Re: The cost of new technology in modern cars
Originally Posted by
Primus1
->
No worries baz....does your car have a belt or is it chain driven
As for cost, it will also need a water pump, and tensioner/ guides, silly not to do it whilst it’s in bits ( assuming that the belt also drives the waterpump) as with anything in today’s modern engines, stuff is buried under more stuff, and a lot of the labour is gaining access to things...
The six-cylinder engine is made by Ford, it's the Cologne engine. I've had its predecessors, the Essex engine, in other cars too but know what has been replaced on this one as I've owned it since new.
The 2014 VW Golf I know nothing about, as you say everything on the modern car is buried under something else. When first purchased I did lift the bonnet, and shut it rather quickly when I saw there was probably nothing I could ever do myself, there's just no space! With labour at the main dealer being more than £90 an hour it's financially more beneficial to use the local garage at £50 an hour. They do exactly the same job and a neighbour has used this local garage for servicing on a VW Golf and is very pleased with them.
Both cars have a timing belt, also known as a cam belt. The Ford engine being an older one is easy to work on as were most cars of 1980s vintage. The modern VW engines are just so compact that I am sure some access is gained from beneath the car, without the necessary equipment that is not easy so best left to the garage, unfortunately.