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Post by loafer on Mar 21, 2017 18:34:28 GMT
For the first time in 11 years we bought a car, 3 months ago. A nice Nissan X-Trail 2005. Timing chain replaced last year.
Last week Mrs Loafer was inconvenienced by a failure of the timing chain, in the middle of Stafford. 'WHAT!' You may well exclaim.
It turns out that our 'warranty' insists on a perfect service record for the vehicle. Ours isn't. I don't feel that the 'selling garage' is to blame, but I wonder if it is worth going after the previous servicing agent who replaced the timing chain last year. They are, of course, going to need an analysis of why the timing chain broke after just 4000 miles.
We need the car, so we've gone for a reconditioned replacement for £1800 inc VAT with a 5-day turnover.
Does the panel think I need to take this one for the team? I'm inclined to let it rest rather than have a 5-year legal fight and no sleep.
What do you think peeps?
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Deleted
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Bummer.
Mar 21, 2017 18:37:35 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 18:37:35 GMT
Chain?
Was it not a belt?
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 21, 2017 18:53:06 GMT
For the first time in 11 years we bought a car, 3 months ago. A nice Nissan X-Trail 2005. Timing chain replaced last year. Last week Mrs Loafer was inconvenienced by a failure of the timing chain, in the middle of Stafford. 'WHAT!' You may well exclaim. It turns out that our 'warranty' insists on a perfect service record for the vehicle. Ours isn't. I don't feel that the 'selling garage' is to blame, but I wonder if it is worth going after the previous servicing agent who replaced the timing chain last year. They are, of course, going to need an analysis of why the timing chain broke after just 4000 miles. We need the car, so we've gone for a reconditioned replacement for £1800 inc VAT with a 5-day turnover. Does the panel think I need to take this one for the team? I'm inclined to let it rest rather than have a 5-year legal fight and no sleep. What do you think peeps? It's a 12 year old car. I think if you buy a 12 year old car you can't expect the same level of reliability as if you'd bought a newish car. That said, you do seem to have hit "worst case scenario" which is a shame. A timing chain is only as good as the other bits. If the chain tensioner is faulty then the chain won't last long. The question could be: was the tensioner obviously faulty when they replaced the chain, or did it become faulty later? You would struggle to prove it (this presumes that the tensioner is the problem, which is not a certainty of course).
Sorry, bite the bullet and move on!
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 21, 2017 18:55:47 GMT
Chain? Was it not a belt? My 2004 Subaru had a timing chain. My 2016 Skoda has a timing chain. In fact it also has another chain driving the oil pump. And another chain driving the two balancer shafts!
There is a VW group engine out there (fitted to a golf GTI IIRC) that has a chain at one end for one camshaft and a belt at the other end for the other camshaft. Which is a bit weird!
But generally it seems that timing belts are losing favour and chains are gaining favour again.
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Bummer.
Mar 21, 2017 18:59:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 18:59:23 GMT
My 1997 saab 9000 aero has a chain. Never been changed. 160k on the clock. I had a cambelt failure on a Land Rover 90 tdi I owned in the late 90s. Not nice on a busy road  I just thought chains were more durable but I guess as with everything else they can be degraded to become a service item like a belt. |
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Post by tomsk on Mar 21, 2017 19:00:19 GMT
I'm very much a 'chain' man.
Whilst in no way an expert, I'm sure it's best practice to change the tensioner at the same time, and water pump for that matter.
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Post by Andyberg on Mar 21, 2017 19:00:54 GMT
Chain? Was it not a belt? My 2004 Subaru had a timing chain.
What Subaru what's that? I had an 04 Impreza a few years ago, longest cambelt known to man!!
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 21, 2017 19:01:31 GMT
With my old 1999 Mazda 626 estate, as I remember the timing belt was changed twice during my ownership (or was it three times? 100,000km, 200,000km and 300,000km?) and the tensioner was changed also at the same time. I have one of the old tensioners here in the garage, just as a curiosity.
I'm thinking the people who replaced the timing belt/chain should be contacted - if they changed the tensioner at the same time, then there should be a 'lifetime of the parts' guarantee, ie. that it should last for, say, 100,000 kilometres (roughly 4 years' driving). Worth asking the AA or RAC, or asking on a Nissan forum?
It doesn't matter how old the car is - the parts replaced should be up to snuff. I would certainly spend a little time looking into it.
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 21, 2017 19:02:43 GMT
My 1997 saab 9000 aero has a chain. Never been changed. 160k on the clock. I had a cambelt failure on a Land Rover 90 tdi I owned in the late 90s. Not nice on a busy road I just thought chains were more durable but I guess as with everything else they can be degraded to become a service item like a belt. I think quite often it is the tensioner bit that goes wonky first, which then causes the chain to wear at a high rate. |
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 21, 2017 19:03:58 GMT
My 2004 Subaru had a timing chain.
What Subaru what's that? I had an 04 Impreza a few years ago, longest cambelt known to man!!
It was a Legacy Spec B - 3 litre flat 6 engine. For some reason the 4 cylinder engines had belts, the 6 cyl had chains. |
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Bummer.
Mar 21, 2017 19:20:41 GMT
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Post by peterboat on Mar 21, 2017 19:20:41 GMT
If the garage didn't do the tensioner and guides they are somewhat to blame. Remember I had a garage and we did jags which apart from stype diesels are all timing chain's. I would suspect chain might not have been changed it does happen friends have book's stamped up etc
As for liability normally the warranty is with those that paid sorry loafer it's a contract thing
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Post by loafer on Mar 21, 2017 19:21:48 GMT
I think Nick's right - bullet time. I can't possibly be arsed with the hassle of chasing this up, inevitably through the courts. I will phone the garage who sold it to me and tell them what has happened. Ha! Fat lot of good it would do me.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 20:02:36 GMT
A bitter pill to swallow, but it won't get any sweeter for prolonging the pain, in my view.
I used to have a diesel focus. Had it serviced just before one christmas, and arranged to take it back on 4th January for the timing belt to be changed as we were visiting family for christmas.
24th December, M1 southbound and........made a hell of a mess on the carriageway.
I think head held high and walk away is the way to go.
Good luck with the 'new' one.
Rog
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Post by loafer on Mar 23, 2017 0:46:22 GMT
Ta Rog. I'm still feckin FUMING though! There's no justice for the common twat any more!
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 23, 2017 7:59:13 GMT
Loafer - read my post again. Have a rummage through the Internet, ask at one or two local garages, ask the AA and RAC and look at a few car forums. The two to four hours it will take you (or perhaps a whole day) may save you a lot of money. Have you got the evidence for your timing belt/chain change? Was the tensioner done at same time? Paperwork, receipts. Get you teeth into this and don't let go until the bitter end. If nothing else it will be an education of sorts.
A changed part should last, no matter whether the rest of the car around it falls to pieces, and I think it's bugger all to do with who paid for it.
Name that person/mechanic/garage that did the job - if they turn out to be wrong 'uns you will have done everyone a favour by letting us know to avoid them in future.
Facts first.
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