Question on Timing Belt Replacement

2.5 doesn't have a timing belt mate it has a chain

Only the 2 ltr has a belt so it sounds a bit suspect also I though chain replacement took a lot longer than 3 hours as you have to pretty much strip half the engine and correct me if I'm wring but i also thought it was an engine out job
 
Mmm - yes, I know (about the chain :). That's why it was so intriguing! I'm turning in to a very un-trusting person these days; the only reason I can think of for that invoice is that someone's thought the car had missed its timing belt replacement time and knocked up an invoice to 'show' it had been done!
 
Might have meant the auxillary drive belt. The V6 still uses a belt for the PAS pump, alternator and A/C condensor but many people never bother to replace this. Just a thought? Then again, anyone needing 3 hours to change the aux belt isn't going to last long in a commercial garage.
 
It may have been the auxiliary drive belt, but it definitely said timing belt replacement! Apart from that, I'm not bothered; it was a dealer and although the exterior looked quite good the interior wasn't so hot. I think it had probably been owned by a smoker who didn't take very good care of the inside; lots of little scratches on the dash and stuff. More than I'd expect for 69,000 miles but I guess you guys might be better people to ask about this. The first one I looked at, an S reg near Sutton Coldfield (that I mentioned elsewhere) was almost perfect inside and had cloth seats. The leather seated ones I've seen since seem to be a bit tatty; is that a common thing?
 
Keep looking - there are plenty and the price of that one was very steep.

The leather tends to wear on the drivers seat on the bolster. If it is just the seats/door cards that are tatty don't worry too much as replacement interiors are often being sold for not too much money. The dash etc could be more of a pain.

If you going to spend top wack then make sure the wishbones have been done.
 
It was quite expensive compared to some, but they seem to be going up in price! I expected more from it but there you go. I noticed a lot of the pictures of the interiors of the leather seats show problems with the bolsters but Rik Edwards mentioned he'd just had the foam replaced in his. Actual damage to the leather I guess is a bit more difficult to fix.

I opened the ashtray on that one and came out with slight yellow staining on my fingers :) I'll definitely keep shopping round; just a bit gutted about the first one I saw as it was low miles (58k), £975, and good condition (although cloth interior) and doesn't appear to have taken much effort to get through an MOT. If I hadn't been so determined not to buy one with 6 wks MOT remaining ....

Thanks a lot for the advice. The problem with the wishbones is a difficult one; it's all well having a stamped service book but that doesn't show what was done and I need to see the invoices for those and for any other work that's been done. Some people don't seem to keep that stuff and dealers probably either haven't a clue or won't necessarily tell you!

Ah well...
 
YOu can get a very good feel for the state of wishbone bushes just by looking at them as a helper applies full steering lock for you. If the wishbone pulls more than a couple of millimeters off centre as the last little big of lock comes on then the bushes are past their best. Anything more obvious such as torn rubber etc will become very apparent too during this little look/see :)
 
Also you will hear it and feel it when you drive the car, just drive it over any small pot holes you see in the road, you will feel it for sure.
 
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