[swallow]

Hi All - been away from the 916 section for a while but hoping to be back in a V6 this weekend, HOWEVER....

Car has only done 6k in the last 9 years and been garaged

Last documented cambelt was in 2009 at 75k car now at 81k some 9 years on, obviously minimal use, MOT history confirms

"Might" have had a cambelt since but no documentation and seller unable to prove (ie not done in his ownership of a couple of years)

Car is 2 hours drive home from me.

Car is at an OK price, have done deal with vendor although that was when I had been told it had a much more recent belt change.

Question is - would you, or wouldn't you risk a 2 hour drive on a 9 year old cambelt that's done 6k?

opinions (not binding of course) please as hoping to fetch it on Sunday.. cheers, Tom

 

[Jonlane]

Hi,
When I bought my v6 it was 5 years overdue a belt change, I had a 240 mild trip back in it with everything crossed.
No issues on the drive home and when I had the belt changed the old one looked brand new, to be honest if you placed them side by side you would be hard pressed to tell the new one from the old one.
If you're thinking about risking it could you take off the belt cover and have a look at the belt ? Not very scientific but it might give you an Indication of it's condition. In an ideal world id say don't risk it but if the price is right I would.


Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[jonalfaspider]

It's a big big risk Tom, I took this risk withthe j10 as no paperwork proving cambelt change as appenently it was all done cash, I believed the seller and I took the risk 180 miles home Knowing if the belt went or engine I could easy recover my money as the car has lots of valuable parts so to me it comes down to the price.

If it's cheap enough why not find somewhere local that can do it that day, Alfa tech charged me £500 for full cambelt kit change and water pump I though that was very good especially as it was done in by the afternoon.

How much of a risk taker are you? Lol! To me it would depend on the price of the car How much you playing with??

On the flip side my v6 project had a 8 year old cambelt and I had it collected after I had agreed a deal and it was 120miles away So for a £120 I thought it was well worth it. Shrew who is well known on this forum is very trustworthy and well priced. When My brakes failed on my old gtv, I left it at a local garage as aa only tow 10miles max. Shrew picked it up from Peterborough and delivered with keys to Newark and I just waited at my parents two hours later my gtv turned up so well worth the £80 no hassle.

To me it all comes down to the price surety the fuel in a v6 is going to cost as much as it being delivered on a bed?

Have you seen the black v6 gtv with j10 kit, cup wings, GTA alloys, quads and has had a lot of work done, bargain at £3500 or make me offer on eBay (not my car)

Good luck whatever you decide bud

 

[swallow]

Hi Jon - could you PM me Shrew's contact details if you've got them? Be good to get a cost on it.

Can't get belts done on a Sunday unfortunately, just a shame the car is a good 2 hour drive away. That said, the current owner (dealer) has been driving the car apparently unaware of age of belt (he thought it had been done in 2015 under previous but one's ownership)... not able to prove that, so I take it with a decent pinch of salt.

 

[abecketts]

I have the same quandary with the v6 spider I have just bought. 5k covered since December 2012. Once I have sorted a new Mot it will be trailered to autolusso for the cambelt. Don't think a long run is worth the risk.

 

[Muz]

I do very little mileage in my GTV and ask myself every three years after maybe 4K if I should risk taking it to a fourth year. I haven’t done it yet. I know there is plenty of history of twinsparks snapping cambelts, is the V6 as badly affected? I believe the change interval is longer? Anyway are they many instances of cambelts letting go on cars with low mileage and way too many years between changes? Or is it just cambelt paranoia that makes us change at the recommended time even if miles are low between changes?

If I were the OP I think I’d risk driving it home but get the belts changed ASAP

 

[Flanners1]

With any second hand car with no 'history' or one I did not trust of a certain age that I wished to keep and enjoy, I would do the belts as per the OP; especially so on anything that is noted for cam belt failures (somewhat notorious in the 4 cylinder Alfa 2.0 TS and 2.0JTS engines), but also for the GTV V6 or a Coupe 20vt (almost always an aux belt takes the main belt) etc.....for piece of mind.

What I do not do on my V6 (owned for 5 years) and 20vt (14 years) once the car is in my ownership and care allow cam belt paranoia to overcome a rational maintenance schedule.

There is no way I would do my V6 belts after only 4K miles and 3 years, or to put it into context my car is in a heated garage, I have had no coolant leaks, no oil leaks, the belt has been visually inspected, the water pump has a metal impellor, Autolusso changed it last time with new tensioners, rollers and the aux belt and tensioners etc, there are no noises on start-up or whilst driving etc) The car has done circa 6K in that time and it was all changed out 5 years ago. I don't drive the car like a **** and bang it off the limiter or see what the 0-60mph time is or race people from traffic lights etc but I do enjoy the car's potential. I am happy that knowing and maintaining my car means that a change based on 'age' (whatever that is as I have yet to see a date stamp on any belt or manufacturer's box) alone every 3 or 4 years on the V6 is overkill with such small mileage. Of course it could all go horribly wrong

 

[Pud237]

If you drive it there is a risk of failure of the belt which will consequently wreck the engine. If you pay someone to do the belts before you drive it, then you might only find out there are other problems with the car after you've shelled out for a cambelt replacement.

I've done it both ways - my £400 Twinspark Sportwagon got driven around on a 5 year old, 60k mile cambelt for about 3 weeks until I knew I was happy with the car enough to want to spend money on a belt kit & service parts.

My Fiat Coupe 20v turbo, I bought without even hearing it run, as there was visible play in the cambelt idler and the previous owner wanted cash in his hand before I turned the key, and if it failed, it was my problem not his. So I bought it without hearing it run, trailered it back, gave it a full service and cambelt/tensioner/idler/waterpump change before even firing it up.

 

[swallow]

Thanks one and all for thoughts and advice, good food for thought. I'm buying the car but will mull over the options for getting her home... Tbc

 

[swallow]

Well now, Ive just made it home in the newly purchased V6...

Turned out not to be such a gamble, as after a bit of phoning around, I discovered that PowerItalia did the cambelt last in 2016, together with a host of other jobs...