Timing belt change

I paid £430 for cam belt and water pump fitted last year. Major service should be £200 - £250 ish. Refrigerant about £100. So that's £800. Brake fluid, not sure, but another £300 on top does seem a bit steep. £950 all in sounds about right to me but I'm not a mechanic and I guess prices are going up due to the cost of living/inflation.
 
I paid £430 for cam belt and water pump fitted last year. Major service should be £200 - £250 ish. Refrigerant about £100. So that's £800. Brake fluid, not sure, but another £300 on top does seem a bit steep. £950 all in sounds about right to me but I'm not a mechanic and I guess prices are going up due to the cost of living/inflation.
Just had a 3rd quote at 1130 so I think the 1100 is pretty normal at the mo.
 
Quoted £76 for Brake Fluid today at VW Main dealer and £146 Aircon service if that helps in the maths
 
My van is only 4yrs 9mth old now and 62k miles. I was advised it’s fine and ok to do next year. I’m leaving it to next year now. Only be about 8k miles more by then if that.
 
The van that I recently purchased when for a healthy check last week, there tech spoke to me privately as he was aware I'd had some issues with my van purchase from another VW dealer. He advised doing the cambelt based on age, the van is 6 years old. He said they have seen them break. I think he was genuine, he know that I wasn't keeping the van and he knew I wasn't going to be paying for it to be done.
 
My van is only 4yrs 9mth old now and 62k miles. I was advised it’s fine and ok to do next year. I’m leaving it to next year now. Only be about 8k miles more by then if that.
I decided to get mine done at the 5 yr mark a few weeks ago. Didn’t want to risk it. Can do interim services myself just going to cost more every 5 years.
 
You can see the AC refrigerant pressure with Carista, if it is within limits what’s to do on an AC service other than creating an invoice?
In my experience AC systems work fine when left ON at all times and not opened.
 
FYI - Just spoke to a official VW Garage and they now no longer use years for the cam belt replacement and only recommend a change at 140,000 miles. So good news!!
 
OK, so booking my 2019 T6 150 Highline (CXHA engine) into local VW dealer for its 4-Year service (& MOT), expecting to get the cambelt & water pump done. (I've got this done, regardless of mileage, every 4 years on other vans in the past). The mileage on my van is a measly 25k. They quoted £699 for belt & water pump, which I thought isn't too bad, but then went on to confirm (checking my maintenance spec and plan) that VW no longer recommend a timing belt change based on time, rather mileage and every 133k miles!

I'm all for saving money, but questioned this, and they said VW had recently change their service interval on timing belts (at least for my 2019 150). Can anybody please advise? I don't want to fall foul of any engine failure and warranty invalidation!

Also, looking at www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/need-help/need-help-faqs/cambelt.html, it simply says replace at recommended mileage (nothing on time) :)
 
Last edited:
OK, so booking my 2019 T6 150 Highline (CXHA engine) into local VW dealer for its 4-Year service (& MOT), expecting to get the cambelt & water pump done. (I've got this done, regardless of mileage, every 4 years on other vans in the past). The mileage on my van is a measly 25k. They quoted £699 for belt & water pump, which I thought isn't too bad, but then went on to confirm (checking my maintenance spec and plan) that VW no longer recommend a timing belt change based on time, rather mileage and every 133k miles!

I'm all for saving money, but questioned this, and they said VW had recently change their service interval on timing belts (at least for my 2019 150). Can anybody please advise? I don't want to fall foul of any engine failure and warranty invalidation!

Also, looking at www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/need-help/need-help-faqs/cambelt.html, it simply says replace at recommended mileage (nothing on time) :)

There are many pages of debate on this forum about cam belt intervals so I won't repeat it all, suffice to say that your local dealer was right.
 
lots of info here:
 
lots of info here:
Thank you, seems it's official! No reason for me to get this done now, but will consider it at the 6 year mark (when the van will likely have less than 40k on the clock).
 
Well some good news for a change, just rang VW Peterborough as my cambelt is due to be changed (4years) to be told it is not required as VW now state cambelts are only required to be changed at 140000 miles!….double and triple checked and the service desk stated some dealers are still changing them more frequently but it is now not required as many vehicles are not covering enough miles to warrant a replacement.
anyone else had this money saving news?

Thread merged with two others found on a search. Ads_Essex.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: CAB
sounds interesting mines 45k and four years old. Are you going to leave it then, seems a sudden change in direction from VW.

Just been on vw vans servicing booking site, still says recommended 4-5 years… mine needs pads and discs but vws prices are steep! I’ve got the all in one service plan, wondering if I should find a garage to the the brakes..
 
sounds interesting mines 45k and four years old. Are you going to leave it then, seems a sudden change in direction from VW.

Just been on vw vans servicing booking site, still says recommended 4-5 years… mine needs pads and discs but vws prices are steep! I’ve got the all in one service plan, wondering if I should find a garage to the the brakes..
Mines 51k ish 2016, I believed it was every 4 years.
yes I’m leaving it!
 
I think the 4 year time limit was just a money spinner for vw commercial uk. I had to change my vans belt at 4 years about 38,000 miles as I had taken out an extended warranty and the dealer insisted. At the time I asked the workshop why if my van was registered and being used in Germany there was no time period and a 200,000 km distance for the belt replacement but for the same vehicle in the UK it was 4 years. No answer. I asked to see the “ old “ belt when it was taken off and I would have struggled to tell it from the new one being fitted. Needless to say it won’t be getting done again for a more realistic time/distance.
 
sounds interesting mines 45k and four years old. Are you going to leave it then, seems a sudden change in direction from VW.

Just been on vw vans servicing booking site, still says recommended 4-5 years… mine needs pads and discs but vws prices are steep! I’ve got the all in one service plan, wondering if I should find a garage to the the brakes..
Definitely get your local indie to do your brakes. Halfords were doing a great deal on Pagid discs and pads - not sure if it’s still running
 
Back
Top