Cam belt woes

[tinytom11]

Looking at a automatic 2005 golf gti with 85k miles. It has a full service history and receipts. I asked the owner if its had the cam belt done and he said that he doesn't know, it doesn't show in the receipts but he thinks it has been done as it has been serviced by volkswagen. He's told me if its make or break he can get it done or drop the price. Thing is I want to pick the car up this Saturday. whats everyones advice?

[photosnob]

tinytom11 said:

Looking at a automatic 2005 golf gti with 85k miles. It has a full service history and receipts. I asked the owner if its had the cam belt done and he said that he doesn't know, it doesn't show in the receipts but he thinks it has been done as it has been serviced by volkswagen. He's told me if its make or break he can get it done or drop the price. Thing is I want to pick the car up this Saturday. whats everyones advice?

Buy the car and get the cambelt done when you can.... It's not exactly a deal breaker if he's willing to drop the price.

[rigga]

No proof it's been changed, then it hasn't and use that as a bargaining tool, if he's offered to get it done or reduce the price so that you can do it, then its not an issue, if you have to have it sooner than later, then the second option is the one.

[trickywoo]

Its a pretty easy job nothing like a modern Renault for example.

As above haggle it and get it done yourself. Probably worth changing the water pump while you are at it.

[tinytom11]

Ok I might get it done on the day I pick it up. Anyone got any ideas of price/how long it will take?

[photosnob]

tinytom11 said:

Ok I might get it done on the day I pick it up. Anyone got any ideas of price/how long it will take?

Call a couple of garages and ask... It will vary place to place...

I'm starting to think this is a wind up.

[tinytom11]

Ok thanks. Not a wind up what made you think it is? I don't have a lot/any car knowledge

[DanielJames]

Cam belt interval is weird on those, 4 years or 120k if my memory serves me right?

[TurboHatchback]

tinytom11 said:

Ok I might get it done on the day I pick it up. Anyone got any ideas of price/how long it will take?

I got the cambelt, aux belt and tensioner, water pump and coolant on my Mk5 GTI done by a VW main dealer for £625 I think, I believe they will do the cambelt and waterpump for a fixed £499 (though check as this may have changed since then).

If there is no proof then it must be treated as not having been done, use it as a bargaining point to lower the price then get it done yourself, that way you know it's actually been done and who by.

[SuperchargedVR6]

DanielJames said:

Cam belt interval is weird on those, 4 years or 120k if my memory serves me right?

4 years or 60K. Got mine done at a main dealer for £349 inc water pump recently, which was about the same as an indie could do it.

[photosnob]

tinytom11 said:

Ok thanks. Not a wind up what made you think it is? I don't have a lot/any car knowledge

Okay apologies, I didn't take a lot of time to think before writing that.

No one will know how much it costs.

At a car of that age you probably don't need a main dealer - I'd be looking for a decent repped garage or specialist. Then you can take this figure to the seller and negotiate something. Put is this way - main dealer wanted close to a grand to do cambelt and water pump on my old megane sport (before I brought an economical car), but a really good local mechanic did it for less than £250. Okay I didn't get a pretty stamp, but for an old(ish) car it won't matter.

I don't know if it's a big job. If you ask someone on here will know of a decent garage in your area. If you are in Hampshire I could recommend a few places mate. Ignore those who claim you should DIY it with a Haynes Manual - I've taken cars to bit's and you always end up breaking something or not being able to put it back together .

Hope the new car goes well. I love Golf GTI's. A mate of mine just got a modernish r32 - and I'm ridiculously jealous. However I couldn't afford to drive to work in it, so will stick with my Mini.

[matchmaker]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

DanielJames said:

Cam belt interval is weird on those, 4 years or 120k if my memory serves me right?

4 years or 60K. Got mine done at a main dealer for £349 inc water pump recently, which was about the same as an indie could do it.

My Octavia (1.8T engine) advises inspection at 60k, not necessarily change. Inspection thereafter (IIRC) at 20k intervals.

[Who me ?]

Price- I was quoted approx £450 by a Skoda main dealer for a belt/tensioner & water pump change on a 1.4Tdi Fabia. That was the pre haggle price. BTW- DON'T believe the service schedule on belt changes. Mine mentions a no of years ( more than four) and 120 Kmiles. But few years ago Skoda dropped the time /miles to 4 years /60k.

Matchmaker- might be worth a trip to briskoda( .net) ,to ask the experts.

[Mr Tidy]

Wow, it looks like prices have dropped.
I paid about £600 for a service and cam-belt on my 1.8 Leon Cupra back in 2004, but then a work colleague paid about £750 for a service and cam-belt on his 1.9 Tdi A4 a couple of years later.
One of the reasons I now have BMW's - chains instead of rubber bands! And before anyone else mentions it I sold my 123d with an N47 engine at 81,000 miles before the chain broke!