Timing belt: use dealer or independent?

[reichejh]

I have a Mark III GTI and want to get the timing belt changed.

Question: is this a job for a VW dealer or can this be trusted to be done properly by an Independent?

I don’t use VW garages anymore for servicing but was wondering if work like this justifies a higher capital outlay in this instance?

[Matt_N]

Independant all the way, VW will charge you a fortune.

[markie2]

Well I work at a vw dealer and we do a reduced labour rate for older vehicles and a mark 3 gti cambelt and tensioner is £185 fitted. Thats for the 8 valve engine. So dealers aren't always more expensive.

[Isoproturon1]

Just usually more expensive.

A4 TDi - dealer = £500 for the belt/tensioner, independent £430 inc. the water pump. Some time ago.

Passat B6 - dealer = £430 for belt/tensioner, independent £350 inc. water pump. Recent quote.

Dealer labour rates are generally higher so it stands to reason in most cases that the overall cost will be more

[agent006]

This is all good, presuming you have a good idependent nearby, which I don't. £720 cambelt change on the A2.

[paul20v]

i would never go dealer
2 cars ive had from different parts of the country
1 ur quattro 20v cambelt done at dealer 800 plus later then only to find a load of the spoiler/bumper screws missing and loose one in the middle at the bottom which in turn at high speeds lets the lower part of the spoiler rub the plastic away against crank pulley NICE,
second experiance B5 S4 comes back with timing belt covers cracked and bits missing out of them
so no i wouldnt let dealers near my car again
im not saying there all bad but it doesnt give much confidence when you see results like this coming from the "specialists" on high end cars especially.
rant over

[Isoproturon1]

agent006 said:

This is all good, presuming you have a good idependent nearby, which I don't. £720 cambelt change on the A2.

Surely you have a local independent garage nearby with a decent reputation?

[agent006]

I do have an independent nearby, but hte last 3 times i've been i've had to go back again each time to have something fixed or done again. Culminating in them overcharging me by £150 last time as they can't work their comupter properly. I did call them for a price on a cambelt change, they said they'd ring back but didn't.

[Tame Technician]

Audi dealers doing special deals on 4 cylinder engines Cam belts at the moment.

£329inc vat but alternator drive belt and water pump extra. I'd ring for a quote you might be supprised.

I did one on a 2.0TDi A3 the other day, should have been £550 but is included in the special so was done for £329.

http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/uk/en2/owners_area/Serv...

[Isoproturon1]

Are they content to work on a VW though?

[Seez]

It is finding someone you trust dealer or otherwise that is the issue, the dealers cost more period, but more importantly is getting the work done properly and this is something an indenpendant can cock up just as much as the main dealer.

If a garage can't be arsed to call you back can they be arsed to do the work properly? Surely picking up the phone is easier. This is one of my tests with these sorts of things give a call, email etc and see if they respond.

You would be amazed at how many car dealers do not respond to emails, in my experience 95% of them dont read their emails, so makes you wonder why they put it on their ads.

You want a fair job for a fair price, and this is what most people expect. Get a quote from a dealer and then gets some recommended independant quote and go from there.

Try haggling, it sometimes work, especially now.

And finally just because the dealer is more expensive, doesnt make him better, some are worse...