Is a Repco mechanic good enough?

Graeme-P407 said:
I called Colliers and after giving my basic vehicle identification info, VIN, make, model, he quoted me $1,500 which includes timing belt kit, water pump, coolant & bleed. I thought that was a bit stiff. I was expecting about $1100 — $1200 based on my previous experience with a Volkswagen. So I expected that Peugeot would have similar maintenance costs. I haven't been able to get through to European Auto Care yet, no answer on their phone.

The vehicle's handbook recommends that the belt be changed at 180,000km or 9 years. My car has 174,000km on the clock but it's a 14 year old car which is my great concern. I don't see mention of a previous belt change in the service booklet so I'm assuming it's not been done and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm trying to avoid driving it until I get this done.

I've always done my own fluid and filter changes and basic stuff like starter motors, fuel pumps, brake pads etc but a timing belt is way beyond my expertise. Interestingly enough on another matter a transmission specialist quoted me $400 for a fluid change on the Peugeot so I think that'll be a job for me and Youtube over the Christmas break :)
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Local dealer here wanted $2200 to do a HDi cambelt change. Weirdly enough I'll be doing it myself as well.
 
Is that the RCZ? 2011 would be an RHH. No more difficult.
 
seasink said:
BTW look up locking the RHH flywheel!
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I'll get to it ... maybe early next year. It should pin just like any other flywheel ? Or do you mean to remove the crank bolt? A big strong rattle gun will do that no problems :)
 
You've got it. Lock the cams too. Only PSA could hide the locking hole.
 
seasink said:
You've got it. Lock the cams too. Only PSA could hide the locking hole.
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yes, I've already done the RHR 407 motor a couple of months back. It was all straight forward until I couldn't get the tensioner and belt on. The SKF tensioner twists right out of shape when you back it off and pin it ... which means it won't sit flush against the block without spinning. I was also originally trying to fit the belt once the tensioner was in place. This doesn't work, you need to fit the belt and tensioner at the same time ... or you can't get the belt on. It would take me 10% of the time to do again as I now know the "gotchas".
 
Graeme-P407 said:
on another matter a transmission specialist quoted me $400 for a fluid change on the Peugeot
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Quoted $240 using Total fluid on a Aisin auto tranmission in a 308 T9 by a Peugeot specialist. Found similar disparity recently between the quote from a suburban mechanic to do the brakes using identical brand components. For a couple of decades now I always ask what brand of parts they are using after a Peugeot specialist once asked if I wanted a Valeo or Peugeot alternator that needed replacing. The Valeo one was $500 and the Peugeot was $1000. The mechanic said the only difference was the box it came in. Make sure you deal only with a reputable Peugeot specialist familiar with your particular model as there are a few duds out there too.
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Very interesting and the overcharging plot has thickened this week as I ended up paying the $400 for the transmission fluid change because I thought, even though I intent to do it myself in the future, for now I'll get it done professionally and the mechanic can give it a look over to see if everything's in order. So (post fluid change) this same specialist has now told me that he's discovered that the oil cooler has been removed. In his words... "because Peugeot is an atypical car it will be in the vacinity of $1,200 plus $300 installation for a new transmission cooler". Now, I'm no mechanic but I do know that you can buy generic aftermarket coolers for most cars. Maybe this is for a new forum topic but has anyone here had experience with any aftermarket transmission coolers (to bypass the original) on a Peugeot 407 2.0 HDi running the 6 speed Aisin Seiki unit? Because there's no way I'm intending to spend $1500.
 
Graeme-P407 said:
Very interesting and the overcharging plot has thickened this week as I ended up paying the $400 for the transmission fluid change because I thought, even though I intent to do it myself in the future, for now I'll get it done professionally and the mechanic can give it a look over to see if everything's in order. So (post fluid change) this same specialist has now told me that he's discovered that the oil cooler has been removed. In his words... "because Peugeot is an atypical car it will be in the vacinity of $1,200 plus $300 installation for a new transmission cooler". Now, I'm no mechanic but I do know that you can buy generic aftermarket coolers for most cars. Maybe this is for a new forum topic but has anyone here had experience with any aftermarket transmission coolers (to bypass the original) on a Peugeot 407 2.0 HDi running the 6 speed Aisin Seiki unit? Because there's no way I'm intending to spend $1500.
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Hi Graeme

A quick check on catalogs.ssg.asia/peugeot confirms my suspicion that it's very unlikely that your car ever had a transmission cooler. It should have a heat exchanger, which transfers heat to (or more likely, receives heat from) the engine coolant. Seems unlikely that the heat exchanger would have been removed...

My 27 year old 605 has both heat exchanger and transmission cooler, but I believe it to be pretty unusual among French cars. Mind you, the lack of transmission cooler is a contributing factor (along with failure to change the fluid) in the early failure of euro autos in Australia, so getting one fitted may not be the worst idea - but the mechanic should not be telling you it's been "removed"
 
I had my 2008 407 RHR's cambelt, tensioner, roller, water pump, coolant and engine mounts done by a Bris Pug specialist. Cost me $950
 
Peugeot is an atypical car
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Wait till you hear what these blokes say about Citroen! I walk away from them.

Peugeots are not as common as they once were,
BUT
the Peugeot/Citroen engines are used by other makers including Ford and Volvo. The torque converter autos used have come from ZF and Aisin, also shared by many other cars including Lexus. This sort of talk usually means either "I don't want the job", or "I am about to overcharge"

Peugeot, one of the oldest car makers, has always built well made conventional vehicles.
 
Armidillo said:
Hi Graeme

A quick check on catalogs.ssg.asia/peugeot confirms my suspicion that it's very unlikely that your car ever had a transmission cooler. It should have a heat exchanger, which transfers heat to (or more likely, receives heat from) the engine coolant. Seems unlikely that the heat exchanger would have been removed...

My 27 year old 605 has both heat exchanger and transmission cooler, but I believe it to be pretty unusual among French cars. Mind you, the lack of transmission cooler is a contributing factor (along with failure to change the fluid) in the early failure of euro autos in Australia, so getting one fitted may not be the worst idea - but the mechanic should not be telling you it's been "removed"
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Thanks Armidillo. I'll probably opt for an aftermarket cooler. The transmission guy explained that the in all probability a leakage of either transmission fluid into the cooling system or vice versa may have caused someone to remove the unit (I took him to mean a cooler) but maybe he was referring to the heat exchanger. Anyway he advised that I should not tow anything or drive in heavy traffic until it's resolved. I guess when I get the timing belt done in January I'll have the guys in Penrith check all this out for my peace of mind. Thanks for your feedback.
 
seasink said:
Wait till you hear what these blokes say about Citroen! I walk away from them.

Peugeots are not as common as they once were,
BUT
the Peugeot/Citroen engines are used by other makers including Ford and Volvo. The torque converter autos used have come from ZF and Aisin, also shared by many other cars including Lexus. This sort of talk usually means either "I don't want the job", or "I am about to overcharge"

Peugeot, one of the oldest car makers, has always built well made conventional vehicles.
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Yes! Peugeot is surprisingly under rated in Australia but popular overseas especially in Europe and South Africa. Not sure why Australia is so timid when it comes to French cars!
 
(Make sure you deal only with a reputable Peugeot specialist familiar with your particular model as there are a few duds out there too.)

Yes I'm fast discovering what you mean!
 
dcc236 said:
I had my 2008 407 RHR's cambelt, tensioner, roller, water pump, coolant and engine mounts done by a Bris Pug specialist. Cost me $950
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That is a really reasonable cost if that includes all those parts I would have thought!

I wonder if the $2200 wanted at the poogoe dealer even includes the water pump ?
 
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