - - 156 SW - ebay car
55591 - 2003 - 156 GTA SW at age 5yrs 1 month

Mark Y: 147 GTA, 42K 2003 (not a failiure but rubbing sounds reported from the cam belt area so its likely the tensioner is on the ****)

Dunno why Alfa insist on the 70K, especially if you mean miles cos that's 112K km which is almost double the norm from all the Alfa mechanics i dealt with in South Africa..

Wonder if there was an official note for this from the dealers in SA... I always just used 60,000km or 3 years as a rule of thumb..

43,000 - 2003 147 Gta - Still in Garage awaiting new engine.

Originally Posted by hillp

43,000 - 2003 147 Gta - Still in Garage awaiting new engine.

Where is it? Mango's?

Would be the obvious choice for you chester folk..

Although i'm not impressed with them.

The parts side of Mango's is brilliant. Well informed, intellegent staff. Its the guy that manages the service side that ruins it. He doesn't know his con rod from his airfilter and tries to screw as much money out of you as possible.

Originally Posted by Chris155

He doesn't know his con rod from his airfilter and tries to screw as much money out of you as possible.

Oh that's funny..... I paid £15 yesterday to have my radio code found on the car... he left me a message to tell me that it was 3565 (the code I already had that didnt work) so he basically did nothing for me.

It is the original stereo and now thanks to Audiotech I have the correct code..

I am going to call him back shortly and complain (and demand my money back).

Thanks Mangos

Just realised..... hillp - you're the fella I offered to lend my camlocks too not 2 months ago!

Gutted for you as I know you wanted to get it changed....

How bad's the damage? That 166 I'm rebuilding was utter carnage but I've seen others that have been very lightly damaged.

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

Oh that's funny..... I paid £15 yesterday to have my radio code found on the car... he left me a message to tell me that it was 3565 (the code I already had that didnt work) so he basically did nothing for me.

It is the original stereo and now thanks to Audiotech I have the correct code..

I am going to call him back shortly and complain (and demand my money back).

Thanks Mangos

My brother convinced Alfa to contribute 50% to a 330 brake upgrade.

Booked in to Mangos service dept.

Total cost should have been around 600, with Alfa paying 50%. He explained this quiet clearly.

When he piced it up, the service manage presented him with a bill for 600. Not because it cost that much but because he thought he could get away with it. The bill and labour times were proper jackanory. I think it was down as 6 hours to change it.

I did the same upgrade on my drive in less than 2!

It took him a fair bit of time to get the money refunded.

And their solution for a faulty alarm on my mum's brera was to turn it off.....

Originally Posted by Chris155

My brother convinced Alfa to contribute 50% to a 330 brake upgrade.

Booked in to Mangos service dept.

Total cost should have been around 600, with Alfa paying 50%. He explained this quiet clearly.

When he piced it up, the service manage presented him with a bill for 600. Not because it cost that much but because he thought he could get away with it. The bill and labour times were proper jackanory. I think it was down as 6 hours to change it.

I did the same upgrade on my drive in less than 2!

It took him a fair bit of time to get the money refunded.

I have a bill from the previous owner for the brake upgrade and cambelt service.... total price £1679. No contribution from Alfa as far as I can see. Glad I didnt pick up that bill!

Cam belt will have been just over 1k. Bet they didn't change the water pump either....

Originally Posted by Chris155

Cam belt will have been just over 1k. Bet they didn't change the water pump either....

No they didn't No record of it being done.

My GTA is in E S Jones! I have not seen what damage has been done. They have ordered a new engine. I had a couple weeks of Alfa Care warrenty left, but the car was 3 weeks over 5 years of age so they said No. Alfa UK are picking up 60% of the cost. I am still working on Alfa care for a contribution as well. Its been with ES jones for 5 weeks now.

Ordered a new engine? I didn't think you could

Thats what I thought. We will wait and see.

Originally Posted by hillp

My GTA is in E S Jones! I have not seen what damage has been done. They have ordered a new engine. I had a couple weeks of Alfa Care warrenty left, but the car was 3 weeks over 5 years of age so they said No. Alfa UK are picking up 60% of the cost. I am still working on Alfa care for a contribution as well. Its been with ES jones for 5 weeks now.

Oh christ! They're even worse than mangos! (They're also 2 miles from where I live)

It must be bad if they're after a new engine.

As the car is with them at present, I don't wish to comment as yet on the service I have received from them!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by hillp

As the car is with them at present, I don't wish to comment as yet on the service I have received from them!!!!!!!

Says it all really.

Yep, gutted.