I’m a car mechanic and I’m always repairing the same thing – here’s how to pay £100 and avoid a £5,000 bill
THE cost of running a car has skyrocketed in recent times - if it isn't the cost of buying a new or used car, it's the cost of fueling and maintaining it.
Which is why a little investment in your car here and there is vital if you want to save money down the line.
We spoke to a car mechanic about the sort of things people should be aware of if they want to avoid big bills.
He wanted to remain anonymous but has been in the industry for 17 years, learning his trade at a manufacturer franchise dealer before starting his own business.
In that time he has worked on everything from Minis to Mercedes.
When asked about common issues he sees he said: "I'm seeing more timing chains failing."
Most read in Motors
The timing of a car's engine is crucial and is usually controlled either by a belt or a chain.
It makes sure everything happens at the right time inside the engine from the fuel mixture to the combustion.
Timing belts need to be changed periodically as part of the service schedule, but timing chains are usually fine for the life of the engine.
That's the theory but "I've noticed people aren't servicing their cars as often" said our mechanic.
"If you don't service an engine properly, it doesn't matter what it says in the handbook, your timing chain won't last very long."
READ MORE ON MOTORS
"I've had a BMW 3 Series and X5 in recently, both with timing chains, and I'm not sure either of them had been serviced for years.
"Rather than spend around £100 on servicing each year, the bill to rebuild an engine once the timing chain has snapped is as much as £5,000.
"I spent the best part of a week ordering parts and putting that X5's engine back together."
"I realise people are struggling to make ends meet, but it just doesn't make sense."
If an engine's timing chain snaps it has the potential to cause huge damage to the pistons, valves, cylinders and camshaft, all of which are extremely expensive to replace.
Read More on The Sun
In many cases, it's actually cheaper to buy an entire replacement engine and have that fitted as it'll end up taking less time than stripping the existing one down and result in cheaper labour costs.