Plea for Help - Based in Midlands.

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:23 pm

Hi there,

I bought my Vovlo 480 to particpate in this year student gumball rally (www.studentgumballrally.com) we are Team 480 Degrees (www.480degrees.co.uk). We are aiming to raise as much money for the teenage cancer trust charity as we can by completing the event and getting sponsorship to do so. As a result we are trying to save as much money as possible and thus I have been doing all the work on the car to get it up to scratch, howeverIi am by no means mechanically minded having never even opened the bonnet of a car before!

From reading about on these forums it would seem i need to get the Timing Belt changed as i have no idea when it was last done. This as most of you will know his a huge expense both for parts and the labour, and it is with this plea i am looking for someone to help me in changing the belt.

I am willing to drive anywhere for help with the car, and if i can pay someone who helps me in alternatives to money that would be great. You will of course get a massive mention on our website, and if you own or want to promote a company that will be done also!

We are aiming to raise as much money as possible for the Teenage Cancer Trust a very worthy charity.

I do hope this post Is ok, and i thank you for taking the time to read.

If anyone can help my details are below.

Thanks Ross.

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:22 am

I'll change it if you drive to glasgow. A belt is Â£20 and you needent bother with the tensioners if they dont sound rough and you arent planning on keeping the car.
A cambelt change at a garage will only cost Â£90 tops if you dont fancy the drive

Try Lee, he lives in Birmingham!

random_monkey · Post by **random_monkey** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:14 am

Â£90?
That sounds rather cheap for a cambelt... I thought they were usually Â£200 jobbies

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:50 am

All the garages round here want seriously stupid money, and i have to supply the parts. Been quoted up to 4 hours labour

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:03 am

rgreenhalf wrote:All the garages round here want seriously stupid money, and i have to supply the parts. Been quoted up to 4 hours labour

*cough* 4 HOURS LABOUR?!!!

You can get the engine out in 4 hours if your quick! Maybe try PMing Lee. He is quite busy though so doesnt get on the forum. It may be worth giving Laserowl a PM and see if he could pass a message on? I think he is in quite regular contact with him.

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:06 am

EEK you paid Â£395 for a mid years ES! Should have gotten a Turbo.
What mods are you doing to it?

Well I would take Murf up on his offer, he's a very nice guy- you might learn something about the car too...

Oh and yeah, 4 hours is ridiculous. A proper mech with the right tools should be able to do it in 1 - 1 and a half hours!

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:59 am

We didnt pay Â£395 dont worry, we paid under 300 and we got 12months MOT on it so we were happy with that as well as new starter motor and alternator.

Anyway we have to have 3 21 year olds insured on it, none of whom have any no claims!

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:06 pm

Ah thats better!

Insurance

Glad it's not me trying to cover that!

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:09 pm

rgreenhalf wrote: 3 21 year olds

That'll explain why the bastards quoted 4 hours to do the job. Probably thinking you've got no experience so they'll take the piss. Do yourselves a favour, never use that guy again and tell everyone you know who owns a car that he tried to stitch you up for twice the labour.

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:10 pm

I second that motion!

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:10 pm

Yeah insurance group 12 apparantly, but i love the shape so much and hopefully ill pick myself up a Turbo a few months down the line! Then i can start having some fun, and learning a bit about these great cars!

This Owners Club is one of the most friendly forums ive had the pleasure in joining so far, and its full of great advice! I've already fixed a few electrical niggles as a result of a few hours searching on here, and now i have the pop-up lights to impress people with again rather than having to spend 10mins winding them up by hand!

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:13 pm

Brasco wrote:
rgreenhalf wrote: 3 21 year olds
That'll explain why the bastards quoted 4 hours to do the job. Do yourselves a favour, never use that guy again and tell everyone you know who owns a car that he tried to stitch you up for twice the labour.

Yeah that was just one guy, and we did just walk away slightly disgusted. Garages round here are either Dealer Franchises or Untrustworthy private affairs. The unfortunate matter is the only garage i could trust (owned by mates uncle) is no longer in business due to him retiring and so im left with nowhere else to go. Asking around mates as well, and none of them own cars or just get there parents to pay Dealer prices for a service

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:17 pm

Generally i would say forget dealerships. Not only are they expensive for both parts and labour, but often they know very little about an older Volvo like the 480.

Glad to hear you might consider a Turbo at some point- you can have a lot of fun with those!

Rohan

stu chacks · Post by **stu chacks** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:44 pm

rgreenhalf wrote:
We are aiming to raise as much money as possible for the Teenage Cancer Trust a very worthy charity.

I do hope this post Is ok, and i thank you for taking the time to read.

If anyone can help my details are below.

Thanks Ross.

email - r.greenhalf@gmail.com
mobile - 07830347367

Good on you Ross, sounds like it's going to be a classic road trip and for an excellent cause too. Make sure you post a thread with link for sponsorship as sure some of your fellow 480 owners (me for starters) would be happy to help with that aswell as the mechanical side.

Good luck with it amigo! Maybe the club/admin would sponsor you for advertising a club url sticker on your car for the trip?

http://www.studentgumballrally.com/team_page.php?id=125

Stu.

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:48 pm

Well im happy to serve as an advert for the club! The cars looking good as well as ive just resprayed all the rusty bits ( Dont worry I did bother to treat the rust too!).

Ill keep everybody updated shortly, its mad panic at the moment trying to sort out all the other gubbins that runs with the trip, insurance, spares, legal stuff in all the countries, etc!

But thanks Stu for positive comments, as ive said before and im sure ill keep saying this is a great community and cant wait to be more actively involved!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:39 pm

For insurance try www.ecarinsurance.co.uk I'm 19 with no NCB one year drivign experience and I'm paying Â£780ish(cant remember exactly) for 3rd party fire and theft. This is on the group 13 turbo and most companys wouldnt insure me as I was under 21. The biggest benefit is that all their policies come with unlimited european cover so you dont have to worry about paying extra!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:41 pm

Oh and they do pay as you go insurance so if you are only going to have the car for a month that is all you have to pay!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:43 pm

Oh and free breakdown cover

Might not be any use in europe though....but knowing the 480 you would need to use it a couple of times on the way to dover!

rgreenhalf · Post by **rgreenhalf** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:35 pm

guitarcarfanatic wrote:Oh and free breakdown cover Might not be any use in europe though....but knowing the 480 you would need to use it a couple of times on the way to dover!

Lol reasurring for a first time 480 owner

owen080808 · Post by **owen080808** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:46 pm

I'd be happy to back up mister murf in his offer of assistance, if you do come all the way up to glasgow i'd be happy to lend a hand, or maybe even two!

sounds like an epic trip, i'm sure the 480 will swallow up those miles, ignore the doubters

Volvo 480 Club Europe

Plea for Help - Based in Midlands.

Plea for Help - Based in Midlands.

Re: Plea for Help - Based in Midlands.