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I've just accompanied my son to look at a Fiat Ducato 2013 2.3 multijet 130bhp (93k miles) coverted into a campervan. It looked ideal, converted using nice materials by a practical methodical person, and generally tidy and mechanically pretty up together.
But having poked around and gone through the paperwork, we realised there was a bit of a gap in the paperwork, and for some reason no proof of the recent cambelt change.
Anyway after some toing and froing we are given the invoice from a couple of weeks ago showing he did change the cambelt........... but only after it had snapped.
So he has had the whole top part of the engine rebuilt, head resurfaced and crack test, broken stud removal, broken glowplug removal, valves, rocker arms and lifters fitted. Its had a camshaft set and various bolts, fluids and water pump etc fitted by a well reviewed garage.
So I guess my questions are:
1) Does this type of repair compromise the future reliability of the engine or is it likely to run on for another 100,000 miles all other things , maintenance etc being equal.
2)If it is likely to be okish, what kind of discount would you be looking at to reflect the risk for possible re-failure or difficulty reselling.
The present owner has spent £2900 fixing this.
2)If it is likely to be okish, what kind of discount would you be looking at to reflect the risk for possible re-failure or difficulty reselling.
If the works done right.... None. It's less risk now than it was 3 weeks ago.
I'd more likely walk because it looks like he's been hiding it. So what else has he hidden
I wouldn't, even if further discount can be negotiated, when one will come up without the risk factors of 'why did he hide this' and the fact that total confidence the engine is back to par will take some miles to settle.
Why is he selling something he has put so much time money and effort into? I suspect he has lost faith in it or thinks that the damage to the engine might be greater than was repaired ie debris in the sump damaging the oil pump or similar? dunno
In theory if the work has been done properly and it appears it has it should be OK but that it was only done 2 weeks ago and he was reluctant to tell you rings alarm bells for me
I thought the 2.3 Ducato was the chain driven Iveco engine?
The Peugeot boxer and Citroen Delay are the PSA 'Transit' engine - also chain driven.
Either way I'd walk away, - it looks like what the seller is effectively trying to do.
Think it was the 3.0L that was chain. Our 2.3 is belt.
From a reputable garage it wouldn't worry me, doubt they'd risk their reputation for a big job on an engine that they weren't happy with, but I'd probably give them a ring.
Of course it does effect the value so I'd negotiate hard. I think a lot more people would hide that invoice than would be prepared to admit it.
2.3 is a belt for the front drive .
There is a chain at at the rear- rarely gets changed. Known to let go.
The fact he's spent 2900 doing it suggests he's done it fully.
If it was me and tbh most garages these days. It would have been an engine swap + new belt at that point for me. They are 10 a penny for about 6-800 quid.
Thanks everyone, I've passed on your opinions, thoughts etc and we'll have to see which way he goes.
I'm pretty sure the garage are ok, so maybe it'll be alright. Always a bit of a gamble though