Cambelt broken damaging pistons

[iamathome]

My 02 Daewoo Lanos yesterday lost all power on the motorway. To cut a long story short the garage says the cambelt has broken damaging the pistons and has charged £1200 to get fixed. As a lowly girly am I being had? Does it really come down to paying all this or not bothering and scrapping the car?

[TTG]

Yes it is an expensive job! Are you in the AA or RAC? Maybe get them to have a look so you have a 2nd opinion.

[ChuckFickens]

I would agree that it's worth getting a second opinion. but if the belt really did break and it needs the work they have claimed that is probably not an unreasonable price.

if you have gone to a main dealer then try a local independent garage.

[Toureman]

Has "the Garage" stripped the engine down before saying the pistons are broken because if thats the case the valves will be broken and there could be further damage aswell?

If not they cannot quote a price because they will not know the extent of the damage.

[jake-the-peg]

Forgive me if this is patronising

The pistons go up and down and compress the petrol vapour the valves at the top go in and out to let the ptrol vapour in and let the exhaust out.

The cambelt times these so that they don't meet.

When your cambelt broke they will have hit each other - almost certainly bending the valves and it sounds as if it's damaged pistons as well.

To fix this the engine has to come out. the top part of the engine split away from the bottom part, the valves disassembeled replaced with new ones. The damaged pistons removed new ones fitted, all reassembed tested and put back in the car.

It's a very big job - comparing this to the value of a 7 year old Daewoo (probably about £1,400) I'd think quite seriously about scrapping it

http://cars.trovit.co...-cars/daewoo-lanos-02

[vulcan]

could be the garage,knowing the amount of damage a breaking cam belt does, have quoted for a replacement engine.[which I had to have when my cam belt broke. Pistons,valves and head all gets damaged]

[TWR]

Hi, your in for an expensive refit here should you decide to get the engine stripped & a rebuild, you quickest & cheapest way out of you dilemma Iamathome is to go on either eBay search for a replacement unit (Engine) or go onto 247 car spares + there are many others to chose from, your buying price and fitting price will be in the region of £500 + If you do decide to go down that route get the Clutch Assembly changed, & all the new Auxiliary belts + of course Antifreeze, if you like & want to keep your car this is the cheapest & quickest way to get it done. Good Luck.

[iamathome]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone. I think it's confirmed my gut feeling that the car shoul be scrapped - when the repairs are going to cost pretty much the resale value of the car it just ain't worth it :-(
What a pain!
And jake-the-peg - thanks for explaining that, it wasn't patronising at all, quite interesting in fact!

[TWR]

Hi again, you should get within £ 60 / £70 scrap value for your car, do not be fobbed off with stupid quotes, Give eBay a try explain what the car needs be honest otherwise you will be caught out ( No offence meant here) if the car is off road don't forget your SORN, If plenty of road Tax / Insurance, again if the car is off road, send your tax back to DVLA, & stop your Insurance ( If the car is off road.

[iamathome]

Thanks TWR, the car has been sold to the garage who looked at it for £50 for 'his son to tinkle with'. I was happy with that. I've kept the tax disc (which only began on 01.12!) to get a refund. Thanks for the help everyone. N