I expect some main dealers will fail to fit new bolts and things! Indy for me all the way if you know of one or comes highly recommended like Bognor motors! It’s not even the money side of it for me I’ve had some bad experiences with main dealers
Cambelt + Water Pump Replacement - Official guidance
- Thread starter Cham13
- Start date
-
- Tags
- cam belt cambelt change
Ain’t that the truth!
Temptation? I'll tell you about temptation......
I was watching two little Mr Kipling cakes in those little tin foil cups, trying not to eat them, when I realised I needed to hide my address and bank details in the photo of the invoice I posted for Dellmassive.
Anyway, it was just the excuse I needed....
I asked SunSet VW the indy specialist I used to keep hold of the belt so I could see the condition and they kept all the parts/bolts that came of for me. I had a small pile that looked very similar to the image you posted. All OEM parts £429 inc VAT. They had the van for the day which was no bother as they are local to me.
As @Chippie1 said, a reliable independent will invariably beat a stealer!
I'm booked in with an ex VW trained master tech, indie garage in a couple of weeks :- full service £249; cambelt, water pump etc £499 all OEM parts.
Requested a quote from local VW van centre over a month ago and still not heard back, sums them up really.
I'm in Scotland so too far for you but a price comparison at least.
Requested a quote from local VW van centre over a month ago and still not heard back, sums them up really.
I'm in Scotland so too far for you but a price comparison at least.
We replace all studs and bolts as recommended by VW. Job time we allow around 4 hours, unless the front main is leaking, then its an over night stay as the sealant has to go off. Courtesy vehicle are always available.
Oli, I'll give the office a bell. Mine is due
For reference I paid Cardiff VW main dealer £550 for cambelt, water pump and tensioners apparently it all comes in a kit? I had a service left of the service plan from when I bought it so they did it all in a day
edit: it was £550 not £600 as £50 pounds of the bill was MOT
edit: it was £550 not £600 as £50 pounds of the bill was MOT
this is what i have so far with regards to pricing (march 2022)
Main Dealer:
Martins - Basingstoke: £715 (inc VAT)
Breeze Van Centre - Southampton: £810 (inc VAT) but would only check the aux belt so it is another £36 on top as I'd want it done
VW Van Centre - Swindon: £550 (inc VAT) they have "a promotion" but they want the van for 2 days as "It's a big job!"
VW Croydon – waiting quote
VW Cardiff - £550 for cambelt, water pump and tensioners apparently it all comes in a kit.
VW Dartford (Beadles) - £850 (inc VAT) (revised to £775 inc VAT) (said 4hr lbr @ £100ph)
Vw Loughton (marshals) - £792 inc VAT (said 3.5hr lbr @ £500)
INDY:
Bognor Motors – £550 inc VAT
Webb Ellis Auto Center Rugby. ,all genuine VW parts for £510.71 inc VAT –
SunSet VW Derby All OEM parts £429 inc VAT
Indie garage in a couple of weeks :- full service £249; cambelt, water pump etc £499 all OEM parts
+++++++
Main Dealer:
Martins - Basingstoke: £715 (inc VAT)
Breeze Van Centre - Southampton: £810 (inc VAT) but would only check the aux belt so it is another £36 on top as I'd want it done
VW Van Centre - Swindon: £550 (inc VAT) they have "a promotion" but they want the van for 2 days as "It's a big job!"
VW Croydon – waiting quote
VW Cardiff - £550 for cambelt, water pump and tensioners apparently it all comes in a kit.
VW Dartford (Beadles) - £850 (inc VAT) (revised to £775 inc VAT) (said 4hr lbr @ £100ph)
Vw Loughton (marshals) - £792 inc VAT (said 3.5hr lbr @ £500)
INDY:
Bognor Motors – £550 inc VAT
Webb Ellis Auto Center Rugby. ,all genuine VW parts for £510.71 inc VAT –
SunSet VW Derby All OEM parts £429 inc VAT
Indie garage in a couple of weeks :- full service £249; cambelt, water pump etc £499 all OEM parts
+++++++
VW Croydon- £780 including vat. I asked for old belt and pump, they look fine but who knows. I know I’ve paid more than I would have had I gone to BMs who are my independent of choice but with Croydon VW only 15 minutes away it’s the convenience i guess. 
Useful summary @Dellmassive
Had a quote from @BognorMotors today: £550 for cambelt and water pump (incl VAT). Aux tensioner belt is £126 (inc VAT) on top. If the front seal is leaking, it's £100 (inc VAT) on top.
My indie at the bottom of you list is SVS Dundee.
well, its all done. . . . . . . .
Timing Belt & Water pump job - 50K miles so early (but 4years old so due according to VWCV UK on time basis (204ps DSG))
We have the Factory Extended warranty for years 4&5.
So I took ours to a main dealer as I have factory warranty and didn't want any funny business with any future claims.
That was yesterday.... Needed an engine mount *(highlighted last time) which was oos..... Which was ordered over night and installed this morning. - so now its the next day.
++++
Had a haggle with the SA and got prices too (march 2022):
£750 inc vat - Timing belt Kit & Waterpump (including all the ancillary bolts and bits) (excluding the AUX belt as advised it was fine but would have been £36 parts extra)
£235 inc vat - 50k service as needed (ended up being oil&filter + top-ups)(and advised about pads and discs all round)
£0 inc vat - front lower engine mount - FOC warranty
++++
i asked them to keep the old removed bits to show you all, this is what they gave me back.
water pump - looks ok condition.
The Belt kit . . . . (belt, tensioner, rollers)
again all look superciliously fine . .
TBH, the belt looks brand new . . . . it still has the traction mouldings on the teeth and shows no obvious signs of wear.
.
Timing wise the TB&WP took about 4hrs.
interestingly the invoice details 3.20 units (£22+vat) worth of coolant and 48units (£1.92) of distilled water.
with the service taking about an hour . . .
the Engine mount the next day was also about an hour . . .
The £80 worth of extra bolts and sundries the SA said the main dealer used (as part of the TB&WP job) (and an Indy might not, which may effect a future warranty claim)
were not given back to me . . .
but can be clearly seen as fitted . . . for example the upper left engine mounting bolts have been replaced.
...
The FOC front lwr engine mount that was replaced . . .
They didnt give me any paperwork or the old one back . . . but you can clearly see a new one has been fitted.
front lower engine under radiator.
paperwork wise this is what we have.
They have made up one invoice that covers both the chargeable works.
service:
oil,
filter,
screw,
cleaner,
TB&WP:
timing belt kit,
waterpump
coolant
dist water
aux fixings
.
that all worked out
£410 parts
£410 labour
total £820+vat (£985)
++++++++++
One extra thing . . . . .
They also told me when I asked about "all in...." (the van passed the inspection) BUT - They said I couldn't have it, as already had factory warranty extension.
But they said VW Assist was part of that warranty.... Result!!!! I assumed it run out after 3yrs.... They say no. You get it as part of the factory warranty extension.
The silver van callout guys .
so im happy about that . . . i need to call VW Assist to confirm, but now thinking about it it makes sense.
+++++++++++
Another interesting point was the procedure in removing the air from the system after the water pump was fitted.
it involved running the various pumps via the ODIS diagnostic system.
but also running the engine on the 2000/2500rpm limiter whist parked for a long duration on the ramps.
this looked to be done a few times during the procedure to purge the air out.
++++++++++++
this is what i have so far with regards to pricing (march 2022)
Main Dealer:
Martins - Basingstoke: £715 (inc VAT)
Breeze Van Centre - Southampton: £810 (inc VAT) but would only check the aux belt so it is another £36 on top as I'd want it done
VW Van Centre - Swindon: £550 (inc VAT) they have "a promotion" but they want the van for 2 days as "It's a big job!"
VW Croydon – waiting quote
VW Cardiff - £550 for cambelt, water pump and tensioners apparently it all comes in a kit.
VW Dartford (Beadles) - £850 (inc VAT) (revised to £775 inc VAT) (said 4hr lbr @ £100ph)
Vw Loughton (marshals) - £792 inc VAT (said 3.5hr lbr @ £500)
INDY:
Bognor Motors – £550 inc VAT
Webb Ellis Auto Center Rugby. ,all genuine VW parts for £510.71 inc VAT –
SunSet VW Derby All OEM parts £429 inc VAT
Indie garage in a couple of weeks :- full service £249; cambelt, water pump etc £499 all OEM parts
+++++++
+++++++++++++
Timing Belt & Water pump job - 50K miles so early (but 4years old so due according to VWCV UK on time basis (204ps DSG))
We have the Factory Extended warranty for years 4&5.
So I took ours to a main dealer as I have factory warranty and didn't want any funny business with any future claims.
That was yesterday.... Needed an engine mount *(highlighted last time) which was oos..... Which was ordered over night and installed this morning. - so now its the next day.
++++
Had a haggle with the SA and got prices too (march 2022):
£750 inc vat - Timing belt Kit & Waterpump (including all the ancillary bolts and bits) (excluding the AUX belt as advised it was fine but would have been £36 parts extra)
£235 inc vat - 50k service as needed (ended up being oil&filter + top-ups)(and advised about pads and discs all round)
£0 inc vat - front lower engine mount - FOC warranty
++++
i asked them to keep the old removed bits to show you all, this is what they gave me back.
water pump - looks ok condition.
The Belt kit . . . . (belt, tensioner, rollers)
again all look superciliously fine . .
TBH, the belt looks brand new . . . . it still has the traction mouldings on the teeth and shows no obvious signs of wear.
.
Timing wise the TB&WP took about 4hrs.
interestingly the invoice details 3.20 units (£22+vat) worth of coolant and 48units (£1.92) of distilled water.
with the service taking about an hour . . .
the Engine mount the next day was also about an hour . . .
The £80 worth of extra bolts and sundries the SA said the main dealer used (as part of the TB&WP job) (and an Indy might not, which may effect a future warranty claim)
were not given back to me . . .
but can be clearly seen as fitted . . . for example the upper left engine mounting bolts have been replaced.
...
The FOC front lwr engine mount that was replaced . . .
They didnt give me any paperwork or the old one back . . . but you can clearly see a new one has been fitted.
front lower engine under radiator.
paperwork wise this is what we have.
They have made up one invoice that covers both the chargeable works.
service:
oil,
filter,
screw,
cleaner,
TB&WP:
timing belt kit,
waterpump
coolant
dist water
aux fixings
.
that all worked out
£410 parts
£410 labour
total £820+vat (£985)
++++++++++
One extra thing . . . . .
They also told me when I asked about "all in...." (the van passed the inspection) BUT - They said I couldn't have it, as already had factory warranty extension.
But they said VW Assist was part of that warranty.... Result!!!! I assumed it run out after 3yrs.... They say no. You get it as part of the factory warranty extension.
The silver van callout guys .
so im happy about that . . . i need to call VW Assist to confirm, but now thinking about it it makes sense.
+++++++++++
Another interesting point was the procedure in removing the air from the system after the water pump was fitted.
it involved running the various pumps via the ODIS diagnostic system.
but also running the engine on the 2000/2500rpm limiter whist parked for a long duration on the ramps.
this looked to be done a few times during the procedure to purge the air out.
++++++++++++
this is what i have so far with regards to pricing (march 2022)
Main Dealer:
Martins - Basingstoke: £715 (inc VAT)
Breeze Van Centre - Southampton: £810 (inc VAT) but would only check the aux belt so it is another £36 on top as I'd want it done
VW Van Centre - Swindon: £550 (inc VAT) they have "a promotion" but they want the van for 2 days as "It's a big job!"
VW Croydon – waiting quote
VW Cardiff - £550 for cambelt, water pump and tensioners apparently it all comes in a kit.
VW Dartford (Beadles) - £850 (inc VAT) (revised to £775 inc VAT) (said 4hr lbr @ £100ph)
Vw Loughton (marshals) - £792 inc VAT (said 3.5hr lbr @ £500)
INDY:
Bognor Motors – £550 inc VAT
Webb Ellis Auto Center Rugby. ,all genuine VW parts for £510.71 inc VAT –
SunSet VW Derby All OEM parts £429 inc VAT
Indie garage in a couple of weeks :- full service £249; cambelt, water pump etc £499 all OEM parts
+++++++
+++++++++++++
Last edited:
Funny, that was my first thought and I've voiced that opinion on here more times than enough, but @Dellmassive knows his stuff and I'd have done the same in his shoes, he's now got an extended warranty and if he needs it they can't escape liability by saying he didn't follow their servicing schedule.
Catmangler
Member
Well, that is 2 hours I shall never see again. So much opinion, and hot air, and so little hard fact.
I too have a 66 plate T6, EU6, just under 50K miles..
The cam belt quote from Listers in Coventry, is Drop yer Kecks and Bend Over time...
£965.76, retail.
As it's over 5 years old, they net it down to £772
No detail on what that includes, but the aux belt tensioner is specified, So I would expect it to be comprehensive,
But, strewth, as said earlier, is this COVID survivor rates???
Wow...
I too have a 66 plate T6, EU6, just under 50K miles..
The cam belt quote from Listers in Coventry, is Drop yer Kecks and Bend Over time...
£965.76, retail.
As it's over 5 years old, they net it down to £772
No detail on what that includes, but the aux belt tensioner is specified, So I would expect it to be comprehensive,
But, strewth, as said earlier, is this COVID survivor rates???
Wow...
Well, below a snippet from your log of today -
Start up fault
Really happy with the help so far - have never received any remotely useful input from the dealership. But in there defence they never observed it faulting first hand only my videos. VCDS has been fantastic so far - only my inexperience limiting it. Reading the comments on the time stamps does...
| IDE00182 | Camshaft adaptation intake bank 1: phase position | 4.4 | ° |
Obviously need to gather more data.... an extreme this far (6.6 degrees) was here
Won’t start [Resolved]
And dont forget the full bsttery reset.. And check all the fuses.
Is there official VW document(guidance) to support this time basis for timing belt replacement?
