Nationwide Autocentres - Strongly Recommend The Pontypridd Branch

[Honey Monster]

Long back story to this, but I realised today that my second-hand GS300 hadn't had its cambelt changed at 60k (and is now on 80k). Contacted local Lexus garage who quoted £360 for replacing it ('and there may be more work when we see it'). Contacted a non-specialist garage who said they didn't have the specialist kit [don't know how much validity there is in that statement, but at least they didn't grab the money first and then realise they couldn't do the job]. Contacted Nationwide Autocentre in Pontypridd - they got the cambelt and installed it for just over £200. And when the job proved tougher than expected (one of the nuts was unbelievably tightly fastened, apparently, and this held them up a while, and then the supplier didn't deliver the belt until late in the day) and it got to clocking-off time, did they do the time-honoured British workman thing and slope off? Nope - they carried on until they'd finished the job. I've used that particular branch before for routine things like tyres, etc, and will definitely be returning in the future.

Just thought that it might make a nice change to hear about a garage doing things right (yes, I know we need to know about the cowboys as well). Also, a heads up for anyone living in the area if you're on the lookout for a non-specialist garage.

[Miss-informer]

Nice to hear of good things.

But do yourself a favour, and just ask them how the managed to undo the unbelievably tight nut, which I'm guessing will be the crank pulley nut which is meant to be that tight.

If they used heat, take it back and get them to fit you a new crank pulley at their expense.

[Honey Monster]

Nice to hear of good things.

But do yourself a favour, and just ask them how the managed to undo the unbelievably tight nut, which I'm guessing will be the crank pulley nut which is meant to be that tight.

If they used heat, take it back and get them to fit you a new crank pulley at their expense.

They didn't - they used some sort of air-powered gizmo in the end.