180 Belts: This might sound stupid

[daytona365]

All this talk of running them into the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ZS is a future classic. Theya r worht the expense. I am saddened that you are discussing just waiting for the belts to go and just buy another one. Why not save money and dont bother servicing it either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My ZS180 is going to cost me money and be worthless for ages, but I will keep him until I die........maybe when Im 70 and he a valuable classic, there will be people thinking " why did I treat my ZS so bad"

[big_wasa]

Mine was just the thought, ive started collecting the bits for when it gets a bit warmer. Just picked up both "mg part" cats. Bought it a new upper manifold last year and the big spoiler.

Ive just done the rear brakes and calipers on my mates zs tonight as he was going to scrap it due to the dealer price.

I just need to find a cheap kv6 timming kit and I will have a go at that myself.

[angry_muppet]

I've just got the belts done on mine. Cost ?275 for the kit and pump, another ?275 for the labour. Haven't driven it with the new belts though.

[Mr ZS180]

My belts were done as part of the 90k service so i had belts, water pump, stat, plugs and gearbox oil changed as well as new reluctor rings and disks fitted for around ?800 and I was quite happy with that!

[andyhog]

i think you have to think whats the car worth to you and not the book , as if you use it to go to work ect and belts go then its a major headache , were as having the belts done is peace of mind , personally i would rather keep the car than give it away just because of book prices and at least you know your car , my belts have just been done cost me best part ?500 but i love the car , really fancy a mk2 180 now but again going on book price ect it may not happen , good question though

[Mr ZS180]

I threw ?1000s at my old coop turbo and people kept saying to me 'why coz its just a Rover?'.....

Because its MY Rover!!! was the answer. As Andyhog says book price is irrelevant. Its what it is worth to you that matters, and if the car is worth a lot to you, ie you could keep it for a very long time, then the belts are definitely worth doing.

Id chop my gf in before the car, so its worth it to me, hence the reason it was one of the first things I had done on mine!!

[F3NMG]

Similar problem you get with vvc coops. You can buy a replacement car with head gasket upgrade for the kind of money wanted by garages to repair hgf. However, you just don't know what else you might have to fork out for when buying a car of that age.