Michael McAleer answers your questions
From John Morton:
My regular mechanic, who is trustworthy and competent, has advised me to change the timing belt on my car - a 2001 Alfa 166 2.5 auto with 52,000 miles.
The belt manufacturer's book recommends that this should be done at 72,000 miles, or six years old, whereas the car manufacturer recommends, simply, at 120,000 kms (75,000 miles). I've also spoken with three main dealers: one suggested early 40,000s, without mentioning age, the second suggested 35,000/40,000, or three years, and the third suggested 60,000, or five years. All in all, quite varying advice.
Given that this complete job, including changing the water pump and a variator "just in case they'll go", will cost in the region of €1,400, I don't want to do this ahead of time and incur unnecessary expense. I am also aware of the disastrous consequences if the belt should break. My car is not exactly a "hot hatch", and I do drive quite softly.
Recommendations on the changing of timing belts are rather arbitary, despite the various manufacturer claims. While age and mileage are rules of thumb, the real measurement for such items is in hours of operation. That's the criteria used for marine or aircraft engines, where reliability is arguably a life and death issue.
The example we were given when we looked into your query was of two drivers: one from Carlow and one from Dublin. The Carlow driver might do more mileage than the Dublin driver but over six months the Dublin driver will certainly spend longer in traffic with the engine running, even though his mileage might be quite minimal. To give both of them a mileage or age limit for engine parts replacement is rather misleading. The engine in the Dublin car - and the timing belt - is likely to need replacing before the Carlow car.
The best advice is to listen to the mechanic who has inspected the belt rather than the general guidelines from manufacturers or dealers.
As for changing the water pump and variator, this seems sensible advice in terms of cost. The biggest factor in the €1,400 bill is labour costs and it's simply a case of changing these parts while the mechanic is working in this area. If they need replacing later it will cost a lot more, so your mechanic is actually offering you a way to save money in the long-term.
From Sarah O'Neill:
I 've got €12,000 to spend on a used car - SSIA windfall - and I'm looking for something that will stand out from the crowd. I'm really looking for a two-seater sports car but I guess you can't get a Ferrari for this sort of money. Any advice would be welcome. (My ideal car would be a Mini convertible or Citroën Pluriel).
While €12,000 doesn't seem much when you look at the price of new convertibles, it will get you into several older models. Certainly you could pick up a 1990s Mazda MX-5 for this money. That would be my personal car of choice in this category.
Both cars you aspire to are not actually two-seaters - though the back seats are only for very small children. They are also more about charm and personality than sporting pleasure. Personally I wouldn't go for a Pluriel as the roof is too awkward and without it down it's not that distinctive. It's also not really that great to drive either. The Mini is far more fun, but you're not going to get one of these for €12,000 for some time.
If you want to make a statement and considering your preferred cars, may I suggest one rather off-beat model that is well work a look. The Nissan Figaro is a really quirky two-seater that has become ultra-chic in London and will certainly turn as many heads as a Mini. It's got a 1-litre engine so it's no sports car, but it is a soft-top. There are several on sale around the country and you can pick up an early 1990s version for your money. Step away from the ordinary and figure on a Figaro.
From Ciaran Smith:
I heard on the radio about an idea to set up a website to help the public know about bad experiences at restaurants with the quality of food and price issues.
The expense of a bad car is considerably more than a bad meal at a restaurant. Would it make sense in this day and age to expose the sharks and rogues out there with a website, warning about and highlighting bad experiences that have been had with particular dishonest used car dealers?
It's a good idea. A ratemygarage website would be a useful addition to the range of sites already out there. Admittedly some of the sites, those for teachers and more recently for solicitors, have run into legal trouble and you can be sure that some garage owners would be quickly seeking legal redress if their name appeared on any such site.
For now there are several discussion forums on the web that deal with car matters and on these there are numerous treads discussing the ability - or lack thereof - of various dealers. How trustworthy (or libellous) these are remains to be seen.
The least you should do when buying a car from a dealer is to make sure he or she is part of the recognised motor trade body. That way there is some recourse for complaint outside the courts. SIMI membership is a must in that regard.
A website where opinions could be collected is a good idea, but neither SIMI membership nor online advice can beat a good pre-purchase inspection of a car. It may cost a few hundred euro to get the likes of the AA to inspect it, but it will save you a fortune. Ultimately, If you have any doubts about a car - or the dealer - walk away.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, D'Olier St, Dublin 2 - or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie