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I have read that VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat have done away with the 'UK only' timing belt intervals. It is now harmonised with Europe and should be 10 years / 150k+.
1. Who has evidence or link to this? I can only find forum chat (lots of it, but even Pistonheads does not seem to have much on it)
2. Does this apply to a 1.4 16v / 84bhp engine?
e.g.
(Note this is TSI, mine is 16v and I am struggling to find any reference to)
I contacted Seat customer service, and their response was:
Thank you for contacting SEAT UK regarding the Cambelt Change for your Arona.
I can confirm that as of the 1 July 2023 VWG is removing the recommendation to replace the cambelt every five years. This will be replaced by time or distance intervals. As there is no mileage confirmed for your vehicle this means that there is no service interval at all, and can be considered as 15 years or 180,000 miles.
Car is booked in tomorrow for service and I am selling it...
Selling privately or part-ex?
If the later I'd cancel the service and not bother with the timing belt. 🙂
Not sure I'd do either even if selling privately - this is the time the service will throw up the massive bill and you'll wish you hadn't bothered!
I had my Fabia estate (1.2 tsi) booked in for a cambelt change a couple of months ago, the owner of the garage (local independent Skoda specialist) phoned me up a few days before the appointment to say it was no longer needed as the service interval had been changed.
I did joke with her that she could have kept quiet and made some money!
Does that change in policy only apply to new vehicles?
Edit - If it does apply to older vehicles, I'd be interested to understand the motivation for removing that source of income from their dealer network. Bizarre 🤷♂️
Edit – If it does apply to older vehicles, I’d be interested to understand the motivation for removing that source of income from their dealer network. Bizarre
That they were basically scamming people into work that did not need doing?
In Europe they have never had these suggested intervals.
I am wondering after paying for many a cambelt if I can sue... 😉
When I had my Leon recently serviced at the independent garage I've used for about 20 yers, they said something similar about cambelt. He said it used to be 60k miles for the 2 litre diesel, but VAG now say that it doesn't need to be done for X amount of time/distance (can't remember the details) but it sounded like an awful lot.
He said he didn't think it was a great idea & recommended to follow the previous age/mileage recommendation. Of course, he would say that - but part of me does think it's probably a part of engine servicing that I don't really want to scrimp on.
'Vag Mechanics' sounds it should be the name of a highly problematic early 90s booty bass group in the vein of 2 Live Crew
Page 3 of this thread, chat with Skoda. This is for the 2.0 TDI.
https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/458348-timing-belt/page/3/
I was about to get mine changed, along with tensioner and the other assorted costs, so this saved me a chunk of money.
I was going to get mine done in the next month so glad a read about this on Saturday. I always through it was a load of tosh. If a belt degrades after 4 years even with no milage then it is not fit for purpose. You don't change car tyres every 4 years in case the rubber has worn out. I also read someone point that they don't just snap they visibly degrade over time, so just ask for it to be checked at the annual service.
Selling privately or part-ex?
If the later I’d cancel the service and not bother with the timing belt.
Privately and advertised as fresh MOT and Service this week as it is due....
Cheaper service though, if no cam-belt change is required 🙂
Just phone a SEAT dealership and ask their service department?
What is the age and mileage of the car? I wouldn't be going beyond 10yrs/100K in any vehicle, significantly less for those whose history show the need (but I'm thinking back to the old VAG 1.8T whose plastic water pumps seized and took out the belt...)
I was just reading about this yesterday (can’t find where though). They said not all dealers seemed to be aware of this and gave conflicting advice which is causing confusion. Apparently modern materials used in belts are less likely to fail but the feeling was would you really trust a belt to last 10 years! That said, if you are selling it I would not be getting it changed, tell the new owner and let them decide.
Just phone a SEAT dealership and ask their service department?
They didn't phone back, and when I did speak to them they did not know...
What is the age and mileage of the car? I wouldn’t be going beyond 10yrs/100K in any vehicle, significantly less for those whose history show the need (but I’m thinking back to the old VAG 1.8T whose plastic water pumps seized and took out the belt…)
119k, but has had two cambelt changes already...
If it were my car, I'd just get the oil and filter changed and tell a prospective buyer when the belt was last changed (if they asked).
I'm guessing with that engine and mileage we're basically talking about a shed (£2K car?). Leave it for the buyer to decide if this a cheap car to run in to the ground or one worthy of 'preventative' maintenance.
You don’t change car tyres every 4 years in case the rubber has worn out.
You do every 7 years tho.
VWoA's recommendation is 10 years or 100,000 miles. And that's in litigation-friendly America. The first cambelt on both of our TTs was also supposed to be done at 116k. We sold the last one with a six year old cambelt. I checked it at five years old when the camshaft position sensor failed and it was absolutely fine. I'd check it yearly but not give it too much thought.
Bit of a bugger as I got mine done at 5 years old last spring. On the other hand as I intend to keep the car as long as possible I can forget about it in future.
I'd not bother until about 7 or 8 years then i'd get it inspected, end of the day its a fibre reinforced rubber that's in a fairly well sealed part of the engine and as long as it's moving regularly not sitting in one position for weeks at a time then it should remain supple. It's when they go brittle and crack, or when they get contaminated by oil that they degrade.
Better still if the design is such that the water pump runs off a separate belt that way if the pump seizes it doesn't knacker the toothed belt with it.
You don’t change car tyres every 4 years in case the rubber has worn out
You do if you have a McLaren F1. 😆
Vag Mechanics’ sounds it should be the name of a highly problematic early 90s booty bass group in the vein of 2 Live Crew
My first thought was gynecologists...
I was searching this today as my golf just had its service today and they suggested I should budget for it at the next service.
I’ve asked my nephew to check- his girlfriend is a development engineer for Audi.
You've asked your nephew to check his girlfriend's vag details?
😆
I’ve asked my nephew to check- his girlfriend is a development engineer for Audi.
He ought to be pretty sure what his girlfriend does.
When I got rid of my Octavia 1.9 TDi, it was 19 years old, 51-plate and I’d had it 15 years, 82,000-odd miles when I got it, over 180,000 miles when I gave it away, and still running, and I’d never had it serviced. Turbo was in need of replacing, though.
That they were basically scamming people into work that did not need doing?
In Europe they have never had these suggested intervals.
I am wondering after paying for many a cambelt if I can sue…
This. It definitely sounds like we've paid for 3 belts over a couple of vehicles in the last 15 years that there was zero need to do (c8k miles per year).
I am racking brains - I think we have had 3 Seat or VW belts, all at either time or mileage limits which only applied in the UK and were only for the benefit of main dealers getting footfall and sales
You're assuming they knew at the start that the belts would last this long. In general, manufacturers do change their recommendations and practices throughout the lifetime of a car or engine. There are loads of technical service bulletins on all sorts of subjects. I don't see this as evidence of a deliberate scam. Especially as the dealers would end up with most of the profit from this but they aren't the ones making the decisions.
I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as Nissan charging me £25 for a nut, or £300 for a bit of pressed steel and some ball-joints for want of a replacement rubber boot that should cost less than a quid.
You’re assuming they knew at the start that the belts would last this long.
They have, in Europe, in USA the belts stated life is a lot longer than the UK.
I had a cambelt let go on a Citroen Xantia years ago. Citroen ended up paying for the rebuild as they had halved the service life but not sent out a recall - the car was bought from a Citroen dealer and serviced by Citroen dealers so they should have picked it up.
I've not got a Seat Mii at 50k - I'm tempted to get it changed for peace of mind even though.
Had my timing belt, water pump as part of the 60k mile service on the T5 by Volkswagen Heathrow. £1350 !! No mention of it no longer being needed, in fact I spent 6 months worrying about it snapping as they rang me in the summer to remind me it needed doing. Plus I got a £90 Ulez fine as I strayed from Spelthorne to Hounslow getting to the garage. Oh and they didn't give it a valet !
Breath.
It seems to only be certain engines, petrol, and not diesel.
Possibly tempting fate here but my 2.0 diesel Leon is 10 years old and it's never had a cam belt fitted in the 8 year's that I've owned it.
Although with good intentions, I purchased a belt kit and waterpump some 4 years ago. Just never got round to fitting it.😱
Don't ever buy a car from a mechanic 🤣
so just ask for it to be checked at the annual service.
That simple huh ?
Fwiw if it was a new to me car for me or my family to run around in and I didn't know it's history I'd do it. Changed enough that have looked poor condition over the years ... Equally changed some that came off looking new.... But by the time. I'm in the timing chest for a good look it's as well changed. The hard works done.
I wouldn't be rushing to change the belt for selling to someone else. (Mostly because I sell them when they are bangers and end of life)
As evidenced on here. Plenty folk don't believe in changing them so let them at it.