cam belt change cost £800 !!??

[sootyscottie]

as per title, i am enquiring to the price of a cambelt change.

My local dealers quoted me £800 for the cambelt change, and another £100 to fit a new metal type water pump if required. Plus service price on top of that. :confused:

This sounds very expensive to me, but i have no experiance of what it 'should' cost on a audi.

Next question, do i really need it done at the main dealers, or is it worth now taking it to an independant garage?

Anyone know / recommend one in the norwich area?

cheers in advance

[euroslap]

Where about are you? Central Audi & VW who advertise on here do it for about £550 and even throw in a free set of mats. Service is absolutely A1! :D

Just realised you're in Norwich, there's got to be somewhere cheaper than that by you.

[sootyscottie]

this is the problem living in the tractor land. We aint even got a motorway!!!

I thought £800 sounds steep, but you have confirmed it!

Have seen these guys on ebay. They are a main dealer and offer a cam belt and tension change for £275. It sounds to good to be true.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-CAMBELT-AND-TENSIONER-CHANGE-A2-A3-A4-A6-TT_W0QQitemZ380067748237QQihZ025QQcategoryZ10372QQ cmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

know anyone who has used them?

[bora(ing) nick]

I was just about to say "check ebay as dealers sometime have offers on :D "

They shouldn't charge you much for fitting the water pump... the majority of the work has already been done when replacing the belt!

[sootyscottie]

I was just about to say "check ebay as dealers sometime have offers on :D "

They shouldn't charge you much for fitting the water pump... the majority of the work has already been done when replacing the belt!

Well, as it is a main dealer, i cant see how they can do anything differant to my local dealer. And with a price differance of around £500, i would gladly drive to the other side of the country to get it done!!

[bora(ing) nick]

Why not see if your local dealer will match the offer?

[sootyscottie]

Why not see if your local dealer will match the offer?

I could try i suppose, but i think it would be such a price differance...over £500!!!

no harm in asking though.....:D

[euroslap]

That's an unreal price, even if you did have to drive across the country and spent £100 in fuel you'd still be hundreds better off! :D

Being an official Audi dealer it looks better in the service book aswell.

[SEMKY]

Thats a crazy price....Mine was done at Audi for 400 quid, including the pump and tensioners (I know its a different car, but surely not THAT different!)

[sootyscottie]

That's an unreal price, even if you did have to drive across the country and spent £100 in fuel you'd still be hundreds better off! :D

Being an official Audi dealer it looks better in the service book aswell.

that is exactly my thoughts on the subject!

i will give my local dealers a chance to 'improve' their price, but i think i will end up going for a drive!:p

[euroslap]

A nice long cruise gives you a chance to appreciate the Audi. :approve:

[sootyscottie]

A nice long cruise gives you a chance to appreciate the Audi. :approve:

slap it in cruise and go baby go!!!!!:D

[adamss24]

Hi, be wary of that dealers offer on ebay as i had few customers going for it and it ended up costing them £500+. The reason is every other thing is extra and they know to sweet talk you so you pay ! The watter pump is knackered sir, thats another 100 quid on top and the drive belt tensioner is noisy- thats 112 + Vat....quickly it escalates ! Mind you, its wise to have all belts an tensioner done while you are at it + a new watter pump as well.

[euroslap]

All the same he has been quoted £800. Your price sounds like a steal though, do you stamp the book? Also what would you charge to service my VR6?

[sootyscottie]

Hi, be wary of that dealers offer on ebay as i had few customers going for it and it ended up costing them £500+. The reason is every other thing is extra and they know to sweet talk you so you pay ! The watter pump is knackered sir, thats another 100 quid on top and the drive belt tensioner is noisy- thats 112 + Vat....quickly it escalates ! Mind you, its wise to have all belts an tensioner done while you are at it + a new watter pump as well.

i do hear what you are saying, and i take that on board.

However, there is £500 price differance between 2 main dealers.
I am pretty sure that the one charging £800 may also try the above, and recommend that certain 'extras' require changing.

Tbh, i think this price is just to good to refuse, to get a genuine audi stamp also.
I am not knocking the work that independant garages do in anyway what so ever, and i am pretty sure they probably may even do a better, more personal job.

However, i feel as the car is only 3 years old, i really should try and maintain the genuine audi service history it currently has.

Unless anyone can persuade me that main dealer service history is not nessecary. :D

[adamss24]

No mate, i am a freelance mechanic, if i have to stamp the book then i would have to offer warranty wich i cannot do for that price ! The savings that i make i pass onto customers otherwise the Queen will take her pound of flesh...and get richer !

[adamss24]

Whatever you say, its your car !I know that dealer offer a valet for free, wich i cannot do,but, boy, that stamp cost a lot of money, don't you think ? For 800 quid i would expect a full service includding long life oil, ALL filters, brake fluid, coolant, FULL cambelt kit, and all belts ant tensioners ! I can do that for half that much.... Rant over !

[adamss24]

All the same he has been quoted £800. Your price sounds like a steal though, do you stamp the book? Also what would you charge to service my VR6?
What service you mean ? I can get 5w40 PD spec fully syn. oil for £20 for 5L( Carlube 5w40) or Castrol Edge 0w30, 5w30 for £40, oil filter about 5 quid, air+polen filter for 15-20 pounds. Oil filters are genuine Vag or Hengst( wich make them for dealer), fuel filters Bosch or Hengst, brake pads and discs Ate or Eicher(depending on budget !) and so on...Send me a reg number and tell me what you want and i will get you a quote... Cambelt kits i use Contitech, tensioners made by either INA or Littens (both OEM), watter pumps by Meyle or KWP(Germany) with uprated brass impelers, suspenssion arms made by Lemforder/ Meyle(OEM) or Q-Drive for people on a budget...and so on.

[hanny73]

Hi Scottie,

I had my cambelt changed at Stafford Audi after seeing at advert on Ebay.

The service was exceptional - and only cost me £275, I live in Twickenham but it was def worth the drive/petrol,

Cheers.

[sootyscottie]

Whatever you say, its your car !I know that dealer offer a valet for free, wich i cannot do,but, boy, that stamp cost a lot of money, don't you think ? For 800 quid i would expect a full service includding long life oil, ALL filters, brake fluid, coolant, FULL cambelt kit, and all belts ant tensioners ! I can do that for half that much.... Rant over !

Firstly, i have never let the dealers near any of my cars with thier gritty sponges and chamois!

The only reason i say about keeping the audi service history is because i know that when i used to look to buy a new car, that is one of the first things i wiould look at. Has it been serviced and where has it been serviced. I dont know why i do this , but i used to think if it was serviced at main dealer, the person didnt scrimp on paying ouyt for what was need on the car.
This was when i was younger and very naive...... I realise now that a good/better job may be done at a independant garage rather than a dealer. I think the definative answer i need to know is that if having your servicing done at an independant garage will reduce the resale value of your car or not.
Also, if it does, does it outway the savings you make from getting it serviced else where?

I dont know if there is an answer to this, or every will be.

Please do not take offense by any of this adamss24, as none is meant. I am just trying to look at the whole picture of main dealer/independant, pros and cons..:D

[sootyscottie]

Hi Scottie,

I had my cambelt changed at Stafford Audi after seeing at advert on Ebay.

The service was exceptional - and only cost me £275, I live in Twickenham but it was def worth the drive/petrol,

Cheers.

Thanks for that m8. It is nice to hear from someone with first hand experience of the company.

How long did it take them to do?

Did you wait for it to be done?

[adamss24]

No ofence taken Sir, i used to take pictures of the work in progres and keep the receipts of the parts fitted but, i got bored of it to be honest ...I do not look for full history when i buy a car, nor low mileage as i know they both easy to forge ! All i do is take my laptop, ask the owner kindly if i can plug it in for a diagnostic and take it from there ! If me nose say to walk away i will do just that. Had a high milleage a4 quattro for sale some time ago and could not sell it on because everyone was put off by the milleage, even though it was in mint condition and fully loaded... Gues what, i know dealers who adjust mileage to the cars they sell and they gain 5-600 quid on top of asking price. I have friends who bought "low mileage" expensive cars from Carcraft or Car Giant and gues what ? 5 cars out of 8 were clocked and i wont wouch for the other 3! All Car Giant cars have no more than 80 K even diesels ! I know people who clock Ferrarys and other italian exoticas for a living just to keep up with the warranties !

[adamss24]

Is that for a full cambelt kit or just for the belt and tensioner ? The full kit has a rather expensive hydraulic damper wich cost about 50 pounds + Vat. Also, the book state 2.2 hours to do the belt, however if they put it in the service position, they can do it in less than 1.5 hours...The belt + tensioner takes about 10 min to fit, its getting at it wich is time consumming ! The watter pump is reccomended to replace as well while in bits...

[hanny73]

Thanks for that m8. It is nice to hear from someone with first hand experience of the company.

How long did it take them to do?

Did you wait for it to be done?

I left my car with them for a couple of days but that was because I had a meeting up there. They also did a full service, I think the whole lot was £450 - they could do a cambelt in a day def.

Hope this helps,

Cheers.

[TimmyTim]

this is the problem living in the tractor land. We aint even got a motorway!!!

I thought £800 sounds steep, but you have confirmed it!

Have seen these guys on ebay. They are a main dealer and offer a cam belt and tension change for £275. It sounds to good to be true.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-CAMBELT-AND-TENSIONER-CHANGE-A2-A3-A4-A6-TT_W0QQitemZ380067748237QQihZ025QQcategoryZ10372QQ cmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

know anyone who has used them?

I've used Stafford Audi as they are just up the road from me. I have to say that the service is the best I've had from any VAG dealer having just bought a new starter motor off them for my Polo Tdi via Ebay for £75 incl 2 year warranty... (£150 anywhere else)

I'd take a trip to them for that price and make a day of it and go to Alton Towers with the kids for the day! :D

£800 is silly money!

[Zakaudi]

Hi Scottie,

I had my cambelt changed at Stafford Audi after seeing at advert on Ebay.

The service was exceptional - and only cost me £275, I live in Twickenham but it was def worth the drive/petrol,

Cheers.


Hi quick question mate, im thinking about going to them to but what is actually included in the price?
Is the £275 all in or do they charge you extra for the water pump and the other belts which are recomended to be changed at the same time as the cam belt?

Regards

[sootyscottie]

Hi quick question mate, im thinking about going to them to but what is actually included in the price?
Is the £275 all in or do they charge you extra for the water pump and the other belts which are recomended to be changed at the same time as the cam belt?

Regards

I would imagine the water pump would not be included. Well if it was, i would probably eat my hat.:biglaugh:

[Zakaudi]

True thats what im thinking to? :aargh4:

[MalcQV]

as per title, i am enquiring to the price of a cambelt change.

My local dealers quoted me £800 for the cambelt change, and another £100 to fit a new metal type water pump if required. Plus service price on top of that. :confused:

This sounds very expensive to me, but i have no experiance of what it 'should' cost on a audi.

Next question, do i really need it done at the main dealers, or is it worth now taking it to an independant garage?

Anyone know / recommend one in the norwich area?

cheers in advance

They are really taking the ****, get it serviced by a Ferrari Specialist it will save you pounds. :p
http://www.verdi-ferrari.com/servicing.htm

[sootyscottie]

They are really taking the ****, get it serviced by a Ferrari Specialist it will save you pounds. :p
http://www.verdi-ferrari.com/servicing.htm


:D now thats an idea....................

[S3 beast]

Hope ur cambelt dont snap whilst ur on ur drive.. thats would be cruel... im touching wood as i type lol:biglaugh:

[picki]

Hope ur cambelt dont snap whilst ur on ur drive.. thats would be cruel... im touching wood as i type lol:biglaugh:

eeew...you'll go blind!

[rydale13]

I knw its a different car, but I have a polo mk4 and I had the cambelt kit INCLUDING the water pump for £200! Including a VW stamp! (was a specialist though, not main dealer.) but thats good enough for me!