Old Style Scenic owners/ Car maintenance officiandos

[LIZS]

Has anyone replaced their timing belt ? Our Scenic is in for a service/MOT, has done just over 52 k miles and is almost 6 years old (November 2001). Apparently after 6 years they "recommend" changing the timing belt (quoted £500) as if it goes wrong the cost of engine repairs would be over 2k . Has anyone had this done or not and then had the car go wrong afterwards. Is it a ruse to make regular money or a genuine maintenance issue?

Had the timing belt done on dw's car yesterday, and the garage did it for £250 - a "special offer" as they were quiet!

Renault recommend 72k miles or 5 years between changes, and a google suggests it takes 3.9hrs on a scenic, add about £60 for the belt, tensioner and guide pully - a main dealer could be charging £65/hour so with vat that totals about £380. £500 sounds a bit steep and I suggest you ring round other garages for other quotes - or you could try here www.renaultforums.co.uk/welcome-renaultforums/21703-whatto.html

It is a genuine maintenance issue that the belt is replaced, as if it snaps you it's very expensive to fix and (in a friend's experience) the engine will never be the same again.

on any car i've ever had the timing belt change has cost around the £250 mark. i get them done religiously as one of my first ever cars ended up as scrap after the cambelt snapped and a piston went through the engine block

Thanks for that info , I think when we get the car and paperwork back we'll ring around. This garage is convenient because dh can drop it off and collect en route to work rather than need a loan car but worth the extra hassle to save a few hundred I think.