Bongo Fury

Aren't there timing marks on the wheels?

I would think between 60 & 90 mins to do the job. Might as well do the alternator and air con belts whilst in there.

I have provided the belts for the alternator and aircon and have asked for them to be changed.

I'll report back with the costs and, fingers crossed, good news that it was all done without any problems in around an hour!

Just had a call from the mechanic. Apparently it took 4 hours to replace the timing, alternator and air con belts. I'll be charged £175 +VAT

£44 per hour!!! Nice work if you can get it. That's main dealer prices.
I got my timing belt with alt belts and air con belt, fuel filter changed and No 1 exaust manifold bolt drilled out and helicoiled (fiddly job) for £90 back pocket money. It should not be a 4 hour job unless perhaps they have never seen a Bongo before, even then no more than 2 hours. The guy who did mine was only useing jacks to get underneath and he said the belts were very easy to change. Don't put that garage on the list.

£44 per hour!!! Nice work if you can get it. That's main dealer prices.

No it's not Haydn, more like £50+ for dealer prices but extortionate all the same. It would be interesting to find out what the 'book' time is for the Bongo. I've not had a go myself but would have thought the book garage time shouldn't be any more than 2 hours if an MR2 change is 3.5 hours which requires special tools, removal of an engine mount etc etc. The Bongo should be straightforward in comparison. As you say, sounds like the mechanic has been learning on his first Bongo. Probably had time to play with all the toys as well. The words off and rip come to mind.

It only takes about 4 hours to do a cam belt on a petrol Bongo and have you seen how complicated that is??

Before I fall off my perch, being as sick as I am with being ripped off, I thought I would let you know that I called 2 garages on the recommended list (both within 20 miles of Bedford). One stated it was a 3 hour job and would charge £180 + VAT + parts. The second stated it would £270.

The job of replacing the fan, timing & aircon belts cost me £205 inc. + approx £80 for 4 belts, tensioner & spring. I was orignally informed that they would not guarantee the parts as I had supplied them but, as I handed over the cash, they stated that the work was not given any warranty at all - I guess that includes their labour as well. That made me even more because the owner stated that labour charges have to cover the costs incurred if they have to repair damage that they have caused.

I think that I will go and have a lie down!

£60 per hour labour !!! STREWTH !!

BMW and Merc charge between £95 and £110 per hour. £205 seems reasonable to me. If you want to save money just do the job yourself, thats what I do. It is the only way you know you have a good job done.

haydn callow wrote:£60 per hour labour !!! STREWTH !!

That's about normal for dealers around here, PLUS VAT of course.

smartmonkey wrote: If you want to save money just do the job yourself, thats what I do. It is the only way you know you have a good job done.

I would have done it but I have been warned by several people I trust that timing belts are best left to professionals as the potential for damage if it is done incorrectly is huge and expensive. At least with a garage, there is some one to complain to / about if they do not repair the damage - but I was scr*wed in this situation as they would not guarantee work if they used bits I supplied!

I sympathise M & J.
Having both run a garage and been a punter I'll sit on the fence here but.........I've been taken to the cleaners by the public before when I fitted spurious parts supplied by the owner and the part failed. It was a bitter pill to swallow but I took it on the chin to save bad PR, even though we had done nothing wrong!
Every time someone supplied parts to fit from then on I added a disclaimer that we would not guarantee the job of defective parts. You just can't win in the trade sometimes