Frylite

I dont know where these prices are coming from.....i asked from to seperate garages (both not dealers but specialize in subaru's) and one was £1000+ which i think was just a joke. Another one was more reasonable but was still around £600 odd..... I asked for complete belt, idlers, pulleys, and water pump with a specific coolant and got silly prices so i ended up doing it my self and it was pretty easy for a fraction of the cost.

AS Performance

iTrader: (4)

all of our kits have all parts exactly as supplied to Subaru so yes they are "genuine"

On-the-bog

Are they identical to what you buy from a dealer? are all the markings the same? etc etc

They may well be the same item, from the same line, from the same batch, and just marked differently at the end of the production line, but unless they are marked as genuine parts then you can't claim them to be.

We're only talking about wording here i realise, but its pretty important wording. People have ended up in court for less.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Don't now what your problem is, you've already been told they're identical and made in the same place, why does it matter what's printed on them.

Not being rude either as I realise it can come across that way on here. > <

AS Performance

iTrader: (4)

the parts are not just similar quality but are identical in the fact they are sourced from the same manufacturers in the exact specification of the original Subaru items, the only difference is they dont/cant come in a Subaru box and dont have the same "tax" applied...........

i dont claim anything which is why i said "genuine"............

SubieJack

It also helps the resale value too, as with scoobs nowadays, it's a pretty strong point to have a car with excellent history. Better to have a specialist than some spanner monkeys garage.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

To a point yes, so you own a car and get mugged off for every service and cambelt change or simple problems over a 3/4yrs period and paid thousands over the odds to get an extra couple of hundred in return come sale time, yep makes perfect sense to me.

DIY FTW.

SubieJack

I guess if we all had the same opinion, the world would be a boring place.

fpan

iTrader: (11)

There is a reason I wrote 80k, because a friend's car (newage) had exactly the same problem.
Pump failed, tore the belt, valves hit the pistons, he ended up having to buy a new block.
Don't economise because you may end up having to pay a lot more.
Personally, I'd change the water pump at the second cambelt change of the car.
Not all people can DIY a cambelt change so no point slagging someone off who pays a trustworthy garage to do it.
I agree though, finding a mechanic you trust is VERY difficult! Even so called specialists can be bad sometimes.

On-the-bog

im only trying to say why you might pay extra lol

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Well I can safely say that's the first one I've heard of on a newage, I think it's safe to say that the cambelts snapping is an extremely rare occurrence on any Subaru without there being a secondary cause, ie the belts themselves don't seem to suddenly combust and explode into shreds.

I wasn't actually slagging anyone off, I was merely stating (as others have too) that it's not a difficult job and doesn't warrant exorbitant labour charges for something that is a 2/3hr job max. and then stick a load of un-necessary parts and labour charges onto the job.

Idlers, tensioners, water pump are inspection only @60k which is the key point as far as i'm concerned, if Subaru are happy to let them run to 120k why is everyone obsessed with changing them for no apparent reason other than to line the pockets of so called specialists and gain some sort of (in my eyes) misguided 'peace of mind'.

As for the service history argument, I agree but no need to pay through the nose for it.

That's all.

OK it's an extreme example, but it's like saying 'Oh you need an oil change, may as well fit new piston rings while we're at it, just for peace of mind.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

So just out of curiosity... I did a bit of a search on ebay.com, I didn't even try very hard 5 mins to be precise, I've come to the conclusion that people enjoy being ripped off or they're just extremely lazy, I found a full timing belt kit (dayco oem quality belt, bare in mind all this stuff is made in the same place) for $98 and the belt on it's own for $24 /$29 shipped.

I'm sure if I spent a little more time I could find it all even cheaper, now I know stuff is generally cheaper in the states and we have to pay tax etc and maybe wait a little longer, but it's not like a timing belt change sneaks up on you and you have to have it tomorrow.

But I guess people get 'Peace of mind' so that makes it ok to pay a fortune for a timing belt along with some other stuff they don't need.

AS Performance

iTrader: (4)

not sure we are looking at the same thing in terms of quality, only turbo kits i could find started at around $150 including shipping BUT were aftermarket single bearing idlers, etc. rather than the likes of the kit we do which has genuine NTN/NSK/KOYO upgraded bearings

on todays exchange rate that is approx £122, once imported you "should" be charged approx 5% import duty & 20% VAT on the lot which would make it slightly more expensive than our kits are...........

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I'll go no comment because I like you.

mebz

I'm in need of a cambelt change on my 2003 sti. I've had bad experiences at main stealers so would rather get an enthusiastic and experienced mechanic to fit one. I would probably source from AS Performance but can abyone recommend someone in the East London/Essex area who could fit?

scoobypaul_temp

iTrader: (2)

SRE is in Wickford (they have a Facebook page)

mebz

thanks mate. Dropped them a msg on facebook!

mebz

Update on quote for cambelt change 2003 sti

SRE Wickford £460 includes all kit and waterpump
Slowboy racing £420 includes all kit
Subaru dealer Woodford £455 just belt
subaru4u £172+vat just belt

Subaru4u is out in Berkshire so bit of a drive. This is justified though for a saving of over £200

Anyone cheaper in the locality of London/Essex?

elvis100

has anyone used Subaru 4 you or Group B Motorsport near Chester for cambelts? I could drive down to Berkshire and wait or travel 40 mins to Chester... Mine also needs a waterpump as not done last time.

Peedee

iTrader: (4)

Give Paul at Xtreme Scoobies a call mate, he's in Chelmsford - 01245 363623

elvis100

yeah, It has to be Cheshire, Beds or Berks really with a courtesy car ideally if Berks to see my peeps and fam

Don Clark

Interesting to read all these comments.

Bear in mind that in the US that the cambelt change is not done until 105,000 miles when most do the complete set of idlers and waterpump as well as the belt.

elvis100

105k? Mines on 86,000. Just the belt done at 78,125 close to 5 years ago. Pump was ok then I'm told. Time to change ALL belts. idlers, tensioner and waterpump?

Whit80

Very similar situation/mileage to me when i bought my Sti.
Personally i would change the whole lot as above.
When i swapped mine out, the small idler pulley right of the tensioner was failing putting a groove in the centre of the belt!
Before..



After..


Not worth the risk doing only the belt.

elvis100

Thanks. I see that Import car parts sells an upgraded small idler with two bearings that Subaru changed to. Is this the idler that most people are fitting now and is it the only correct part to use (double roller)?

Whit80

Im not sure on part changes, but id take the two bearings over one.
Your best of giving Alyn a ring @AS performance or Import car parts if your unsure.

AS Performance

iTrader: (4)

in general terms people are simply "up selling" water pumps and the "upgraded twin bearing" small idler.......

the important on to upgrade to a twin bearing idler is on the O/S main timing chest and all of out kits have these

all options on the shelf and will happily talk through what you require and why you probably dont need to spend on other things

0191-4103770

elvis100

Just wanted to recommend JJM Services in Leighton Buzzard for my cambelt. He's Cookstar on here. New pump, Dayco OEM belt and new pulleys.