Cambelt Advice please? Would you change it?

[Bear77]

Looking to buy an A4 2008 2.0 tdi which had a cambelt in 2013 at 49000 miles. It's since only reached 64000 miles and if I buy it will likely be on 78000 miles this time next year. So the belt will only have covered 39000 miles. According to Audi it's due yet another belt in 2018 as my local ******* said 5 years or 140000 miles.

Really?

[niall campbell]

just change every 50,000 miles

that's what I do, its a nice round number

change water pump at same time with the fan belt as well

[Bear77]

Are you not worried that it might go? 50k sounds like a good idea but I'd be worrying that I'd gone past Audi's tolerances

[niall campbell]

if you want to want to change it , then that's what to do

If you are going to do 14,000 miles per year, rather than the 7,000 miles it seemed to have done then go for changing it at 70,000 then every 50,000

It may well be 2018 when you hit the 70K anyway


Any car I buy, I will change the belt or factor in the cost of doing so in my head when buying. I try and factor anything from £500 to £1,000 in getting the car up to my spec . That's a service, brakes, cambelt etc or even tyres

I keep my cars for a long time, as I know the history of my cars and what I have done to them

[Bear77]

Many thanks for your advice. Will give it 12 months and then make a decision when it's due.