Car due for cambelt change

[aceofspades1]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 09 January 2023 at 16:00

[Glosphil]

3 years ago it cost me £325 on a Skoda Octavia vRS at an independent VAG specialist garage.

[anonymous-user]

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers...

Looks to be around £789 for ‘older’ cars
Still a lot mind

[aceofspades1]

James6112 said:

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers...

Looks to be around £789 for ‘older’ cars
Still a lot mind

This is what I got in when I put in my reg.

[Super Sonic]

aceofspades1 said:

This is what I got in when I put in my reg.

"Replace timing belt with water pump"? Will it fit? What good will squirting water over the camshafts do?

[GranpaB]

You could always try phoning your local dealer and ask for a quote directly.

Novel idea, but still.

[Smitters]

Find a local specialist. Bet it's half that. Also, use the phone. Those websites are expressly designed to relieve the lazy (myself included - no offence intended) of their cash. A small amount of effort may not be worthwhile when surfing Amazon for a usb cable, but for £100s, a bit of effort will save you many pounds.

[VeeReihenmotor6]

You should do the waterpump at the same time to save future labour. I don't know what model you have but sometimes the waterpump runs off the cambelt or on a belt that has to come off to the cambelt.

Last time I had the cambelt and waterpump done (due again next year) it was £350 for a mobile mechanic to sort. At an independent I'd guess it would be £500-600 with their extra overheads.

£1200 is a lot. For example I had the timing chains on one of my cars done for that price and that requires the gearbox to be removed and disassembly of the car i.e. a lot of labour. I wouldn't expect to be paying that much for cambelt.

Edited by VeeReihenmotor6 on Monday 7th November 10:27

[georgeyboy12345]

If your car is a Golf GTD it doesn’t need replacing until 133,000 miles. There is no time limit on the belt.

[Missy Charm]

Is your car one with a wet cambelt? Apparently they are more difficult to do, hence more expensive.

[Decky_Q]

I've done a few of these and the reason for the rather high quote is the location of the belts. My method is supporting the engine on jacks, undoing engine mounts and I can get just about enough room by jacking the o/s up as high as the pipework will allow and lowering the n/s the same. I imagine in a VW dealership they specify to take the engine out as it's so inaccessible, and they arent going to risk pulling out/ damaging pipework/gearbox mounts etc.

[Sheepshanks]

aceofspades1 said:

James6112 said:

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers...

Looks to be around £789 for ‘older’ cars
Still a lot mind

This is what I got in when I put in my reg.

Have you tried selecting a different dealer? I picked a random 17 reg Golf GTD and VW Chester and it comes up at the same price as the fixed price shown on the website for belt and pump (£789).

They've really whacked the price of this up - it was £500 when I got wife's Tiguan done a couple of years ago although I don't think they'd taken account of the later cars using a switchable water pump, but that should only add another £50 or so. I tried a couple of well regarded local indies and they were the same sort of price.

It's deeply annoying on lower mileage cars - VW in Germany is adamant that it should be 210,000kms with no age limit.

[Hol]

Is it the 1.4 petrol engine by chance?

If so, there are TWO belts. A standard one at the front and a separate waterpump one.

According to the US sites, there was a recall for the waterpump itself, so I (personally) wonder of VW Europe are simply trying to get owners to pay for a new pump, themselves.


I could be talking a total load of bobbins though and it could a coincidence.

[Limpet]

There are loads of good independent VAG specialists out there who will generally significantly undercut dealer prices, and often give you a choice of using genuine parts or quality alternatives.

If you post your approximate location, someone should be able to recommend one.

[aceofspades1]

Sorry, it’s a 2.0L TDI Golf GTD. I will try everyone’s suggestions thanks. I’m just shocked it’s so much and as I mentioned I’m hesitant to go to a normal garage for an expensive car.

[georgeyboy12345]

Just leave it, it doesn't need changing.

[CraigyMc]

aceofspades1 said:

Sorry, it’s a 2.0L TDI Golf GTD. I will try everyone’s suggestions thanks. I’m just shocked it’s so much and as I mentioned I’m hesitant to go to a normal garage for an expensive car.

"nearly 5 years old now and has done almost 32,000 miles so is due a cambelt and water pump change."

A cambelt and water pump change is not required. HTH.

[aceofspades1]

CraigyMc said:

"nearly 5 years old now and has done almost 32,000 miles so is due a cambelt and water pump change."

A cambelt and water pump change is not required. HTH.

Are you sure? Everyone says not to risk it and to change at the 5 year interval.

[Drive Blind]

as above find a local VW group specialist.

i got mine replaced - 2016 Golf GTD - at 5 yo, under £500.

[VeeReihenmotor6]

Where abouts in the country are you based? I use Quattro Tech who have branches in a triangle around Cambridge / Peterborough. They give quotes up front.